Collaborative Virtual Reference Services

Nancy HulingUniversity of Washington Libraries

Law Librarians of Puget Sound Workshop29 April 2009

DefinitionWhy virtual reference?Virtual reference @ the UWStaff attributes Advantages/BenefitsChallenges/PitfallsOverview of QuestionPointBest Practices Activity

Use of digital technologies by both user and library staff to interact on and respond to an information inquiry

Includes email, web forms, instant messaging (IM), and “chat”

Digital and Virtual used interchangeably

Our users are online--Pew Internet Reports--Assessment studies (Libraries & UW Tech)

Our resources and services are online

Provides options for users--anytime, anywhere service--unable to come on campus--Library anxiety!--Convenience (even when on campus)--Facilitates communication

Public research university42,974 students27,600 faculty and staffThree campus locations: Seattle (main);

Tacoma; Bothell (library shared by Cascadia CC)

17 colleges and schools, including medicine and law

Ref email 1992

247ref.org chat 2002

Unit email 1988+

Question list

Question list

Transcripts list

Info email 1992

Question list

Webform & chat -- all units

OCLC QuestionPoint Software

• Email services offered since the late 1980s• Implemented 24/7ref chat in collaboration

with Cornell University in January 2002• Beta site for OCLC’s QuestionPoint , 2002• Continued with 24/7 ref chat software until

merger with QuestionPoint in mid 2005• Joined the QuestionPoint 24/7 chat

cooperative in September 2005 • Participate in the Washington State Academic

Cooperative

Passion for providing reference & information services

Skills & abilitiesGood instinctsKnowledge Commitment to learning & growthEnthusiasmTeam player/TrustAbility to multitask

• Serves users anytime, anyplace• Preferred medium for those not in region

(studying abroad, online students)• Serves users with physical or language challenges • Questions can easily be moved from chat to

email, to subject experts or partner libraries• All virtual questions appear in a single list• Questions received at desks or via phone can be

added to system• Many minds enhance quality of response: the

power of us• Economical: we share resources through

collaboration

Reference transaction documentation

Encourages collaboration

Encourages sharing of knowledge & expertise

Challenging questionsLearn from colleaguesDevelops creativityHones communication

skillsGreat starting point for

students

Staff buy-in (the “they must come to the library” syndrome)

Resistance to collaborationOnly we can answer questions for our usersOnline communication environmentQuestion negotiation: determining the real

information needLearning how to manage user expectationsFEAR of failure & out of comfort zone

: A Quick Tour

Use QuestionPoint to manage all questions

All Libraries webpages link to the same chat or email form

Questions are answered, assigned, or referred as appropriate

Staff are trained on followup options

Links to virtual assistance

Web email form

Qwidget Chat Box (pops up)

Referred to Spokane County

Referred to UW Special Coll.

You move virtual help links front & center on your web pageYou place persistent links on every secondary web pageYou add Qwidget – a simple Meebo-style IM boxYour users are offered multiple options for assistanceYou respond to questions 24/7You seamlessly move the question, not the person

?

2007 2008

September 224 737

October 579 1265

November 656 1213

December 317 695

Chat traffic

Thank you SO MUCH. Chatting to you is like a multiple course asian meal. More good service just keep coming :-)

ok Nancy...you are a genius :-)OMG thank you. YOU must be a total smarty. This

is a lot of brain working and investigatingWOW, not only a great service but follow up! I’m

impressed – if I can provide the level of service that you do my enterprise will be a real success, thank you. Yes, I would very much appreciate your forwarding my request to Olympia. Thank you again for your hard work and thoroughness.

What constitutes best practices in virtual reference?