Transcript Programma
24th IATUL Annual Conference,
Libraries and Education in the Networked
Information Environment
Metu - Ankara
2-5 June 2003
Cooperative Digital Reference in
Europe : where are we going?
Paola Gargiulo
Ciber
[email protected]
Outline
Definition of digital/virtual reference service
Collaborative digital /virtual reference service in
Europe : an overview
Digital reference service and consortia
Critical issues
Conclusions
Digital Reference Service:
What is it?
It is a response to
exponential growth of electronic information
resources available to users
the increased number of Internet users and their
need for assistance in locating information or
performing a search
“ask an expert” or other services commercially
offered through the Web (AskJeeves, WebHelp,
JonesKnowledge)
Digital Reference Service:
what is it?
It is a way to promote and improve
library’s visibility
library’s presence at the point of need
librarian’s competence, expertise,
knowledge
A move from a “just in case” to a
“just in time” service
More opportunities for libraries
More and better services for patrons (1)
service exstensible beyond the library
opening hours
interactive on line assistance to users
personalized services to users
better service for impaired patrons
(hearing/speaking problems)
More opportunities for libraries
more or better services to patrons (2)
enhanced information literacy programs
service to remote users (distant learning)
increased communication with remote users and
colleagues
better tools to reach out new users
better services through cooperation with other
colleagues from all over the world
Digital reference services
E-mail e webform
Interactive /real time reference
Videoconferencing
Collaborative Digital Reference
Community of experts
Digital reference: intermediation
services
Through e-mail
basic e-mail address – question posed to the
library that provides answer by e-mail, fax,
letter, phone
Web form
Through interactive on line service
simple chat technologies
instant messaging software
virtual reference room solution(Webmaster)
chat software purchased by the library
Web contact centre Software
Through collaborative service
E-mail service
Advantages
Real time service
Advantages
Users are familiar with it
Immediacy and interactivity
It is relatively simple to
Live reference interview
handle on both sides (users
and libraries)
It does not require extra sw
Drawbacks
Lack of immediacy and
interactivity
Is it always a problem?
Use of reference interview is
limited
clarification of question by 3/4
messages exchange over several
(it can go on until patrons are not
clarified). The user can return to the
search later as the text of chat session
is saved and sent to him/her
Drawbacks
It is more complex to set up
It can be time-consuming
It can be expensive
Online interactive reference services based on
Web contact centre software
The librarian can :
push Web pages to patrons
escort patrons through catalogues or databases or
other web resources
Co-browse collaboratively with the patron (librarian is
able to display specific Web pages on the patron’s computer
screen)
share online content with the patron
transfer queries between institutions
record answers and reuse them by built- in
knowledge bases
create patron profiles and system reports
conduct studies on who is using the system and how
Digital reference services in Europe ?
Reference service in Europe is mainly a tradition of UK, Eire,
The Netherlands and Nordic countries, therefore the first
experience of digital reference services started in these
countries in recent years.
The number of university libraries and public libraries offering
e-mail service is now increasing all over Europe
a search in Google on “Ask a librarian” + country domain gives
an idea on how the service is spreading
the service is not always well organized (lack of guidelines, web
forms, FARQs, knowledge base ecc.)
Fewer university libraries offer realtime services, several
public libraries do, mainly in the Nordic countries, Netherlands
and UK
Planning a digital reference service
(1)
Physical service location
Virtual service location
Programming and web expertise
Hd and Sw
(PC/Workstation; printer; scanner; mail client; web-form; chat
software; authentication software)
Personnel involved
Personnel training in advanced web skills, reference
interview and procedure
Planning a digital reference service
(2)
Management and coordination (who does what and
when)
Quality control
Service population
Promotion
Users orientation and feedback
Service Evaluation
Privacy and legal issues
Issues involved (1)
Telecomunications and network technology
Technical standards
(NISO Committee for AZ on Networked Reference
Services to develop question processing transaction protocol for interchange between
systems)
Users technology
what technology are patrons using?
Users behaviours in locating information
Patron’s access patterns, web log studies, users habits and
perceptions
Users information literacy
Issues involved (2)
New and challenging service
cultural resistance, workload, staffing problems
Gradual approach
Back up service
to offer the service in the evening or at night
Digital reference work flow
(question assignment, fulfillment,
routing, question management, archiving, retrieval, assessment,
evaluation, and reporting)
Creation of knowledge base
(in order to reduce “access questions” and other repetitive
questions)
Some other questions related to
reference service
• How strong and well established is the traditional
reference service?
• How is is structured? (e.g. general, subject reference,
tiered, etc.)
• What is the availability of print and e- reference
sources in the country language?
• How much is the reference service used?
• Who is performing the service ? (professional
librarians, paraprofessionals, ecc.)
• Do librarians have subject expertise and technical
skills?
Collaborative Digital Reference
Service
Libraries cooperate to provide e-mail and on line
interactive reference service to their patrons
Question Point- Collaborative Reference Service
(the largest service, over 300 participant libraries from all
over the world, from USA, Canada, China, Australia, etc,
from Europe: UK, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, etc)
Collaborative reference services are offered in USA,
Canada, Australia, Europe
Collaborative Digital Reference Service
in Europe
“ask a librarian” are offered by library consortia, public
libraries, university libraries
just to cite some
BiblioteksVagten, Denmark (22 public libraries)
Bibliotekarie Direct, Sweden (4 public libraries
(Malmo, Sotckholm, Gothenberg and Nacka)
Bibliotekvakten i Vestfold (7 public libraries in
Norway)
Ask- a- librarian coordinated by CO-East (10
library authorities in the East of England)
Kirjastot ( Finnish public and research libraries)
VRD- Regione Toscana (15 Italian public libraries)
Large university and state libraries often join
QuestionPoint
Collaborative Digital Reference Service
in Europe
Most of the libraries start providing e-mail and later add
real- time service;
Most of them provide their services to their primary clientele
as defined in the mission of the library; questions posed from
different clientele are answered when related to library
holdings/services or information about the country
Questions are handled in local language and also English in
Nordic countries; in other areas, questions posed in different
languages will be answered in the local language
Knowledge bases are not yet available in most cases
Questions are not routed through automated system
Need to increase access to fee-based electronic resources is
strongly felt in public libraries
Collaborative Digital Reference
Service in Europe: Critical issues
copyright issues
licensed databases and e-journals use in digital reference service
A remote user can be considered equal to a “walk in user”?
authentication problems
in navigating with the remote users in proprietary databases and eresources
back up service
lack of e-resources in local languages
language barriers
Collaborative Digital Reference Service in
Europe: Critical issues
Are patrons from library A given same quality service
by staff from library B?
Are training and professional development handled
together by library A and library B
Who is providing the service at library A and library
B (paraprofessional, professional librarians, a mix)
How will costs be shared?
Is collaborative digital reference service a
sustainable economic model?
Library Consortia and digital reference
service
Library university consortia in Europe are just starting
offering digital reference service, often they subscribe
to QuestionPoint
The flexibility and scalability of reference digital service
can allow consortia to set up services
tiered level
subject cluster (e.g consortial business library cooperate)
nested cluster (at local library, campus library, university library,
consortial level, interconsortial level, global level)
To conclude
Digital reference is not future is a today’s reality
Its real- time technology is still primitive, it will improve
Users need training in navigation, for accuracy,
relevance, and currency
If librarians are not there when patrons need them,
patrons turn to alternative services
Which services? What quality?
A final consideration
Do we want just to be information
custodians, information access engineers
or do we also want to share our
knowledge, expertise as information
intermediators, information creators and
help users to develop critical thinking?