THE DML WEB TEAMFRIDAY OCTOBER 3, 2008

IM Reference Services at Health Sciences Libraries

A Review

The Review

A review of 71 library web sites that are members of Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries

Questions:1.Do they offer Digital Reference? (Email or IM)2.If they offer IM Reference:

1. What software are they utilizing for the user2. Name of the service3. Where on the home page is the link to the service4. Who is answering the IM reference5. What hours is the service available

IM in Health Sciences Libraries: Numbers

Number of library web sites reviewed 71

Libraries offering digital reference (Email, IM, and Chat) 64 (90%)

Libraries offering only email reference 23 (32%)

Libraries offering IM reference 40/41 (58%)

Number of Web Widgets 24 (59%)

Number of Meebo Me Web Widgets20/21

(51%/88%)

Reference Services Review: Numbers

IM Reference: Trends

Most common name (of 64 DR libraries) “Ask a Librarian”: 34 (53%) “Ask Us”: 10 (16%)

Type of link: Mostly text links There were a couple buttons/images

Most common link location Library's home page, top-right corner Library's home page, top-left corner

Typical Hours of IM Reference

Hours not Stated: 8 LibrariesHours were Stated: 32 Libraries*The Typical IM Schedule:

31 Libraries with at least Monday-Friday hours IM reference usually corresponded with their in-person

reference service Average start time: 8:38am Average end time: 6:09pm

Evening and Weekend Hours

Evening Hours (after 6pm): 11 LibrariesSaturday Hours: 6 Libraries

9am-5:45pm 9am-5pm 10am-7pm 10am-5pm 10am-4pm 11am-5pm

Sunday Hours: 4 Libraries 10am-1pm 1-10pm 1-9:45pm 12-10pm

IM Reference in Other Medical Libraries: Who

What breed of librarian on the other end?1. Medical / Health Sciences Librarians: 322. Not Explicitly Stated: 53. General Librarians: 34. Science Librarians: 1

IM PAGES I LIKED

Meebo Widget

University of

AlabamaBirmingham

Health sciences librarians

Feedback Survey

Clickable buttons

Meebo Widget

University of

VirginiaHealth Sciences

Librarians

Hours

University of California – San

DiegoHealth Sciences

Librarians

Meebo Widget

LibraryH3lpwidget

University of

FloridaGeneral Librarians

Other IM

options