alao annual, oct. 26, 20011 virtual reference service: our real-time experience leela balraj and tom...
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ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 1
Virtual Reference Service: Virtual Reference Service: Our Real-Time ExperienceOur Real-Time Experience
Leela Balraj and Tom Klingler
Kent State University
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 2
AbstractAbstract
Today's college students are conducting much of their academic research outside the physical confines of the traditional library building, using networked connections in labs, residence halls, apartments, and homes. This convenience has its drawbacks, particularly in terms of obtaining traditional reference assistance. Students anywhere can still benefit from the guidance that reference librarians are able to provide in retrieving relevant, accurate, and authoritative information. One new initiative at Kent State University is to provide virtual reference service to students at remote locations using real-time videoconferencing. This session will discuss the practical as well as the technical aspects of our experiences.
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 7
Background…Background…
Student Retention Initiative grant proposal
1. Director, Information Services; Coordinator, Reference Services; Dean, Honors College
2. Promote reference service
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 8
Background…Background…
Reaching out to off-site users…
"Reference work includes the direct, personal aid within a library to persons in search of information for whatever purpose, and also various library activities especially aimed at making information as easily available as possible." -Margaret Hutchins, Introduction to Reference Work (1944)
1. Traditional off-site reference service: Telephone; Email 2. Recent off-site reference service: Chat; Video/Audio
real-time conferencing; 24/7
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 9
Background…Background…
Pilot target group: Honors College students
1. Good working relationships2. Attractive environment - library
resource room; computer lab; dorms3. Appropriate networking4. Meet information needs - individual
honors work; senior honors thesis/project
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 10
Our service…RefLINKOur service…RefLINK
Spring 2001: Introduction of service & staff training
1. Introduce service – Open House
2. 'Name The Service' survey - RefLINK
3. Training - team teaching; observation; group instruction
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 11
Our service…RefLINK…Our service…RefLINK…
Summer 2001: Pilot project with McNair Scholars students
1. Propose support for new service
2. Establish working relationship with students
3. Demonstrate service
4. Get feedback – formal & informal
5. Keep lines of communication open
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 12
Our service…RefLINK…Our service…RefLINK…
Fall 2001: Honors College students
1. 'Food For Thought' lecture series
2. Advertise service - Daily Kent Stater; flyers
3. Promote service - Student reporter
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 19
Service issues…Service issues…
Training
1. Team teaching
2. Group instruction
3. Observation
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 20
Service issues…Service issues…
Staffing
1. Librarians2. Graduate Reference Assistants
(library science students)3. Library Associates (future)
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 21
Service issues…Service issues…
Real-time experiences
1. Types of interactions - in-depth research topics; ready reference; citation verification
2. Problems encountered - technical glitches3. Lessons learned - learning curve; user
acceptance
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 22
Service issues…Service issues…
Promotion
1. Daily Kent Stater campus newspaper articles
2. Flyers in Honors College bulletin board and computer lab
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 23
Future…Future…
1. Expand to other locations on campus - computer labs; dorms; branch libraries; campus help desk; regional campuses; distance education
2. Expand hours of service - meet needs of students
3. Technology advancements
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 24
The technology…The technology…
1. Supports high-quality video and audio
2. Can be used with collaboration tools:
a. shared whiteboard
b. shared browser
3. Point-to-point or multipoint
4. H 323 is the protocol standard for video conferencing-over-IP
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 25
Advantages of H 323…Advantages of H 323…
1. No ISDN line charges
2. Informal use by anyone anytime on a desktop PC
3. Less need for expensive special rooms and advance reservations
4. Cheap: a typical PC can be upgraded to a good quality videoconferencing
station for $900.00
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 26
H 323 v. H 32x H 323 v. H 32x
1. H 320 – for ISDN
2. H 321 – for ATM
3. H 322 – for lans with QoS
4. H 323 – for IP
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 27
What’s needed…What’s needed…
1. TCP/IP network
2. Switched port is nice
3. High-end PC
4. An H 323 kit
5. MCU gateway for multipoint conferences (and multi-protocol)
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 28
What’s in a kit?What’s in a kit?
1. Software
2. Specialized video card
3. Camera
4. Microphone
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 37
Tricky technical issues…Tricky technical issues…
1. Shared resolution
2. Feedback
3. Application sharing
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 38
More Products…More Products…
1. Zydacron comCenter Conferencing Room System http://picturephone.com/products/comcenterroomsystem.htm
2. PictureTel 960 & 970 Videoconferencing Systems http://picturephone.com/products/picturetel_960_970.htm
3. Polycom ViewStation H.323 http://picturephone.com/products/polycom_viewstation_h323.htm
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 39
Gateways and gatekeepers…Gateways and gatekeepers…
1. Multi-protocol:
Between H323 (IP,) H320(ISDN,)
H321 (ATM)
2. Multi-point:
More than two participants
3. MCU = Multipoint Control/Conferencing Unit
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 40
Gateway products…Gateway products…
1. First Virtualhttp://www.fvc.com/products/vgate.htm
2. Ciscohttp://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/pcat/vc3500.htm
3. Radvisionhttp://www.radvision.com/f_products/f1_overview.php3?prod=Products%2BOverview
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 41
Basics of H 323Basics of H 323
1. University of Illinois at Chicago
http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/newsletter/adn30/techtip.html
2. Synetrix
http://www.synetrix.co.uk/technologies/video/video_conferencing.htm
3. IMTC (International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium )
http://www.imtc.org/h323.htm
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 42
Bibliography…Bibliography…
Broughton, K. M. (2001). Our experiment in online, real-time reference. Computers in Libraries, 21 (4), 26-31.
Janes, J., et.al. (1999). Digital reference services in academic libraries. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 39 (2), 145-150.
Kasowitz, A., et.al. (2000). Quality standards for digital reference consortia. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 39 (4), 355-363.
Kenney, B. J. (2001). Academic libraries test Web-based reference. Library Journal, 126 (12), 25. Lankes, R. D. et. al. (Eds.). (2000). Digital reference service in the new millennium: Planning, management, and evaluation. New York: Neal-Schuman.
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 43
Bibliography…continued…Bibliography…continued…
Lipow, A. G. (1998). Reference service in a digital age. Reference & UserServices Quarterly, 38 (1), 47-48.
Meola, M. & Stormont, S. (2000). Real-time reference service for theremote user: From the telephone and electronic mail to Internet chat,instant messaging, and collaborative software. The Reference Librarian,no. 67-68, 29-40. Oder, N. (2001). The shape of e-reference. Library Journal, 126 (2), 46-49.
Schneider, K. G. (2000). The distributed librarian: Live, online, real-timereference. American Libraries, 31 (10), 64.
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 44
Bibliography…continued…Bibliography…continued… Sloan, B. (2001). Ready for reference: Academic libraries offer live web-basedreference: Preliminary report. Retrieved October 15, 2001 on the WorldWide Web: http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/~b-sloan/ready4ref.htm Tenopir, C. (2001). Virtual reference services in a real world. LibraryJournal, 126 (12), 38-40. Weissman, S. (2001). Considering a launch? Library Journal, 126 (2), 49. Wolf, L. C. (1999). Multimedia applications in heterogeneousInternet/ATM environments. Internet Research: Electronic NetworkingApplications and Policy, 9 (1), 49-57.
ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 45
Contact info…Contact info…
Virtual Reference Service: Our Real-time Experience at Kent
State University
Leela Balraj Tom Klingler
Information Services LibrarianAssistant Dean for Systems
Reference Dept. Kent State University
Kent State University P.O. Box 5190
P.O. Box 5190 Kent, OH 44242
Kent, OH 44242 Voice: 330-672-1646
Voice: 330-672-1657 Fax: 330-672-4811
Fax: 330-672-3964 Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]