Ask Us! Creating, Assessing, and Improving Chat Reference Services

in Your Library

Kim Pittman

Gabriel Gardner

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Chat @ UMD

Once upon a time in 2004(ish)…

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Docutek, 2004:

“Robust” co-browsing experience not preferred by patrons; interface difficult for librarians

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Chat @ UMD

Chat @ UMD

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2005, Trillian, Librarian view: Unreliable, single-librarian monitoring

2009, Library H3lp: Embedded widget woes

2005, User view

Google Voice for texting, 2009: Slow delivery time

Chat @ UMD

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2011, Library H3lp: Pop-out widget

2011, Twilio: SMS Gateway integrated with Library H3lp

AskMN (QuestionPoint): 24/7 coverage

CREATE

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Software is a means…

• Client

– OS / web-based

– License

– Features • Offline messaging

• Message logging

• File transfer

– Protocol support

• Protocol

– Groups

– Security

– Audio/VOIP

– Video

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… to an end

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Discussion

• If you have a chat service, what criteria did you use to select it?

• What features are most important to you in a chat service?

• http://z.umn.edu/arldaskus

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ASSESS

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Why assess?

• Understand usage patterns

• Gauge user satisfaction

• Evaluate quality of service

• Identify potential improvements in promotion, usability, and service quality

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Statistics

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668

2,321

2,959

2,474 2,441

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

1 2 3 4 5

Chats per year, 2007-2011

Statistics

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0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Year

Chats as a percentage of FTE

Surveys

• Exit survey to gauge patron satisfaction

• Additional survey to evaluate awareness of chat and reasons for non-use

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Surveys

• Created using Google Forms

• Guerilla survey testing • Link delivered by

macro and included in chat box

Our exit survey results

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Phase 2 results

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Phase 2 results: Chat non-users

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Chat users Chat non-users

Phase 2 results: Chat non-users

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Phase 2 results

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Other evaluation methods Transcript analysis • Quality of answer: completeness & accuracy

• Compliance with RUSA guidelines/use of reference interview

• Librarian behaviors and communication strategies

• Role of teaching & learning

Focus groups/interviews • With non-users

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Discussion

• What chat evaluation techniques have you used at your library?

• Would you recommend these to others?

• If you haven’t implemented chat evaluation at your library, why not?

• http://z.umn.edu/arldaskus

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IMPROVE

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Widget Generation

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Naked LibraryH3lp widget

Location, location, location

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LibGuides

Staff profile pages

Databases

Library homepage

Never at rest

• The librarian is in

• A librarian is in

● No UMD librarians available

Where else?

• 404s

• Link resolver pages

• Course management system

• Library catalog

• Mobile site

Training

• “Think like a user” exercise

• Transcript review

• Emphasis on service quality, not mechanics

A picture is worth…

• Screencasting

– In-person > screencast > text/audio only

• Issues

– Audio

– Editing

– File output

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… and video is even better

• Shareability is key – Screencast.com (TechSmith)

• Free – Jing (TechSmith)

– Many others

• Paid – Captivate (Adobe)

– Camtasia (TechSmith)

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URL shrtnrs

• TinyURL, Bit.Ly, Goo.Gl, others

• Essential for texting

• Avoid line breaks

• Click stats (bit.ly, goo.gl)

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Shrtnr Bookmarklets

• Short JavaScripts

• Halve the time and clicks

• Available for TinyURL, Bit.Ly, and Goo.Gl

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From this

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To this

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To script, or not to script, …

• Tools

– Intra-app

– AutoHotKey (f/oss, Windows only)

– Keyboard Maestro (proprietary, Mac only)

– Macro Express (proprietary, Windows only)

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… that is the question:

• Pros

– Fast

– Easy

– Accurate/consistent

• Cons

– Impersonal

– Texting char. limits

– De-professionalization?

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“Outsourcing”

• QuestionPoint: 24/7 chat coverage

– A complete reference management system integrating chat and email

• Prospects

– Greater coverage, potential cost savings

• Perils

– Local vs. non-local Qs

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Discussion

• What tools (free or otherwise) do you use to improve the user or operator experience?

• What training techniques or exercises have you found most effective?

• http://z.umn.edu/arldaskus

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References, pt. 1 • Bailey-Hainer, B. (2005). Virtual reference: Alive and well. Library Journal, 130 (1) (2005), pp. 46–47.

• Connaway, L. S., Radford, M. L., & Dickey, T. J. (2008). On the trail of the elusive non-user: What research in virtual reference environments reveals. Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (Online), 34(2), 25.

• Connaway, L., & Radford, M. L. (2010). Virtual Reference Service Quality: Critical Components for Adults and the Net-Generation. Libri: International Journal Of Libraries & Information Services, 60(2), 165-180. doi:10.1515/libr.2010.015

• Duinkerken, W., Stephens, J., MacDonald, K. (2009) The chat reference interview: Seeking evidence based on RUSA's guidelines: A case study at Texas A&M University Libraries. New Library World, 110(3/4) 107-121.

• Hughes, A. M. (2010). Adherence to RUSA's Guidelines for Virtual Reference Services is Below Expected in Academic Libraries. Evidence Based Library & Information Practice, 5(4), 105-107

• Kwon, N. (2007). Public library patrons’ use of collaborative chat reference service: The effectiveness of question answering by question type. Library & Information Science Research, 29(1), 70–91. doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2006.08.012

• Maness, J. M. (-2007). The power of dots: Using nonverbal compensators in chat reference. Proceedings of the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Information Science & Technology, Joining Research and Practice: Social Computing and Information Science 44.

• Nahyun, K., & Gregory, V. L. (2007). The Effects of Librarians' Behavioral Performance on User Satisfaction in Chat Reference Services. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 47(2), 137-148.

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References, pt. deux • Passonneau, S., & Coffey, D. (2011). The Role of Synchronous Virtual Reference in Teaching and

Learning: A Grounded Theory Analysis of Instant Messaging Transcripts. College & Research Libraries, 72(3), 276-294.

• Pomerantz, J. (2006). Peer review of chat reference transcripts: Approaches and strategies. Library & Information Science Research, 28(1), 24-48.

• Price, J. B. (2010). Screencasting on a Shoestring: Using Jing. Reference Librarian, 51(3), 237-244. doi:10.1080/02763871003792030

• Radford, M. L. (2006). Encountering virtual users: A qualitative investigation of interpersonal communication in chat reference. Journal of the American Society for Information Science & Technology, 57(8), 1046-1059

• Radford, M. L., Connaway, L., Confer, P. A., Sabolcsi-Boros, S., & Kwon, H. (2011). "Are We Getting Warmer?" Query Clarification in Live Chat Virtual Reference. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(3), 259-279.

• Ruppel, M., Fagan, J.C. (2002) Instant messaging reference: users’ evaluation of library chat. Reference Services Review, 30(3), pp.183 – 197

• Thompson, S. (2010). To Script or Not To Script: Or, The Challenge of Being Both Efficient and Personal when Interacting with Virtual Reference Patrons. Reference Librarian, 51(4), 363-366. doi:10.1080/02763877.2010.503315

• Zhuo, F., Love, M., Norwood, S., & Massia, K. (2006). Applying RUSA guidelines in the analysis of chat reference transcripts. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 13(1), 75-88.

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QUESTIONS?

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CONTACT

Kim

kpittman@d.umn.edu

@kmbrlyp

Gabriel

gardnerg@d.umn.edu

@7xgardner

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