A customer is looking for a book and asks for help, what would you do?

If you don't have the book requested in the shop, then tell the customer you will check this out and see if it is still in print. Take their phone number, tell them you will call as soon as you have the information. If it is still in print, ask the client if you should order it for them and tell them the price. If the required book is no longer in print, tell them to search the charity shops as it's quite surprising what literature turns up in these places.

I would ask them what type of book they are looking for, and for examples of other books that they have enjoyed. Then, I would either point them to the right section of the store or give them suggestions if I was familiar with the books. And I would smile.

Ran the book department with Media Play for several years. Proper protocol, first ask the customer which book. If I knew off the top of my head whether or not we had it and where it was (frequently) I took the customer to the proper shelf and handed it to him/her, thanked them and asked if there was anything else. If it was a book I personally had read, I'd make small talk or recommend something similar. If I wasn't familiar with said book, I'd look it up in the computer and determine whether or not it could be special ordered and make that offer, including all details. If it wasn't available or if customer needed it sooner than special order could provide, I'd call other bookstores in area (even competitors) and see who might have it and ask it be held in customer's name. If the requested book was one I usually kept but was out of, I'd offer to special order or give the customer an idea when another copy would be in (information available in computer), then offer to hold one when it came in.

That depends on the circumstances. If she came in my store and asked that I'd say: "Well go to the library for crying out loud. This is a hardware store"!

But on the other hand, maybe she's looking for a book on plumbing? Re-wiring her house? Pouring a concrete sidewalk or something?

So on 2nd thought I think I would say: "So what kinda book you looking for? You think I can read your mind for crying out loud? I look like a sooth-sayer or sump'n.? What? What? I got work to do"!!

That would probably be better than the first one. eh??

Firstly, Smile and make eye contact with the customer.
Secondly, confirm the information on the book, such as title, author, genre, or whatever they can provide.
Thirdly, tell them where to go and how to get there, then ask them if they would like you to show them. Or if its location is not known to you, ask a co-worker, that would know, to assist the customer. Accompany them as well for future reference.
Remember to treat the customer as an old friend the entire interaction. Make a parting comment such as "have a good day/night" or "see you next time" or some such that suits the situation.

I would tell them to get out of my store, and goto a bookstore. Then as they were leaving I would call them a moron.

I certainly hope that you are not asking this in seriousness. If you have a job in a bookstore where this could occur and you don't know how to handle this, which by the way is the basics, then the person that interviewed you dropped the ball....go to that person and ask them what you should do.