E-Mail Reference Evaluation

Abstract

E-mail reference has been utilized as a reference tool in academic libraries since the early 1980s. Today it is one of the most common media for providing digital reference service. An important aspect of providing any service is evaluating users' satisfaction levels with that service. Users of the Ask-A-Librarian e-mail reference service at a large academic library over a ten-month period voluntarily completed a seven item web-based questionnaire. The results indicated that the majority of respondents were satisfied with Ask-A-Librarian overall. This paper discusses how the library used the survey results to improve the existing service, and to implement a new one-chat reference. Reference service providers should not only ask users for feedback on existing services, but also should include them in the planning and design phase of new services. In doing so, they demonstrate their commitment to providing adequate and appropriate services to their patron community, and ultimately can save their institutions time and expense.     

The University of Texas at Arlington's Virtual Reference Service

Abstract

The University of Texas at Arlington's Library began using an online chat reference in 2002. The service, called Collaborative Digital Reference Service, later became “Ask a Librarian.” Slightly over one year later, the library joined the University of Texas System's “Ask a Librarian” service. Both services are powered by software suite called QuestionPoint. In May 2003 and May 2004, the library's reference staff shared their views towards this new reference tool by completing a questionnaire. Statistics and staff members' responses are analyzed in this study.     

Characteristics of E-Mail Reference Services in Selected Public Libraries,Victoria, Australia

SUMMARY

An analysis of 96 question and answer pairs from the Bayside Library Ask a Librarian Service found that 54 percent of the queries were received from Bayside residents. Forty-seven percent of the e-mail reference questions were classed as research queries. Although only 25.1 percent of the queries were submitted for formal education purposes, all of these were research questions, and took longer than any other category to answer. In 2001, only 6 of the 54 questions submitted were tertiary level questions, but it took a median time of 95 minutes to answer each one. The 24 general interest category questions took a median time of 47.5 minutes to answer, which is almost half the time it took to answer a tertiary level query.

Librarians from three other public libraries in Victoria offering e-mail reference were interviewed, and compared and contrasted with the Bayside Library Service.

Issues of disproportionate labour, the appearance of the passive role of the e-mail reference user, and the wisdom of public libraries devoting significant resources to answer questions for formal education were raised.     

Text Messaging the Reference Desk: Using Upside Wireless' SMS-to-Email to Extend Reference Service

The author discusses “Text a Librarian,” a short message service-to-email service provided via Upside Wireless, Inc., a Canadian telecommunications provider. Any user of the University of Virginia Library who has a cell phone and text messaging capability can send a text message to a local phone number provided by Upside Wireless. Upside's “virtual SMS channel,” which forwards the message to the Library's reference e-mail account. Librarians then respond to the query with an e-mail message that the user receives as a text message on his or her cell phone. This article describes the process by which a library developed the idea for the service and decided to contract with Upside, as well as staffing for the service and the challenges, successes, and possible new directions. A brief survey of the SMS reference landscape is included.     

E-Mail Reference as Substitute for Library Receptionist

SUMMARY

The authors explore the historical development of e-mail reference services in general, and report on the evolution of this service in their own library. Based on evidence from their own service and from reports in the literature, they propose a connection between e-mail reference service and broader library services including circulation, interlibrary loan, and even acquisitions, through which the reference librarian receives questions traditionally directed elsewhere. The e-ref button presents an unexpected avenue of librarian-to-librarian communication, both within and beyond one's home institution. Implications are discussed.     

E-Mail Reference

Summary

This article begins by summarizing national findings of e-mail reference services in academic and public libraries. It next describes types of e-mail reference services as well as commonalities, differences, appearance of the question form, audience, and turnaround time for selected Colorado libraries. The article then focuses on giving a detailed overview and analysis of two years of Colorado State University's e-mail reference experiences. The number, type of question, who/where the questions come from, and to whom the questions are sent are examined. The unexpected uses of the service are identified. Lastly, broader issues to do with e-mail reference services are discussed. This article is based on a presentation given at the Internet Librarian2000 conference.     

虚拟参考服务的实现方式对服务的影响分析

本文分析了异步(e—mail、web表单等)、实时(chat、video，Web customer call center software,Voice over Intemet Internet Protocol(VoIP)等)及全自动等虚拟参考服务方式对提问解答结果、对用户利用服务、对用户技能、对馆员技能、对服务管理、对支撑服务的信息资源的总体影响，以及对提问的适应性；为充分发挥各种实现方式的优势并降低各自的劣势对服务的影响，本文也特别强调了不同实现方式应该注意的问题。     

The Evolution of the Reference Interview

SUMMARY

While the reference interview remains the vehicle whereby librarians are able to understand the information needs of users in order to assist them, the ways in which the reference interview is conducted have changed with time and technology. This chapter provides a brief history of the evolution of the reference interview, from the face-to-face transaction to the current trends of e-mail and chat software mediated reference interviews, and examines application of these current trends in virtual reference services. While the methods of conducting the reference interview have certainly changed, the ultimate goal of meeting the information needs of the user remains constant.     

Reference to Stacks: Getting the Most out of Library Resources

Changing patron demands, coupled with significant repurposing of library space, led the library to experience a marked decline in the usage of the print reference collection. Such a significant decrease challenged librarians to find new methods for promoting this still viable collection. It was decided to integrate the print reference books into the general library collection. After a year, circulation data demonstrated that by integrating collections, reference titles were now used more frequently.     

数字图书馆参考咨询服务系统的建设与服务

介绍数字图书馆参考咨询服务系统的开发、建立以及开展数字化参考服务的方法，对数字图书馆参考咨询服务效果进行分析，最后对开展数字化参考咨询服务作进一步思考。     

Getting Beyond Institutional Cultures

Abstract

As library service providers for distance learners, we are constantly searching for ways to improve communication, share our knowledge, and make distance learners aware of our resources. Virtual (real-time chat) reference is yet another tool to utilize in reaching these students. While virtual reference has been around for several years, and is offered by many libraries, the four institutions comprising this service have taken a variety of paths to reach the current stage-a collaboration among academic state university libraries of varying size. This paper discusses collaboration aspects such as differences in institutional cultures, negotiations, planning and implementation, developing policies and best practices, staff training, technology issues, and lessons learned that can be applied to any collaborative project.     

新课程环境下中学图书馆的参考咨询服务

根据新课程环境下中学教育教学的迫切需要，分析中学图书馆参考咨询服务的服务模式，探讨当前中学图书馆开展参考咨询服务面临的主要问题及解决存在问题的有效途径。     

我国高校图书馆网上实时咨询服务调查与分析

实时咨询服务是在网络环境下图书馆虚拟参考咨询服务深化和创新的情况下开展起来的.本文通过对我国高校图书馆实时咨询服务现状的调查,分析实时咨询服务的特点,探索实时咨询的发展前景.参考文献25.     

Working from Home: How We Managed Our Team Remotely with Technology

Abstract

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the College’s library and the office of institutional research & training (OIRT), along with all departments of our college, shifted to working from home (WFH) overnight. This column shares examples from the literature regarding experiences and lessons learned from both the corporate world and academic libraries’ experiences managing teams remotely with technology. Finally, we share how the College’s academic library and OIRT transitioned to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic with the variety of online tools we already used, but further enhanced during this experience, to communicate and collaborate effectively with our team members.     

论数字图书馆的虚拟参考咨询服务

探讨了虚拟参考咨询服务的涵义和特点以及图书馆开展虚拟参考咨询服务的模式，并提出基于数字图书馆的虚拟咨询服务的对策。     

地方高校图书馆虚拟参考咨询服务探析

文章在阐述虚拟参考咨询服务涵义的基础上,分析了目前地方高校图书馆虚拟参考咨询服务工作现状,探讨了加速这一工作发展的几种对策.参考文献4.     

Quality Control: A Necessary Good for Improving Service

This article reports the benefits, challenges, and effective methods of assessing the quality of virtual references services at an academic library.     

Opportunities for Real-Time Digital Reference Service

Summary

This article explores the opportunities that real-time digital reference service can offer to a variety of library settings from the independent public library to the large multi-campus university or the multi-national corporation. There are many occasions when a real-time digital reference service will be the optimal solution for a portion of a library's reference service. The authors' goal is to offer their original ideas, and examples from the literature, that will stimulate thought about real-time digital reference services that could be offered by your libraries. The numerous ideas and examples should provide the reader with workable methods for extending the reach of reference service to under-served populations.     

Virtual Reference: Chat with Us!

Virtual chat services represent an exciting way to provide patrons of medical libraries with instant reference help in an academic environment. The purpose of this article is to examine the implementation, marketing process, use, and development of a virtual reference service initiated at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and its three-campus libraries. In addition, this paper will discuss practical recommendations for the future improvement of the service.     

国内高校图书馆网上咨询服务现状与分析

文章通过对几年高校图书馆开展网上咨询服务现状的调查与比较，指出了国内图书馆开展网上咨询服务存在的问题，并提出了发展思路。