When a caller to the Regional Information Center (RIC) asked Mary Logan, "Can you tell me how many people between the ages of 25 and 45 live in Dundalk?," Mary did what she always does.  She asked the caller a few question, looked at her reference sources, determined that several census tracts and some interpolation of US Census Bureau data was required, and produced the correct answer in just three minutes.

Mary didn’t know that that her caller was a mystery shopper from the Enoch Pratt Free Library.  Mystery shoppers asked the same question of other librarians in Pratt’s State Library Resource Center (commonly known as the Central Library).  Mary’s professional manner, reference accuracy, helpfulness and superior public relations skills earned Pratt’s 2002 Mystery Shopper Customer Service Award.

The Regional Information Center is operated as a partnership between the Enoch Pratt Free Library and BMC, featuring regional and urban planning materials.  The State of Maryland entered into a contract with Pratt in the 1970s to provide professional staff for the library at the old Regional Planning Council.  The library was formally named the Regional Information Center in 1989.  Today BMC furnishes space and materials, and benefits from having a branch of the Pratt system on site.

In 2001 the RIC responded to more than 2,100 requests for information and research assistance by BMC staff, government agencies, businesses, students, private citizens and the media.  In addition, the RIC handled sales of BMC publications totaling nearly $7,000.

The RIC is open to the public by appointment and also handles inquiries by phone.  Call 410-732-9570 for additional information.

A native of Wisconsin, Mary chose to come to Baltimore in part because of the opportunity to work for Pratt.  Mary has spent twenty-three of her twenty-five years as a Pratt librarian in the RIC and its predecessor. 

Posted: 10/15/2002