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TODAY’S PRESENTATION

Why this topic?

Reference Knowledge Bases

Data gathering

Results

Conclusions

Audience Discussion

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EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY

Daytona Beach FTE – 4,890Worldwide FTE – 10,068Prescott FTE – 1,654

Hunt LibraryLibrary for DB and WWReference Services

Email Chat TelephoneIn-Person

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Information on the Website

Course assignmentsGeneral (e.g., APA)FAQ’s

Self-Guided HelpAirline Analysis: ASCI/MSA 602 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Getting Started with Research Guide for Writing GCPs and Sample GCP and GRPs

Hunt Library Instructional Publications and Brochures

Library Basic Training Library Guide Search This Site Site Index (Alphabetical) Site Map Style Manuals (APA, MLA, etc.) Welcome to the Library (Video)

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HUNT LIBRARY REFERENCE EXTERNAL GUIDES

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Internal – Reference Drafts in Shared Outlook Account

One librarian culls information from answers to questionsShe creates an email draft with a descriptive subject lineLibrarians search the drafts for previous or common answersCopy and paste into new email responses

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HUNT LIBRARY REFERENCE DRAFTS

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IS THERE A KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR US?

Is it practical?

Is it feasible?

Is it something we want or need?

Are there successful examples in the distance learning world?

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WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE BASE?

A knowledge base is a long-term repository of individual facts that support the performance of individuals within an organization or those served by the organization (Boling, Cai, Brown, & Bolte, 2000).

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LIBRARY KNOWLEDGE BASES

Predates technological eraReference card files of common questions in the 19th century

FAQs on early library websites Compiled information from online reference transcripts Commercial products

QuestionPointStatewide reference consortia (e.g., Florida Ask-A-Librarian)

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RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGIES

SurveyOffcamp electronic list (732 subscribers)October, 2011Administered by NEFLIN cooperative

Personal InterviewsVolunteered via the surveyBy telephoneNovember, 2011

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SURVEY RESULTS

Sixty-seven people answered the survey for a response rate of 9.15%

The majority (67%) were from university libraries

The majority (62%) were public services librarians

Sixteen or 24% responded that their library has a reference knowledge base

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HOW THE KB WAS DEVELOPED

From local reference transactions 56%

By a vendor based on virtual reference customer responses

25%

By a virtual reference consortium 12%

Other 6%

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ACCESS TO THE KB

Only reference librarians at the institution 50%

All students, faculty & staff at the institution 25%

Only distance learning students, faculty, and staff 8%

Only certain reference staff 8%

Anyone with an Internet connection 8%

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WHY NOT IMPLEMENT A KB?

Workload issues 39%

Quality control issues 18%

Reference interactions do not produce standard answers

18%

Privacy concerns 12%

Intellectual property concerns 2%

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INTERVIEW RESULTS

Ten survey respondents indicated willingness to participate in interviews

Of those, eight or 75% consented to an interview

Two reported their library does not have a knowledge base

Six responded that the library has a knowledge baseFour of those had some level of uncertainty

Types of knowledge basesCommercial product (internal and external)Internal blogArchived email reference transactions (internal)FAQs (internal and external)

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DISCREPANCY IN THE FINDINGS?

Majority of survey respondents report their library does NOT have a reference knowledge base

Majority of interview participants claim their library has a knowledge base

Interview discussions revealed that many conceive of a knowledge base as a web-based product similar to what companies like Apple have

So 75% of interview participants replied on the survey that their libraries do not have a knowledge baseThey reconsidered after discussing the nature of a knowledge base in the interview

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CONCLUSIONS

Most reference services have a knowledge base

Many are internal

Librarians do not equate a reference knowledge base with those businesses provide

As distance learning grows, how do reference librarians provide service 24/7?

Commercial knowledge base?Consortial knowledge base?

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AUDIENCE DISCUSSION

What are Your Thoughts?Your Ideas?Your Experiences?

Other Questions

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Anne Marie Casey, PhD

Hunt Library

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

386-226-6593

caseya3@erau.edu

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