The Recent Impact of the Internet on Reference Services

Michael SauersPresentation to the Missouri Library Network Corporation

16 July 2001

Four Recent Developments

AskA… Services

E-mail-based Reference

Chat-based Reference

The Collaborative Digital Reference Service (CDRS)

AskA… Services

Non-library based

Usually staffed by volunteer subject experts

Most accept questions, decide which to answer, and then post those answers. Not everyone gets a response.

AskA… Services Examples

Ask Shamuwww.seaworld.org/ask_shamu/asintro.html

Ask Dr. Universewww.wsu.edu/DrUniverse/Contents.html

AllExpertswww.allexperts.com

VRD: AskA+ Locatorwww.vrd.org/locator/subject.shtml

AllExperts.com

Expert registers and picks categories

User picks an expert and posts a question

Expert receives an e-mail with the question and a link to the page with the answer options.

AllExperts.com

AllExperts.com

Expert decides whether or not they can answer the question.

Expert responds with the answer.

User receives an e-mail telling them their answer (or other response) is available.

User may leave feedback for the expert.

login

AllExperts.com

AskA… Services

BenefitsQuestions answered by subject expertsAnonymous from the user perspective

DisadvantagesNo clear definition of who is an expertTime lag up to several daysLittle ability for reference interview

E-mail-based Reference

Patron sends an e-mail with a question to the reference department of the library.Dedicated staff member or team monitors the account’s inbox for new questions.Librarian finds the answer and sends an e-mail back to the patron.

E-mail-based Reference Examples

Humboldt State University (CA)library.humboldt.edu/infoservices/emailref.htm

Fairfax County Public Library (VA)www.co.fairfax.va.us/library/asklib.htm

New York State Librarywww.nysl.nysed.gov/refserv.htm

Directory of E-Mail Reference Sitesalexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~b-sloan/e-mail.html

E-mail-based Reference

BenefitsPatron does not need to come into the

library.Librarians can take more time to answer a

question since the user is not “on hold.”

DisadvantagesTurn around time is usually around 24-

hours unless there is a dedicated librarian.Asynchronous communication not

conducive to the reference Interview.

Chat-based Reference

Live

Patron accesses the library’s chat service with their Web browser

Librarian greets the patron and patron asks their question

Reference interview performed as needed

Chat-based Reference

Patron is put on “virtual hold”

Librarian finds the answer and types it back to the patron

Patron disconnects from the chat system

Chat-based Reference Examples

KnowItNow (Cleveland Public Library)www.cpl.org/vrd/vrd.asp

24/7 Referencewww.247ref.org

Live Librarianwww.suffolk.lib.ny.us/snl

University of PA Biomedical Referencerefchat.library.upenn.edu/refchat-biomed.html

Chat-based Reference

BenefitsJust-in-time online reference

DisadvantagesPatron may need additional technology to

access (plug-in)Connection speed an issueCurrent software lacks archiving and

searching functions

The Collaborative Digital Reference Service (CDRS)

Sponsored by OCLC and LOC

Library to library reference service

www.loc.gov/cdrs

CDRS

Library registers for the service and fills out a profileContact informationSubject areasTimes available

Asking library posts a question to the system

CDRS Requirements Report 2 February 9, 2001

A cceptR equest

C ance lQ uestion

N otify o fP end ing

E xp ira tion

R eturnR esponse

W ork O nR esponse

C ance lR equest

P rovideE xp ira tion

N otifica tion

Q&A W orkflowRequest Processing View

Term inateR equest

A d justE xp ira tionD ead line

R esum e curren tprocessing

P reem ptR equest

A ssignm ents

D eliverR esponse

A m endR esponse

R esum e curren tprocessing

R eviewR esponse

C om ple teness

A ssignR equest

C larify R equest

U pdateK now ledge

B ase

E ditK now ledge

B ase

CDRS

CDRS

Benefits InternationalPublic libraries share their knowledge

(local) with academic libraries (research)Every question sent through the system to

date has been successfully answered

CDRS

DisadvantagesUsually a minimum of a 24-hour turn

around timeArchive (KnowledgeBase) not yet availableNot yet open to the general public

Effects of these Services

AskA services are popular with the public but are not viewed as serious competition to the library world.So far, most libraries have reported that the library-to-patron services have had a minimal impact.CDRS is still in the early stages but participants have had significant success.

Questions?