Virtual Reference Forum Phoenix, Arizona July 27, 2005

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Virtual Reference ForumPhoenix, Arizona
July 27, 2005

• Sharing an ExperienceAn Introduction
  toMaryland AskUsNow!Joe ThompsonProject
  Coordinator Maryland AskUsNow!Baltimore County
  Public Library410-887-6124 / jthompso_at_bcpl.net

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Background Basics

• Maryland AskUsNow!
• Grand opening on March 17, 2003
• 26 library systems (public, academic, Maryland
  State Law Library, and the Maryland State Library
  for the Blind and Physically Handicapped)
• Participant in 24/7 Reference national
  cooperative, now merged with OCLCs
  QuestionPoint service
• Mission
• AskUsNow! is a 24/7 live online interactive
  service. It uses the expertise of librarians to
  provide answers to questions, research guidance,
  and help navigating the Internet. AskUsNow!
  serves the information needs of Maryland
  residents and students of academic institutions
  through a partnership of Maryland public,
  academic, and special libraries.

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AwardWinning!
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Why are we offering this cooperative service?

• None of uscould do this alone!

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Why are we offering this cooperative service?

• 1. Convenience!
• Expanded hours (any time of need)
• Where they are looking (point of need)
• 2. Communication!
• To clarify complex questions
• Instruction (Show them how to do it!)
• Chat and Instant Messaging communication tool
  of choice

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Why are we offering this cooperative service?

• 3. Promotion!
• Marketing and publicity
• Ability to highlight other library services
• 4. People!
• Personalized service
• Knowledgeable trained librarians
• Opportunity to learn new skills
• Efficient use of existing staff ()

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How do people get to it?

• From
• www.askusnow.info
• Partner library home pages, and libraryweb site
  links
• K-12 schools, nonprofits, and other community
  organizations who have added a link

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See the new Welcome screen athttp//www.askusn
ow.info/welcomelogin.html
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What came before?

• 2001
• Two of 24 Maryland counties initiated pilot
  project to provide homework help to low
  income/high risk K-12 students at after-school
  centers.
• Due to low usage, target customer group had to be
  expanded. First to all K-12 students, then
  everyone in those counties.
• 2002
• Multiple virtual reference services provided
  around Maryland - all for limited hours.
• State Dept. of Ed. promised to provide Library
  Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant funding
  for larger cooperative.
• Planning for statewide service began.

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What were the big ISSUES?

• Daylong conference held in summer 2002
• Representation from libraries around state
• Karen Hyman from QandA NJ talked about their
  experience in New Jersey
• Small group discussions in these 7 areas
• 1. Staffing 5. Software features
• 2. Training 6. Outcomes/Evaluation
• 3. Marketing/Promotion 7. Resources
• 4. Policies

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Planning

• Planning team assembled. Top issues from
  conference used as starting point
• Separate review team assembled to provide
  criticism and suggestions
• Plan of service made available in October.
  Letters of Intent to partner due in November
  2002
• Request for Proposal (RFP) made available to seek
  vendor and back-up staffing.
• The old planning page is still posted
• http//www.askusnow.info/planning/
• (last updated, December 2002)

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Funding

• LSTA grant funds 122,878 FY 2005
• One full-time coordinator ( Soc. Sec. Health)
• Mileage
• Staff Development
• Printing of training materials
• Training and meeting supplies
• Marketing
• Vendor software and cooperative staffing
• Partner libraries contribute
• Staffing
• Existing technology (PCs)
• Enthusiasm!

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LSTA?

• The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA),
  a section of the Museum and Library Services Act
  of 2003, promotes access to information resources
  provided by all types of libraries
• Institute of Museum and Library ServicesGrants
  and Awards Library Services
• http//www.imls.gov/grants/library/index.htm
• American Library Associations LSTA page
• http//www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/federallib
  prog/lsta/lsta.htm

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The Outcomes Logic Model

• Includes
• Organizational Mission statement
• Program Purpose (Do what for whom?)
• Inputs (resources needed)
• Activities (sort of a timeline)
• Program Services
• Outputs
• Each of four Outcomes is then detailed

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How much is it being used?

• A lot!
• Maryland customers account for 26 of all 24/7
  Reference national cooperative usage! (Jan.
  Jun. 2004)
• Its busier than we ever expected!
• January 2005 4362 May 2005 5340
  February 2005 4592 June 2005 2768
  March 2005 5932 April 2005 5959
• Over 75,000 questions have been submitted
• Of these, over 8000 have received follow-up
  attention later by e-mail (QRC)

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Marketing Slogan Brand
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Marketing Develop a Plan

• Most promotion has targeted K 12
• Business community to some extent, more in future
• Local library staff are your link to delivering
  the message to your communities
• Get what you can out of free publicity
  Remember, you can only be new and exciting once!

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•  

March 2003 Grand Opening
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•  

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April 2003
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Marketing Tools

• Press Releases

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Marketing Tools

• Bookmarks

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Marketing Tools

• Link on web sites (Most important!)
• Buttons
• Sample Question Cards for Kids
• Highlighter Keychains
• Note Pads
• Rocking Memo Holders (Wobbles)
• A Commercial (only about 2000 to produce!)
• http//www.askusnow.info/commercial

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Celebrate your staff and accomplishments!
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Training

• What training has been provided?
• New Staff Training Software
• Refresher Training Sessions
• Model Chat Reference Behavior
• Behaviors Checklist
• Review of secret shopper sample sessions
• Neutral Questioning
• Law Reference
• Follow-up (e-mail) process
• New Staff Training now incorporates the model
  behaviors discussion

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Training

• Lets take a look at (handouts)
• Maryland AskUsNow! Behaviors Checklist
• Recommendations from the Research on Chat
  Communication (courtesy of Marie Radford, Rutgers
  University)

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Chat communicationResearch Recommendations

• Marie
• Radford

Early research results were presented by Marie L.
Radford, Ph.D. at Hmmm...Just a Moment While I
Keep Looking" Interpersonal Communication in Chat
Reference, during the RUSA 10th Annual Reference
Research Forum, ALA Annual 2005, Orlando,
Florida, June 23-30, 2005
Radford, Marie. Please Hury It Up Thanks
Interpersonal Communication in Maryland AskUsNow!
Chat Reference. Presentation at the Maryland
Library Association Conference 2005, Ocean City,
MD. (Accessed 7/25/2005)http//www.askusnow.info/
partners/AUN-training.htmlhandouts
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Please Hury It Up ThanksResearch
Recommendations

• Highlights
• Provide reassurance / Be encouraging
• Thats a great question - we should be able to
  find something on this!
• Great! Glad that page came though.
• Build rapport
• Admit when you dont know something
• Be empathetic when they show frustration
• Indicate your approval Thats great! Youre
  definitely on the right track!

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Please Hury It Up ThanksResearch
Recommendations

• More Highlights
• Mirror their level of formality/informality and
  their style (i.e. abbreviations and emoticons) as
  appropriate, of course!
• Use polite expressions Thanks! Youre
  welcome Oops!
• Scripted messages can often sound robotic no
  matter how well written. Always give a personal
  greeting and closing Hi, this is Joe Bye!
• If its busy or the question is challenging, be
  honest with them about how long it might take.

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Please Hury It Up ThanksRecommendations on
Rudeness

• Defuse problematic encounters
• Do not mirror rude behavior! Why dont you grow
  up?
• Do not reprimand for rude behavior, as it often
  only provokes more rudeness (flaming). You
  dont have to shout.
• Do not take the rude behavior personally.
• Do let them know realistically how long it might
  take when they are impatient.
• Do apologize as appropriate. Sorry you had to
  wait so long! Its been really busy today.
• Do be polite and professional at all times.

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Staffing Scheduling

• 230 Maryland librarians actively provide service
• 5 simultaneous Maryland seats available
• Standard weekly schedule Each library was
  required to offer at least 5 hours a week on the
  service, but we have made a few exceptions for
  very small library staffs
• Partner libraries are responsible for plugging in
  a trained librarian during the specific hours
  they have committed
• State Library Resource Center in Baltimore City
  provides one librarian during regular business
  hours 800 a.m. until 1100 p.m., Monday Friday
• 24/7 Reference and cooperative librarians provide
  back-up, weekend, and overnight staffing!

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Adding New Partners

• Establish expectations of your partner libraries
  from the start
• askusnow.info/join
• Letter of Intent

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Whats the coordinators role?(see Job
Description handout)
Really, it's enough for two people!
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What are they asking?

• School assignment
• what historical inaccuracies are found in the
  movie, Patton (1970)? history vs. hollywood
• What is the direction of proton transfer between
  acids and bases? This is high school chemistry.
• For a school project, I need a magazine article
  dealing with water pollution. I have searched
  though all of my magazines, and am unable to find
  one. Do you have any?
• I am writing a term paper and i can not find any
  information on the event of Henri de Navarre
  seizing the city of Cahors.
• what were the slave populations of the countries
  in 1860?
• How did Philantropy have a impact during the
  Gilded Age?
• I need Help With My Exit Project

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What are they asking?

• Advanced
• I am researching family and want access to the
  New York Times Aechives. I understand I can get
  this through an acess site with the Balt. County
  Library. Is this correct? I want to do this from
  home on my PC. Thanks
• I would like to know the ward,section,block and
  lot information for Hillburn Avenue
  Baltimore, MD 21206. I know this information
  should be the LUSK Fish
• This question relates to electric or gas
  scooters. I need to look up the Maryland law that
  governs the use of these scooters on public roads
  in Maryland?
• Can you help me find a website that tells what a
  Fathers Rights are concerning paying child
  Support, also are there any advocacy groups which
  support fathers
• What is the minimum and maximum someone can go
  to jail for kidnapping?

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What are they asking?

• Library Policies Collections
• How do I sign up for an account online and a pin
  to renew materials?
• how do i renew DVDS?
• My son took one of his checked out books (Hardy
  Boys 20) to school and lost it there. Can you
  please let me know how much money I owe the
  library to replace the book. I am hoping someone
  would find it and turn it in but that has not
  happened yet.
• how can I get into your databases?
• I am looking for some sort of video training
  CD-Rom for english learning or correcting my
  pronounciation?
• I was wondering if there is a way to get one
  Maryland system library card. I thought I had
  heard something about a statewide system and
  wanted to know if I can condense my three county
  cards into one state card.

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What are they asking?

• Other?
• What is the median starting salary of new
  librarians?
• i need articles about Benjarong Thai Restaurant
  in rockville Maryland. how can i get these
  articles online? or any ways that i can get
  them?
• how much money is lil romeo worth?
• the major conflict in older women dating younger
  men and how can they be solved?
• Can I please have info on HP and the Half Blood
  Prince? (If possible, can I have librarian nws,
  please?)

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What are they asking?

• What kind of question do we address in e-mail
  follow-up?
• Those that need
• In-depth resources
• More time
• A local response
• A subject specialist
• Staff attention!

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How does it work?

• Heres a look at how we use 24/7 Reference(eGain
  chat platform)to provide service

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Current Follow-up process QRC
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Current Follow-up process QRC
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New Follow-up process QuestionPoint
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Knowledgebase?

• Not at this time, but
• We use the 24/7 Reference Collaborative Policy
  Manual to answer questions about each others
  libraries.
• Sources of information often include free online
  subject directories (e.g. lii.org), advanced SE
  searching, and databases available both through
  Maryland statewide Sailor subscription and
  through 24/7 Reference national cooperative.
• Soon we will begin using more of the
  QuestionPoint tools, possibly including the
  Knowledgebase.

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Greatest challenges?

• We could have planned better on how to handle all
  of those follow-up questions
• Keeping up with technology working with
  customers who use a wide range of browsers,
  operating systems, and firewalls
• Establishing realistic expectations
• Answers are usually not instantaneous
• Question negotiation not always expected
• Unexpected class visits
• Rude behavior

Challenge ahead Keeping up with demand!
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Survey feedback

• Sample recent comments
• Two words can describes your service and that is
  Fast and efficient.
• The service was very knowledgeable and they knew
  just where to look to find the information that I
  needed!
• My librarian rep. was very nice and helpful she
  should get a raise!
• Fast, helpful, easy to use, friendly and I can
  always count on!!

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Parting thoughts

• Build trust
• Involve, reinforce, recognize
• Get support from the top
• Get support from the base
• Dont keep your good service a secret
• Celebrate your success!
• Sustain trust

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• Develop a vision for the future of your service
• Your service will continue as technology changes
• How will your service scale and be sustained as
  usage increases?

Image source www.astrosurf.com/lorenzi/
images/sunrise180.jpg
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For more info

• Maryland AskUsNow! Secret Staff Support Page
• askusnow.info/partners
• Recommended Resources for Planning aVirtual
  Reference Service
• askusnow.info/recommended
• This Presentation and Others
• askusnow.info/presentations
• Contact Joe
• jthompso_at_bcpl.net
• 410-887-8124 (Info. Services Dept., BCPL)