Getting Better All the Time: Improving Communication &Accuracy in Virtual Reference

 

Reference Renaissance: Current and

Future Trends

Denver, CO

August 4-5, 2008

Marie L. Radford, Ph.D.Associate Professor,

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D.Senior Research Scientist,

OCLC

Improving Communication& Boosting AccuracyWhat Do Chat Transcripts Reveal?

850 transcripts analyzed • Random sample

• 561,910 sessions – QuestionPoint, OCLC

• 25-50 transcripts/month

“Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives,” IMLS Grant

Getting Comfortable

Dealing with 2 types of time pressure worries:

1. How long do VRS users wait to be helped?

2. Do I have to hurry? How much time is usually spent searching? How long is the average session?

How Long do VRS Users Wait?

Mean – 1.87 Minutes

Median – 1 Minute

Minimum – 1 Second

Maximum – 67 Minutes

30 seconds or less 37.2%

31-90 seconds 37.8%

1.5 to 8 minutes 21.6%

9 to 67 minutes 3.3%

N = 658

MEAN = 1.87 minutesMEDIAN = 1 minute

Another View of Wait Time for VRS Users

How Long is the Average Session?

VRS Session time• Mean – 12.42 Minutes

• Median – 12 Minutes

• Minimum - 12 Seconds

• Maximum – 71 Minutes

FtF Session time• Median ~ 12-13 Minutes

What Type of Questions are Asked?

Reader's Advisory, 0%

Directional, 0%

Inappropriate, 1%

Research, 3%

Holdings, 8%

No Question, 11%

Procedural, 18%

Ready Reference, 27%

Subject Search, 32%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

n=915Percent of Occurrence

4 Simple Ways to Boost Accuracy

#1 Tip – For ready reference queries, answer specific question asked!

•Before you push a general info. page…

•Make sure it has exact answer to user’s question

Why was President John McKinley “assassinated” in 1901?

1 U Do you have any information on why President John McKinley was assassinated in 1901 in America?

2 L [A librarian will be with you in about a minute.]

3 L [A librarian has joined the session.] 4 L Hi [Name]. I will start searching for

you. 5 U hello 6 U thank you

John McKinley Biography

John McKinley was born in Culpepper County, Virginia in 1780. At an early age, his father died and his family moved to Kentucky. In 1800, McKinley began the practice of law in Louisville Kentucky. In 1838, while resident of Florence, John McKinley was Appointed the 23rd Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court by President Martin Van Buren.

http://www2.una.edu/library/McKinley/bio.html

“sorry i meant william”

7 U sorry i meant william mckinley 8 L [Page sent]

http://www2.una.edu/library/McKinley/bio.html 9 U has it been sent to my email? 10 L [Page sent]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/wm25.html

11 L I have sent you a site on William McKinley. It should appear automatically. If it doesn't, the entire transcript of this session is emailed to you when you log off. It will give you the web site address.

12 L Is this enough information for you, or do you require more?

13 U [[Name] - has disconnected] 14 Note to staff: COMP [user has closed this session]

Upon closer look…

“His second term, which had begun auspiciously, came to a tragic end in September 1901. He was standing in a receiving line at the Buffalo Pan-American Exposition when a deranged anarchist shot him twice. He died eight days later.”

BUT THE User’s QUESTION REMAINS…

WHY???

This site answers why, but was never sent…

#2 Tip - Boosting Accuracy

Clarify the question!

•For all types of queries

•Use a follow-up question

#3 Tip - Boosting Accuracy

Check web links pushed!

Make sure you’re not sending broken links!

#4 (Last) Tip - Boosting Accuracy

Multiple Questions?• Check – Was each & every quesstion

answered?

• End with, “Did this completely answer your question(s)?”

Getting Comfortable in Chat

What can we do to make chat better?

Relational Facilitators• Aspects with positive impact on interaction that

enhance communication.

Avoiding Discomfort in Chat

What should we avoid?

Relational Barriers• Aspects with negative impact on interaction

that impede communication.

Recommendations

Use basic interpersonal skills

Greetings & Closings• Beware robotic scripts & negative closure

Take cue from user & mirror relational strategies

Don’t B afraid 2 use informal language, abbrev. & emoticons as appropriate ;)

Most Importantly…

Be yourself & show your smile :)

TY!!!

HAG Day!!

In Conclusion…

Research results are from the project Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, & Librarian Perspectives, M. L. Radford & L. S. Connaway, Co-Principal Investigators.

Funded by IMLS, Rutgers University & OCLC, Inc.

Special thanks: J. DeAngelis Williams, P. Confer, D.M. Dragos, M. A. Reilly, J. Strange, S. Sabolcsi-Boros, & T. J. Dickey.