Transcript Collaborative Virtual Reference Services Nancy Huling University of Washington Libraries Law Librarians of Puget Sound Workshop 29 April 2009

Collaborative Virtual
Reference Services
Nancy Huling
University of Washington Libraries
Law Librarians of Puget Sound Workshop
29 April 2009
 Definition
 Why virtual reference?
 Virtual reference @ the UW
 Staff attributes
 Advantages/Benefits
 Challenges/Pitfalls
 Overview of QuestionPoint
 Best Practices Activity
 Use of digital technologies by both user and
library staff to interact on and respond to an
information inquiry
 Includes email, web forms, instant messaging
(IM), and “chat”
 Digital and Virtual used interchangeably
 Our users are online
--Pew Internet Reports
--Assessment studies (Libraries & UW Tech)
 Our resources and services are online
 Provides options for users
--anytime, anywhere service
--unable to come on campus
--Library anxiety!
--Convenience (even when on campus)
--Facilitates communication
 Public research university
 42,974 students
 27,600 faculty and staff
 Three campus locations: Seattle (main); Tacoma;
Bothell (library shared by Cascadia CC)
 17 colleges and schools, including medicine and law
Ref
email
1992
Info
email
1992
247ref.
org
chat
2002
Question list
Question list
Unit
email
1988+
Question list
Transcripts
list
OCLC QuestionPoint Software
Webform
& chat -all units
• Email services offered since the late 1980s
• Implemented 24/7ref chat in collaboration with
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Cornell University in January 2002
Beta site for OCLC’s QuestionPoint , 2002
Continued with 24/7 ref chat software until
merger with QuestionPoint in mid 2005
Joined the QuestionPoint 24/7 chat cooperative
in September 2005
Participate in the Washington State Academic
Cooperative
 Passion for providing reference &
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information services
Skills & abilities
Good instincts
Knowledge
Commitment to learning & growth
Enthusiasm
Team player/Trust
Ability to multitask
• Serves users anytime, anyplace
• Preferred medium for those not in region (studying
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abroad, online students)
Serves users with physical or language challenges
Questions can easily be moved from chat to email, to
subject experts or partner libraries
All virtual questions appear in a single list
Questions received at desks or via phone can be
added to system
Many minds enhance quality of response: the power of
us
Economical: we share resources through collaboration
 Reference transaction
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documentation
Encourages collaboration
Encourages sharing of
knowledge & expertise
Challenging questions
Learn from colleagues
Develops creativity
Hones communication
skills
Great starting point for
students
 Staff buy-in (the “they must come to the library”
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syndrome)
Resistance to collaboration
Only we can answer questions for our users
Online communication environment
Question negotiation: determining the real
information need
Learning how to manage user expectations
FEAR of failure & out of comfort zone
: A Quick Tour
Links to virtual assistance
 Use QuestionPoint to
manage all questions
 All Libraries webpages link
to the same chat or email
form
 Questions are answered,
assigned, or referred as
appropriate
 Staff are trained on
followup options
Web email form
Qwidget Chat Box (pops up)
Referred to Spokane County
Referred to UW Special Coll.
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You move virtual help links front & center on your web page
You place persistent links on every secondary web page
You add Qwidget – a simple Meebo-style IM box
Your users are offered multiple options for assistance
You respond to questions 24/7
You seamlessly move the question, not the person
?
Chat traffic
2007
2008
September
224
737
October
579
1265
November
656
1213
December
317
695
Thank you SO MUCH. Chatting to you is like a multiple
course asian meal. More good service just keep coming :-)
ok Nancy...you are a genius :-)
OMG thank you. YOU must be a total smarty. This is a lot of
brain working and investigating
WOW, not only a great service but follow up! I’m impressed –
if I can provide the level of service that you do my
enterprise will be a real success, thank you. Yes, I would
very much appreciate your forwarding my request to
Olympia. Thank you again for your hard work and
thoroughness.
 What constitutes
best practices in virtual reference?