Transcript Analyze This! An Iterative Analysis of Reference Statistics Nadia J. Lalla, Erin Kerby, Deborah Lauseng Taubman Health Sciences Library University of Michigan.

Analyze This!
An Iterative Analysis of
Reference Statistics
Nadia J. Lalla, Erin Kerby, Deborah Lauseng
Taubman Health Sciences Library
University of Michigan
The Three Amigos
Deborah
Nadia
Erin (with Alfie)
In the Beginning
Does the transaction data
support our service model?
I Have A Question!
Types of Questions
Circulation
Reference
Directional
Access
Research
Citation Management
Where Are Questions Asked
Integrated Reference/Information Desk
Phone
Email
Office Hours
Consultations
The Counting Part
Year One (June 2010 – July 2011)
Monthly statistical nag
End of the year statistical beg
Ran a basic report (who, what, when, where)
Performed a trend analysis
Trends in Usage at Service Points
Purpose of Contact
Peak Service Times
Trends in usage and
peak services times
were as expected.
Could a New Service Model Work?
Simultaneous Uniform Single Service Point
Staffing
• Reference staff at Information/Circulation Desk
• Circulation = backup support to reference
Requires a higher skill set
• More expertise
• Greater knowledge of sources
Year Two (June 2011 – July 2012)
DeskTracker and Footprints statistics gathering
Additional data collection instrument
Affinity analysis
Problems with Data Collection
A New Nag
Interpretation is a Fine Art
AKA how to drive your SI student insane
Information/Circulation Desk
3%
2% 1% 1%
Directional
Library Resources & Services
Technology Issue
4%
4%
25%
Circulation Issue
Tools & Supplies
7%
Library Policies & Procedures
Library Staff
Building/Facility
8%
Library Exhibits
No category
20%
11%
Lost & Found
Campus Resources
13%
Collections
Library Operations
n=1,591
The Details – Information/Circulation Desk
Library Resources & Services
Total=322
Directional
Total = 400
Outside THL
Restroom
3% 3%
5%
Books
Misc resource
6%
Research help
Journals
7%
Database help
2802
8%
8%
10%
3%
2%
3% 3%
3%
Call #
8%
60%
Help finding
book/journal
Access issue
5th/6th floor
Directions to THL
Printer/copier/scanner
Misc
53%
12%
Request for
backup
Library collection
Liaisons services
Misc service
Misc reference
Backup/Reference
3% 2% 1%
Library Resources & Services
4%
Technology Issue
Library Policies & Procedures
17%
Circulation Issue
Directional
Collections
72%
Library Exhibits
No category
Building/Facility
n=765
The Details – Backup/Reference
Library Resources & Services
2%
Access to resources
6%
Research help
8%
General reference question
Resource instruction
Liaison services
16%
Misc services
65%
Misc resources
Classes/workshops
Library collections
n=551
Immediate Changes @ THL
• School of Information students and some backup staff
trained on circulation skills.
• Selected non-SI students trained to provide basic
reference assistance for ejournal access issues, citation
verification, and basic PubMed/CINAHL searches.
• Liaisons Librarians delegate all circulation questions and
most ejournal access questions.
• Librarians handle the most difficult reference questions.
Library-Wide Changes
Changes to
types of
data
collected
Institutional Changes
A A major building
renovation
Points to Consider
Difficult to separate the question from the cause
of the question (i.e., what is the question really about?)
Theoretically, access is easier with so much online but ….
people still need help with HOW to access ebooks,
ejournals, etc. These are not easy transactions.
Ongoing reluctance/resistance to enter statistics
(librarians) and record details on questions
(staff/students).
There’s a lot of data.
Contact Information
Nadia J. Lalla, MLIS
Coordinator, Collections &
Information Services
Taubman Health Sciences Library
The University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
[email protected]
Deborah Lauseng, AMLS
Coordinator, Liaison Services
Taubman Health Sciences Library
The University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
[email protected]
Erin Kerby, MSI
Veterinary Medicine Librarian
Veterinary Medicine Library
The University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
[email protected]