Virtual Reference Software Update

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Virtual Reference Software Update
Jody Condit Fagan Digital Services
Librarian James Madison University faganjc _at_
jmu.eduVRD 2004
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Show of Hands

• Currently use VR software or IM software to
  provide help to patrons / users at your
  institution
• Like your VR software very very much
• Feel okay about your VR software
• Are shopping for new VR software
• first timers
• continuing users

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Products

• Marketed to Libraries
• eLibrarian (Groopz, Digi-Net)Live Assistance
  (Live Assistance)VRL Plus (Docutek)VR Toolkit
  (tutor.com)
• OnDemand (Convey)
• Timpani (Live Person)
• 24/7 ReferenceQuestion Point (OnDemand)
• RAKIM (open source)

Instant Messaging ICQ Yahoo IM MSN
Messenger Trillian Call Center
SoftwareRightNowSiebel
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Panoply of features

• (refer to chart)

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Docuteks VRL Plus
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LivePersons Timpani
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LivePersons Timpani
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Conveys OnDemand (at Wisconsin)
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Docuteks VRL Plus
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Geo-Location
Gee Whiz Features
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Docuteks VRL Plus
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Conveys OnDemand
Callers screen
Librarian/operator
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Campaign Tracking
Example Email campaign tracking mechanism (Live
Person)Use a tracking variable in your links in
your email campaign for example
http//www.mycompany.com?cpwinterPromo
Gee Whiz Applications
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Live Keyword
Visitors coming from a search engine are
highlighted in the software. You see the keywords
they used in their search and instantly
understand what they need
Gee Whiz Applications
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Reference by SMS

• a.k.a. Text messaging Provides for inbound
  and outbound text messaging services of local
  cell carriers. Libraries provide a phone number
  to which patrons send text messages.
• These are converted sent to an email account.
  
• Plug-in assists to shorten relies.
• Visit Altarama at Booth 5 or see demo Monday
  1100-1145 am

Gee Whiz Applications
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Wireless / Mobile

• Videoconferencing, phones, computers
• Using Wireless Mobile Technology for Offering
  Here and Now ServiceMonday, Nov. 8 210
  255 pm, Landmark Room 2

Trends Developments
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VOIP / VR for visually impaired

• pilot project involving 12 libraries in nine
  states and the District of Columbia to provide
  VoIP-enabled virtual reference services for the
  print-impaired,
• testing QuestionPoint Enhanced and iVocalize.
• Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille
  Service, with software, e-content, training, and
  technical support from OCLC.
• InfoEyes Addressing VR Accessibility and VOIP
  functionality.Monday, Nov. 8 415-500pm,
  Landmark 2

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Reference Universe

• 5,000 reference book indexes
• keyword searchable
• It knows which ones YOU have!
• And provides links to eBooks!

Gee Whiz Applications
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Gee Whiz Applications
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Your Virtual Reference Model

• Why are you providing VR service?
• In-library reference presence
• Convenience for remote users
• Full reference for distance users
• To be more proactive in identifying and engaging
  customers
• To allow staff to be physically flexible
• ???

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Your Virtual Reference Model (contd)

• Who are the staff?
• students?
• reference desk staff
• subject specialists
• Librarians at other institutions
• Where are the staff?
• Physically (home, library branches)
• Institutionally (part of your org?)

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Your Virtual Reference Model (contd)

• Who are the users?
• Equipment
• Internet Connection
• OS / Software
• Firewall/pop-up blockers?
• Expectations / skill level
• Where are the users?
• In the library building(s)
• Able to walk to library?
• In another time zone

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Your REFERENCE Model (a long, long, time ago)
Edward, Science Specialist
person
Reference Desk
Mary, Business Specialist
Angela, Education Specialist
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Your REFERENCE Model(post-Internet)
Online Subject Guides
Chat
Edward, Science Specialist
system or person
Ask Us e-mail service
Telephone number
Mary, Business Specialist
Other innovative service points
Face-to-face consultations
Angela, Education Specialist
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One VR Model

• Residential undergraduate campus
• Many off-campus, but on-network, users
• Some dial-up users
• Traditionally-aged college students
• Provide help at point of need
• In-building users
• Remote users
• Track user behavior on web site

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One VR Model (contd)

• No Desk
• All librarians online most of the time
• Users pick librarian / subject expertise from web
  site directory and initial contact technology.
• Librarian picks response technology email,
  phone, chat, video, face-to-face.

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One VR Model (contd)

• E-mail, chat, librarians need to be able to chat
  with one another
• Want librarians to be ok at home, or with laptop
• Co-browsing not the most important
• Or ability to turn off gee whiz features
• Web site tracking / great statistics
  transcripts
• Need a pricing model where I can have all my
  librarians online (licensed?)

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One VR Model (contd)

• Text-only chat (RAKIM) message board for e-mail
  (WebBoard) all librarians on the same commercial
  IM.
• eLibrarian (licensed, to save money) for chat,
  email, and librarian chat
• Explore licensing OnDemand for chat, application
  share use message board for email
• Possibly the next two-tiered VRL Toolkit

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Whats the Buzz?
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What librarians are saying

• co-browsing has become increasingly difficult to
  use with the prevalence of fire walls on home
  computers
• Choosing the right software may not mean
  choosing the one with the fanciest features
• I feel that is our responsibility to offer a
  service that may be used on the widest array of
  patron-side machines.  Unfortunately I feel like
  we might be headed in the opposite direction.

Responses from three different VR users to a post
on DIG_REF listserv
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What librarians want to know

• When will software record metrics for cost
  estimates?
• How useful and used -- is co-browsing?
• When will co-browsing work during federated
  searching?
• When can I put a VR link on ALL my database
  pages?
• When will we get Voice? How will voice
  transcripts be stored?

Responses from various VR users to a post on
DIG_REF listserv
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What librarians want to know (contd)

• Research in Digital ReferenceTuesday, Nov. 5,
  925-1010am, Caprice Rooms 1 4, 4th floor.
• A town hall meeting to create research agenda.

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What vendors are saying

• eLibrarian Integration with phone, datafiles,
  documents, plug-ins to other apps, such as a
  marketing system
• LiveAssistance people are focusing too much on
  technology and forgetting the original purpose
  reaching out to students and what they are doing

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What vendors are saying (24/7)

• VR software needs to be accessible on a variety
  of browsers and OS, including AOL, Netscape, Macs
  and Web TV (24/7)
• VR software should be accessible with adaptive
  techologies (24/7)

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What vendors are saying (VRL Toolkit)

• software needs to be easy to setup and use for
  librarian
• Intelligent routing to correct librarian within
  collaborative group
• Integrated reference management tools. Email,
  chat, phone, desk.
• better collaboration within building, library,
  and reference cooperative.

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Dial-up, firewalls pop-up blockers

• Dial-up performance test
• 24/7 software works with hardware firewalls and
  with the latest versions of most software
  firewalls. Versions older than 2004 may be a
  problem.
• For pop-up blockers, usually the software works
  around them.

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Dial-up, firewalls pop-ups (contd)

• eLibrarian overcomes pop-up blockers already by
  using Java engagement windows rather than
  Javascript pop-ups. This results in a 30-50
  chat rate as opposed to 12-28 with invitation
  window.
• eLibrarian pushed pages do get blocked
• LiveAssistance works great with pop-up blockers
  and firewalls. They have an anti-pop-up version
  that only loses the ability to know where
  customer came from on your web site.

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Dial-up, firewalls pop-ups (contd)

• VRToolkit 2005 version plans a two-tiered
  version with basic and enhanced (requires patron
  download) to combat disruptive features
• Tutor.com Demonstrationof Integrated Reference
  Solution, Tuesday, Nov. 9 115-200pm
• Also Booth 4

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Interoperability

• OCLC and MCLS to combine Question Point, 24/7
  Reference Services (9/10/04, OCLC web site)
• QuestionPoint over 1,000 libraries in 20
  countries. 24/7 500 libraries
• in the Fall of 2005, OCLC will release a product
  that will contain the best elements of a combined
  24/7 and QuestionPoint solution. email 11/5
  from Susan McGlamery
• January 2005, 24/7 will have email integration
  and knowledge base capabilities of QuestionPoint
• OCLC 24/7 demo Monday, 320-405pm, Salon HI
• OCLC 24/7 at Booth 2

Trends Developments
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Interoperability (contd)

• NISO Standard Question and Answer Transaction
  Protocol
• "NetRef on Trial Testing the QATP" Monday,
  Nov. 8th, 320 p.m.405 p.m., Landmark Room 2
• NISO standards need to be not only adopted but
  expanded for live chat portability. Forwarding a
  request is achievable forwarding a live
  request unwieldy, but not impossible. (tutor.com)

Trends Developments
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Integration with IM

• an automated "bot" that could bridge the gap
  between IM networks and VR software. --Luke
  Rosenberger
• Googlematic an IM Google bothttp//interconnecte
  d.org/googlematic/
• Perl modules for bots

Trends Developments
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Integration with IM (contd)

• eLibrarian, LiveAssistance dont see integration
  with IM happening
• Tutor.coms new system is extensible to IM and
  to any common Internet browser. Will provide two
  levels of service basic that is unaffected by
  disruptive technologies enhanced that
  requires a client side application like AIM or
  MSN for increased functionality.

Trends Developments
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Integration with IM (contd)

• "Istanbul," capable of instant messaging,
  telephony integration and PC-based voice and
  video. (Microsoft)
• MS Office Live Communications Server 2005 (LCS).
  http//www.instantmessagingplanet.com/public/
• Enterprise Edition supports up to 20,000 users
  per server and server pools of up to 100,000
  users. Information stored in an SQL database and
  identities are authenticated though Active
  Directory. Only 3,000 !
• users will be able to communicate with suppliers
  and customers using MSN, AOL and Yahoo! public IM
  networks.

Trends Developments
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References

• Coffman, Steve. "We'll take it from here
  developments we'd like to see in virtual
  reference software." Information Technology and
  Libraries, v. 20, no. 3. http//www.ala.org/ala/li
  ta/litapublications/ital/2003coffman.htm
• Lupien, P. Bilingual Virtual Reference It's
  Better Than Searching the Open Web. Computers in
  Libraries v. 24 no. 5 (May 2004) p. 6-8, 53-4, 56
• NISO Question/Answer Transaction Protocol.
  http//www.niso.org/standards/dsftu.html
  http//www.loc.gov/standards/net_ref
• OCLC. OCLC and MCLS to combine Question Point,
  24/7 Reference Services. http//www.oclc.org/news
  /releases/20048.htm
• Olivares, O. May Virtual Reference Systems.
  Computers in Libraries v. 24 no. 5 (May 2004) p.
  25-9.
• Peters, T. Auditory Options. Library Journal
  (1976) part Net Connect (Spring 2004) p. 8-9
• Reference Universe. http//www.paratext.com

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References (contd)

• Rosenberger, Luke. LBR. (web blog for VR
  librarians) http//lbr.library-blogs.net/read/8403
  96.htm
• Schmidt, Bonnie, Donald Woolston, and John
  Wanserski Live, On-Line, at a Time Convenient
  for You, Its?...Your Advisor! Presentation at
  the 2004 NACADA conference, Oct. 2004 Cincinatti,
  OH
• Wired Bots (pre-rolled Perl modules for creating
  IM bots) http//www.wiredbots.com/tutorial.html
• Webb, Matt. Googlematic. Program and web page
  http//interconnected.org/googlematic/
• Woods, Bob. Search the Web via IM, April 19,
  2002 (Article describing Googlematic)http//www.i
  nstantmessagingplanet.com/public/article.php/10817
  _1012411