Virtual Reference Survey –SUMMARY

Reference Coordinators’ Committee

Prepared by Jana Reeg-Steidinger and Paul Moriarty

January 2005

[NOTE: not all respondents replied to all questions]

 

1. Does your library offer Virtual Reference Service; please comment?

 

       _6__YES                              (Service is currently offered) 

                                                        4 AskWI

  2 campus-specific

      _7__ NO LONGER             (Offered in the past but not currently offered)

      _1__ NO                                (This service has never been offered by our library)

                                                        1 will begin campus-specific this semester

 

COMMENTARY.  4 libraries continue with AskWisconsin; 7 libraries discontinued AskWisconsin; 3 libraries offer their own campus-specific service.

Librarians expressed dissatisfaction with AskWI regarding consortial management issues, end-user confusion, technical problems, and public vs academic libraries’ differing expectations. UW-Madison and UW-Parkside are enthusiastic about their solo virtual reference experiences.

 

 

       If YES or NO LONGER, rate your overall experience below:

 

                                               1                    2                   3                  4                   5

___|__________|________ __|__________|__________|__

                                                  bad              poor           average          good           excellent

 

2.00          5 Libraries

2.50          1 Library

2.75          1 Library

3.00          1 Library

3.50          1 Library

4.00          3 Libraries

4.50          1 Library

 

COMMENTARY.  7 libraries rated their experience in the Poor-Average range; 2 libraries rated their experience in the Average-Good range; and 4 in the Good-Excellent range.

Reasons not involved in Virtual Reference: AskWI involved low use/high staffing. A significant number of questions were institution-specific and/or involved proprietary databases which on call chat librarians could not access. The increased use of cell phones is compatible with email service. Public libraries answer their user questions; academic libraries are committed to instruct their users in research strategies to locate their needed information.

 

 

How would you rate useage of your virtual reference service?

 

                              1             2             3

         _____|_______|_______|_____

                             low     average      high

 

1.00                     7 Libraries

1.50                     2 Libraries

1.75                     2 Libraries

2.00          1 Library

                  2.25          1 Library

 

COMMENTARY.  11 libraries rated useage in the Low-Average range; 1 library rated useage as Average; and 1 rated their useage as High.

 

 

 Approximately, how many questions per week did you receive?

 

1 to   2 questions:        6 Libraries

8 to 10 quesitons:        3 Libraries

                15 to 20 questions:        1 UW-College Libraries

60 questions:                1 UW-Madison Libraries

 

 

How are/were your chat sessions staffed? __3_At Reference Desk? 

  __10__Other: primarily librarian scheduled to monitor chat

 

 

Did you elicit user feedback, formal or informal, regarding the service?

                    

Elicited feedback:                   3 Libraries

Did not elicit feedback:        10 Libraries

 

 

2. Benefits of UW System Virtual Reference Service

The shared staffing would provide increased service hours even when libraries are closed.  Participating libraries would be on a similar academic calendar so scheduling would be compatible. Categorically similar questions and resources would increase success. Students would interact with a librarian familiar with academic resources.

 

 

3. Potential Problems of UW System Virtual Reference Service

Challenges include: Institution specific issues such as questions regarding campus procedures and locations; No access to other campus’ subscription databases would limit completion of transaction; User confusion because they assumedly were chatting with their own librarian; Talking/question negotiation with the library user is easier than keying in chat.  There can be difficulty keeping virtual reference skills honed with few hours/week spent staffing Because of shared staffing.

 

 

 

4.  Which of the following scenarios would best fit your library?

_5__A. UW Libraries' purchasing & staffing consortia: UW Libraries purchase and staff a shared virtual reference service.  Libraries receive and answer questions from other patrons that belong to other UW Libraries within the consortia.

_3__B. Wisconsin or UW Libraries' purchasing consortia:  Consortia purchases a virtual reference product.  Individual libraries staff and manage their own virtual reference service using this product.

_2__C. Libraries select virtual reference products and staff virtual reference services in isolation from other academic libraries in Wisconsin.

_4__D. Other [described below]

 

COMMENTARY.

Suggestions supporting consortia concept: Combination of A and B—a consortia that would allow and or encourage UW Libraries’ experimenting with staffing consortia such as experiment with staffing consortia during ‘busy’ or peak service times; Similar to A but with shared staffing during times some libraries are closed i.e. over breaks, late hours.

Suggestions for not supporting consortia concept: Use email and telephone support not virtual reference; Seriously consider not offering or just provide institution specific service; Do a cost/benefit study; This is not best use of System monies now with budget cuts.

 

5. Does your campus have a technical Help Desk/Technical Support Center?

 

            _11__             Yes, separate from the library

            __0__             Yes, affiliated with the library

            __1__             No

            __1__             Other

6. If you selected YES for Question 5, what methods of communication are utilized by that service? (select all that apply)

 

             __10__ office visits

             ___7__ workshops/group training

             __10__ in-person/walk-up

             __11__ e-mail 

             __12__ telephone

             ___0__ chat/instant messaging

       ___2__ other

 

 

7. If your campus has a Help Desk/Technical Support Center that is not currently affiliated with the library, would such collaboration be feasible? If not what are barriers?

 

COMMENTARY. A merger of the two service points is not advantageous because each provides a distinctive service. Several campuses are presently making mutual referrals between library and help desk which is ideal.  Others believe not feasible due to campus climate and IT overloaded.

 

 

8. Are there other methods—than virtual reference—for providing fast quality reference service to off-site library users?

 

COMMENTARY. Phone/email reference service are strongly supported as alternatives. Reasons include: ALL users have telephones especially cell phones readily at hand; use prevalent exisiting technology. Students generally “chat” for recreational purposes only. Both students and librarians are comfortable with phone/email reference services.

 

 

9. Additional comments or questions about this topic

 

BENEFITS.

There is merit in a CUWL consortium and further exploration is favored.

AskWI benefits outweigh problems due to potential extended hours of chat services.

Quality of service would improve with CUWL-only virtual reference.

Email reference was slow to take-off; we should offer virtual reference a couple of years to see if use increases.

Virtual reference is especially useful for online and distance education courses.

 

CONCERNS.

UW libraries should learn from each other “rather than march in lock-step taking orders from higher up.”

Would participating in virtual reference consortia really improve reference service and efficiency?

Thoroughly investigate all logistics and software issues before making decision instead of the build it/figure-it-out-as-you-go approach.

During the AskWI experience, librarians mostly served other patrons who would have been better served by working directly with their own library staff…Chat transcripts recommended student inquire at own library.

Some computer access policies ironically discourage chat on public workstations.