The Information Challenge

The Information Challenge

• Exponential growth of resources

• New researchers with new needs

• Multiple communication options

• New expectations and opportunities

• Exponential growth of resources

• New researchers with new needs

• Multiple communication options

• New expectations and opportunities

Information Resources and Tools

Information Resources and Tools

Internet Resources:• Located everywhere

• Growth doubles each year

• Digital only

• No single search engine covers the entire Internet

• Short-lived

Internet Resources:• Located everywhere

• Growth doubles each year

• Digital only

• No single search engine covers the entire Internet

• Short-lived

Information Resources and Tools

Information Resources and Tools

Library Resources:• “Bricks and mortar”

• Continued growth

• Analog and digital

• Standard indexing tools

• Perpetual

Library Resources:• “Bricks and mortar”

• Continued growth

• Analog and digital

• Standard indexing tools

• Perpetual

The Challenge for Researchers

The Challenge for Researchers

To retrieve information that is:

Relevant

Accurate

Authoritative

Easy to locate

To retrieve information that is:

Relevant

Accurate

Authoritative

Easy to locate

The Challenge for Libraries

The Challenge for Libraries

• Use traditional strengths to build new programs

• Leverage the community of librarians and libraries worldwide

• Redefine the role of librarians and libraries in the Internet age

• Use traditional strengths to build new programs

• Leverage the community of librarians and libraries worldwide

• Redefine the role of librarians and libraries in the Internet age

Modeling the Solution

Modeling the Solution

• Provide seamless access to global resources

• Collect knowledge for reference access

• Complement access to information on the Internet

• Demonstrate flexibility in creating solutions

• Provide seamless access to global resources

• Collect knowledge for reference access

• Complement access to information on the Internet

• Demonstrate flexibility in creating solutions

Collaborative Digital Reference Service provides professional reference service to users anywhere anytime, through an international, digital network of libraries.

Collaborative Digital Reference Service provides professional reference service to users anywhere anytime, through an international, digital network of libraries.

How Does it Work?How Does it Work?

Process DefinitionsProcess

Definitions• End User: a person who asks a question

• Member: an organization or a person participating in CDRS on behalf of an end user

• Service Level Agreement (SLA): an agreement describing the scope of services

• Request Manager (RM): software for managing Q&A receipt and assignment, SLA compliance and administrative tasks

• End User: a person who asks a question

• Member: an organization or a person participating in CDRS on behalf of an end user

• Service Level Agreement (SLA): an agreement describing the scope of services

• Request Manager (RM): software for managing Q&A receipt and assignment, SLA compliance and administrative tasks

Resource DatabasesResource Databases

Member Profiles

• Member features and strengths

• Member representative strengths

Knowledge Base of Questions and Answers

• Searchable by staff, later by end users

• Confidentiality, privacy, intellectual property maintained

Member Profiles

• Member features and strengths

• Member representative strengths

Knowledge Base of Questions and Answers

• Searchable by staff, later by end users

• Confidentiality, privacy, intellectual property maintained

Libraries (public, academic, special)

Consortia

Museums

“Ask-a” Expert Services

Libraries (public, academic, special)

Consortia

Museums

“Ask-a” Expert Services

Membe

rs

Membe

rs

Three Pilot Phases:

Three Pilot Phases:

Phase 1 (February - March 2000)• 10 members

• Test member profiles

• 30 questions per week

• Scheduled and scripted

Phase 1 (February - March 2000)• 10 members

• Test member profiles

• 30 questions per week

• Scheduled and scripted

Phase 2 (June 19 - Sept. 15)

Phase 2 (June 19 - Sept. 15)• Increase to 16 members

• Use and test sample Request Manager software and routing decisions

• Build/test revised Member profiles

• Test new Web form

• Develop Service Level Agreements

• Determine training requirements

• Determine costs

• Increase to 16 members

• Use and test sample Request Manager software and routing decisions

• Build/test revised Member profiles

• Test new Web form

• Develop Service Level Agreements

• Determine training requirements

• Determine costs

Phase 3 (Oct. 17- Jan. 31, 2001)

Phase 3 (Oct. 17- Jan. 31, 2001)

• 40+ members

• Scale up to full production to test volume and speed

• Investigate portal technology

• Determine Governing Body membership and roles

• Service Level Agreements

• 40+ members

• Scale up to full production to test volume and speed

• Investigate portal technology

• Determine Governing Body membership and roles

• Service Level Agreements

Goals of the Pilots - Summary

Goals of the Pilots - Summary

• Q&A process, including web form

• Request Manager procedures for assigning, tracking, etc.

• Determine scope and capacity of researcher requests

• Response time

• Interoperability

• Best practices

• Q&A process, including web form

• Request Manager procedures for assigning, tracking, etc.

• Determine scope and capacity of researcher requests

• Response time

• Interoperability

• Best practices

Modeling the Solution

Modeling the Solution

Maximum flexibility

System integration

Multiple partners

Reestablish libraries as epicenters of knowledge for their communities

Internet services implement customized community library portals

Maximum flexibility

System integration

Multiple partners

Reestablish libraries as epicenters of knowledge for their communities

Internet services implement customized community library portals

Community Portals Provide...

Community Portals Provide...

Dynamic content - events, news, weather, book reviews

Useful applications - reserve a book, chat with an author, browse the catalog

CDRS Gateway - enables patrons to submit questions during off-hours without diluting local library’s brand

Dynamic content - events, news, weather, book reviews

Useful applications - reserve a book, chat with an author, browse the catalog

CDRS Gateway - enables patrons to submit questions during off-hours without diluting local library’s brand

Portals BenefitsPortals Benefits

Internet services recover investment through advertising and affiliation fees (e.g., Amazon.com)

CDRS “tags along” with portal for reduced fees or for free

Internet services recover investment through advertising and affiliation fees (e.g., Amazon.com)

CDRS “tags along” with portal for reduced fees or for free

Where to Next?

Where to Next?

One stop shopping for reference and research services, including:

Locating/verifying bibliographic citations

Interlibrary Loan

Document Delivery

One stop shopping for reference and research services, including:

Locating/verifying bibliographic citations

Interlibrary Loan

Document Delivery

International / Universal Issues

International / Universal Issues

• Language & literacy

• Accessibility & infrastructure

• Cultural & political sensitivities

• Jurisdictional & service constraints

• E-commerce & trade agreements

• Language & literacy

• Accessibility & infrastructure

• Cultural & political sensitivities

• Jurisdictional & service constraints

• E-commerce & trade agreements

http://www.loc.gov/rr/digiref/http://www.loc.gov/rr/digiref/

Reference Process : ask ; answer

Catalogue Process : verify ; locate

Delivery Process : ILL ; document delivery

Beyond CDRS: an end-to-end user service model