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The 24/7 Library
Presented by Desiree Baron, Helen Chan, Siôn
Romaine, and Corey Schultz for LIBR 570
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Introduction

• Blur by Stan Davis and Christopher Meyer
• Be able to do anything you do at anytimeBe able
  to do anything, anyplace (focusing on customer
  preferences)
• Build product into every service, put service
  into every product
• Virtual location, virtual location, virtual
  location
• Manage all business in real time - connecting
  customer product in as compressed time as
  possible

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24/7 Reference

• What is it?
• Growth of 24/7 Reference
• Factors to consider
• Whats going on
• To think about

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24/7 Reference

• What is it?
• Services that allow patrons access to information
  mediated by a reference centre over the Internet
  in real time, all the time.

? Real-time interactive audio application!
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Growth of 24/7 Reference

• The Internet allowing users to access information
  at any time e.g. retail models
• E-mail reference exponential growth -- but
  interactivity seen as desired next step
• Commercial reference services e.g. webHelps
  staff the new librarians of cyberspace vs.
  Library of Congresss Collaborative Digital
  Reference Service

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Factors to Consider

• Software cost, technological infrastructure,
  staffing
• Dynamics of reference interview skills need to
  be modified
• Subject / service expertise definition of what
  you can and cannot provide be ready to refer
• Service levels patron affiliation, etc. now
  serving the world!

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Whats Going On

• Subject guides / Databases (e.g. reference front
  ends) are used to gather best electronic
  resources for reference
• can have searchable databases for previous
  reference questions (e.g. Ask a Question
  project at Alberta IT, U. of Lethbridge)
• Web Contact Software
• used in Santa Monica Public Library

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Santa Monica Library
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Temple University
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To Think About

• How does digital reference service fit into the
  librarys mission do you do it at the expense
  of your traditional core services e.g. 1 to 1
  personal consultation for patrons
• Cooperative arrangements between institutions
  help to handle off-time traffic need to be part
  of a larger network.

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Developing Electronic Collections

• Implementation Process
• Choosing Internet Sites
• E-Books
• Databases and E-journals

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Implementation Process

• Identifying user needs
• Identifying appropriate materials
• Negotiating licenses
• Creating electronic materials/digitization
• Promoting the service and training users
• Monitoring and evaluation

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Choosing Internet Sites

• Who provided the information? What are their
  qualifications?
• Why are they providing the information?
• Is the site affected by currency or lack of
  currency?

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VPL Costume Page
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E-books

• instant access to titles not physically housed in
  the library, avoiding lengthy ILL requests
• full-text searchable
• Annotate, highlight text, bookmark
• Can store up to 12 books on one reader
• Improve access to visually impaired readers
  (enlarge text, blind readers)

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Adobe Reader
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Gemstar eBook

• RCA REB 1100 (Gemstar eBook)
• Holds up to 12 books
• Backlit
• Can change orientation
• Built in modem
• 8 MB storage, can add up to 72

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Databases and E-journals

• Can users access from outside the library?
• Is it available 24/7?
• Is there vendor user support? If so, is this
  available 24/7?
• If there is no vendor support, do library staff
  have the technical knowledge to aid patrons in
  trouble-shooting?

continued
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DJ (cont.)

• Does the library lease the information or own it?
  
• Who will the institution provide access to for
  these materials?
• What is the format? Is it on CD-ROM, accessible
  from the library? Or is it web-accessible, on an
  external server?
• Can you try it before you buy it?
• Can it be easily integrated with the librarys
  online catalog?

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Borrower Services

• Access trends
• Paper libraries
• Electronic libraries
• Competing with the internet

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Access Trends

• Extended physical access hours
• Self-service
• User-mediated off-site document retrieval

• Nothing that can be done by a technician should
  be done by a professional Nothing that can be
  done by a clerk should be done by a technician
  Nothing that can be done by a machine should be
  done by a human being
• Michael Gorman

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Paper Libraries

• Can only be used locally
• Separate users from documents
• Have restricted hours of use
• Require library staff

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Library Card
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Competing with the Internet

• Emphasize areas where we excel
• Childrens services
• Book borrowing referral
• Cultural resource
• Move into niche areas
• Instructional services portals
• Redefine what a successful library is
• Collection size budget vs. speed, accuracy and
  service

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Electronic Libraries
Table 1 Technological Bases of Library Operations
and Materials
Redesigning Library Services A Manifesto /
Michael Buckland
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Management Issues

• Planning process
• Policies and budget issues
• Consortium agreements
• Human resources
• Library space
• Library users

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Planning Process

• Evaluate the current state
• Identify needs and goals
• Identify obstacles and potential problems
• Break the process into small steps
• Train staff (a continual process)
• Implement changes gradually
• Monitor and evaluate changes

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Policies and Budget Issues

• Strategic planning
• Create technology policies
• Paying for technology
• Looking for alternative sources of funding

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Consortium Agreements

• What are consortiums?
• Advantages cost savings, more power in the
  bargaining process with vendors, forming bonds,
  increased access
• Disadvantages decreased autonomy, may be
  limited in choice of resources to maintain cost
  savings
• Other issues unequal benefits to different
  libraries (e.g. small public library versus a
  large academic library), reaching consensus
  between libraries

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Valdez
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Human Resources

• Training staff
• Providing support for staff
• (e.g. stress management, allowing for feedback
  and criticism)
• Team management
• Future trends

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Library Space

• The library is still important as a physical
  space
• Demands for longer library hours have not
  disappeared with the growth of the internet
• Library architecture is changing as the focus of
  collection development shifts from physical
  collections to access
• Future trends (Information commons)

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Leavey Library
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Library Users

• The virtual patron changing demographics,
  changing demands
• Access for whom and how?
• Issues in meeting their needs

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Survey
1. What proportion of your librarys electronic
resources (networked CD-ROMs, e-journals,
e-books, web links, digitized image collections,
databases, etc.) are available on your website or
remotely accessible intranet, 24/7? In your
opinion, would you say that these online
resources are being used more (and by extension,
give you added value for your budget) than your
print collection?
2. At this time, do you have formal policies or
guidelines in providing electronic access to
resources and services (e.g. patron affiliation,
turn-around time in answering e-mail reference
questions, etc.)? Briefly explain what
difficulties, if any, that you, as a manager,
have encountered in developing and/or enforcing
these guidelines.
continued
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Survey (cont.)

• Does your library offer an e-mail reference
  service? How does its frequency of use compare to
  your in-branch reference statistics (either by
  person or by phone)?

• To advocates of live online reference services,
  the user isnt remote, the librarian is. Has
  there been a demand for an increase in service
  hours at your library? Please comment on what
  your organization would need to adopt a 24/7
  mandate.

5. Some organizations are looking to
consortium agreements with other organizations in
order to pool resources and provide a wider
variety of resources for their users. Are there
any organizations that come to mind which you
might consider for such an agreement? Or is your
library already a part of a consortium? If so,
which ones and why?
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Class Discussion
Question Summarize in one sentence, the three
most important things (in order of priority) in
making your type of library 24/7. e.g. real-time
online reference help, electronic databases
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Sources
Online Bibliography Available At http//www.slai
s.ubc.ca/hchan/247/web.html
updates to follow
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End