Ask a Librarian service in National

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Ask a Librarian service in National University
Library of Slovenia

• Gorazd Vodeb M.A.
• National University Library
• Reference Dept., Head

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National University Library

• Established in 1774 as first public library
• Starts collecting legal deposit in 1807, legal
  status of national library in 1945
• New law in 2006 requires legal deposit of
  electronic publications

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National University Library

• Production of national bibliography (free
  internet access)
• ISBN, ISSN and ISMN agencies
• Web site and gateway for online services
  http//www.nuk.uni-lj.si
• OPAC http//www.cobiss.si select National library

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National University Library

• Digital library of Slovenia http//www.dlib.si
• Current and historically important journals,
  maps, photographs, sound recordings, posters
• Digital collections and OPAC included in European
  Library portal, founding member

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National University Library

• Plethora of licenced information sources
  electronic journals, subject bibliographies,
  e-books etc.
• Remote access
• COSEC - Consortium of Slovenian Electronic
  Collections

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Special collections

• Manuscript collection
• Music collection
• Map and pictorial collection
• EU collection
• AV collection
• Serials
• Slovenian Diaspora Publications

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Other user departments

• Loan
• Interlibrary loan
• Information center
• Etc.

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Some numbers

• 13 865 members
• 568 634 loans, in-house usage included
• 255 seats in reading rooms, 33 workstations
• Overall acquisition around 134 000 physical units
  in 2006
• 2 mio volumes

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Building

• One of the greatest masterpieces of architect
  Joe Plecnik, full of symbolic meanings
• Constraints
• New building in plan

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Ask a librarian service

• Information center participate in two services
• 3 1 reference librarians and head
• Cooperative service Ask librarian
• NUK service Ask National University Library

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Cooperative service Ask librarian

• Initiative by IZUM (COBISS library automation
  system provider)
• Started in 2005
• Three groups
• Public libraries
• Higher education libraries
• IZUM

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Cooperative service Ask librarian

• Web page http//home.izum.si/izum/qp/default.htm
• Users ask questions via web form, must select
  group to answer
• Users can chat with librarian from 9 am to 3 pm
  Mon-Fri, must select group to chat with

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Cooperative service Ask librarian

• Special schedule
• Public libraries group Ljubljana Sat-Mon, Nova
  Gorica Tue, Celje Wed, Novo Mesto Thu, Maribor
  Fri
• Higher education group Nat. Univ. Lib Sat-Mon,
  University Library Maribor Tue, Central
  Technological Library Wed, Central Economics
  Library Thu, Central Medical Library Fri/2
• IZUM

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Cooperative service Ask librarian

• Supported by Questionpoint, all participants
  share one Service Unit Profile
• Translation and administration by IZUM
• Management body of participating libraries and
  IZUM declares schedule, policy, procedures etc.

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Cooperative service Ask librarian

• 1218 questions asked in 2006
• 1251 chats in 2006

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Cooperative service Ask librarian

• Types of questions
• Thematic questions for seminars, projects,
  diplomas
• General questions about library services
• Availability of books, loans extensions etc.
• Bibliographic information
• Factual information
• Bibliographic issues for academic/research
  qualifications
• Readers advice (what to read)

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Cooperative service Ask librarian

• Chat
• Specific demands
• User will wait for answer few minutes maximum
• Suits best for quick answers
• Not suitable for difficult questions
• Requirements on staff time

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Cooperative service Ask librarian

• Reference policy source only union catalogue and
  public internet
• Nonspecific questions for specialised libraries
• Aimed at slovenian users

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Ask National University Library

• Started in November 2006
• Web form for questions
• Folder in Microsoft Exchange
• Aimed also at foreign users

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Ask National University Library reference
policy

• Foreign public questions about Slovenia or
  Slovenes, our services or products
• Domestic public we provide in addition
  information about social science and humanities
  literature
• Use licenced information sources where
  appropriate

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Ask National University Library

• Several questions per day
• Generally more questions about NUL services
• Use of services (How to)
• Bibliographic information
• Thematic questions
• Availability of books
• Remote access to licenced databases
• Loan issues
• Interlibrary loan
• Legal deposit, CIP
• Factual information