Help sometimes (reference interviews parts II & III)

One of the first things I've learned in this training is that some reference librarians are more helpful than others. And some, like me, need more experience. I was a nervous interviewer and didn't ask all of the questions I needed to. I almost included enough information. But not quite. I will get better the more I diligently practice.
My partner, on the other hand, was exceedingly helpful. She found not only the couple of sources our library has, but found some new information and new places for me to search for info on the web. My questioning side of the experience left me quite excited!
Something I did notice, tho, was that both my partner and I mangaged to get distracted from the main question. It's easier to follow lines where there's info to be easily found than to continue digging deeper for info on a question with few sources of answers. Neither my partner nor I used a regular "reference interview question sheet." We assumed that we could be informal because it was just between us. I feel certain that had we used the reference form we would have stayed better on the question.

The other reference interviews I participated in were via email. I asked Chesapeake Library the same question I'd asked my partner. There was no acknowledging response. Four days later I got a brief reply from that library citing the first source my interview partner had found me. And nothing more. I also emailed a library in Rhode Island. Again I got no acknowledgement of my question. In fact I've gotten no response what so ever to the emailed question I asked a couple of weeks ago.
To be fair, I have to mention a similar reference experience I had earlier this year. While doing genealogical research I emailed the library in the town where my great grandfather grew up. They did not respond to my letter. Not for a very long time. And then, maybe a month after my original query, right out of the blue was an email from this library and about 20 pages of obituaries and news articles about my great grandfather's family. A bonanza!

So I have two suggestions. One for me - to use the reference interview form. One for any and all public libraries - all reference emails should be acknowledged, even if they're not going to be promptly answered.