Who is that Co-op Librarian?Who is that Co-op Librarian?

Academic Academic Libraries DayLibraries Day

Nicolette Warisse SosulskiNicolette Warisse Sosulski

Business Librarian, Portage Business Librarian, Portage District LibraryDistrict Library

Staff Reference Librarian, Staff Reference Librarian, OCLC QuestionpointOCLC Questionpoint

Who are we and where do we Who are we and where do we come from?come from?

Me:Me: Cornell-University of Washington queue in library Cornell-University of Washington queue in library

schoolschool email reference in classes through work on the email reference in classes through work on the

Internet Public LibraryInternet Public Library Washington State Virtual Reference projectWashington State Virtual Reference project training as an evaluator on the Librarians Index to training as an evaluator on the Librarians Index to

the Internetthe Internet public library chat reference internship with 24/7 public library chat reference internship with 24/7

March 2004-June 2004, hired as staff librarian March 2004-June 2004, hired as staff librarian June 2004June 2004

Day job business librarian in a public library, Day job business librarian in a public library, where I field academic reference questions each where I field academic reference questions each day as well as those by members of the general day as well as those by members of the general publicpublic

We don’t need sleepWe don’t need sleep

I work mostly on I work mostly on QP between the QP between the hours of 9 pm and hours of 9 pm and 7 am EST. 7 am EST. Sunday at 5 am I Sunday at 5 am I am the only am the only person on for the person on for the entire country entire country (and the UK).(and the UK).

Who are we and where do we Who are we and where do we come from?come from?

My other experience:My other experience: Secretary: Genetics Secretary: Genetics

department/yeast department/yeast lablab

Training in medical Training in medical field as a health field as a health insurance counselorinsurance counselor

Degrees in English Degrees in English literature and literature and governmentgovernment

Marriage to a Marriage to a German studies German studies /film studies grad /film studies grad student /professorstudent /professor

And for 5 years I And for 5 years I was a dorm mother was a dorm mother at the University of at the University of Chicago…Chicago…

My Colleagues includeMy Colleagues include University subject bibliographers University subject bibliographers

in religion, Chicana studies, in religion, Chicana studies, Romance Languages and businessRomance Languages and business

Librarians who have “hit for the Librarians who have “hit for the cycle”: public, school, academic & cycle”: public, school, academic & special librariesspecial libraries

Librarians married to facultyLibrarians married to faculty

Public librarians trained in the Public librarians trained in the academic reference milieu in a academic reference milieu in a program developed with input by program developed with input by librarians such as Stephen librarians such as Stephen Francoeur and Nancy HulingFrancoeur and Nancy Huling

All of us have our transcripts evaluated by All of us have our transcripts evaluated by 1.1. The patrons, when they fill out a The patrons, when they fill out a

surveysurvey2.2. The quality control staff on QPThe quality control staff on QP3.3. The home library of the patronThe home library of the patron

We collaborate/ We collaborate/ communicate communicate

during all shiftsduring all shifts Ipswitch, a freestanding IM Ipswitch, a freestanding IM

program--we log in during program--we log in during each shifteach shift

IM imbedded in the IM imbedded in the Questionpoint programQuestionpoint program

So what is it like when a backup So what is it like when a backup librarian logs in?librarian logs in?

There are the queues (I man 68 including the UK during their middle of the night)

Chat monitoring tool

The institution’s policy page—we open this immediately

The institution’s databases

And of course the library webpage, google, etc.

Policy Pages and Library Websites Policy Pages and Library Websites are Criticalare Critical

Can the backup librarian get into Can the backup librarian get into at least the catalog and list of at least the catalog and list of databases? Or are they hidden databases? Or are they hidden behind a login?behind a login?

Have you given her an ID or Have you given her an ID or library card number? We promise library card number? We promise we will not give it out.we will not give it out.

Is there a map of the library on Is there a map of the library on your site?your site?

When something changes at your When something changes at your library do you update your library do you update your website AND your policy pages? website AND your policy pages? How often do you update?How often do you update?

Are any of your links broken?Are any of your links broken? Are those wonderful print archives Are those wonderful print archives

at your institution described at your institution described anywhere at all on your web page anywhere at all on your web page or in your catalog?or in your catalog?

Do you have a site map or search Do you have a site map or search box for the library page?box for the library page?

We look at everything…

Of course there are some things Of course there are some things that only you know or can accessthat only you know or can access

Is there good parking today? Is there good parking today? Why doesn’t my library card Why doesn’t my library card

work?work? Can you override it so I can Can you override it so I can

renew all the books I have renew all the books I have checked out?checked out?

What do I have checked out?What do I have checked out? Why do I show 58.00 in fines?Why do I show 58.00 in fines? Why don’t you have all the Why don’t you have all the

required texts for for my required texts for for my class?class?

Why is there no paper in the Why is there no paper in the copier on 4 North?copier on 4 North?

We will refer to the local We will refer to the local institution by phone or email, institution by phone or email, especially to a subject especially to a subject bibliographer when bibliographer when appropriate. We check library appropriate. We check library hours to see when the hours to see when the soonest the patron can reach soonest the patron can reach somebody will be.somebody will be.

Sometimes there are technical Sometimes there are technical difficultiesdifficulties

If your catalog or web page is down If your catalog or web page is down the same time every day for updates, the same time every day for updates, put that on your policy page. put that on your policy page.

If you are having longterm problems If you are having longterm problems with a database login—put the with a database login—put the workaround on the policy page or on workaround on the policy page or on your site.your site.

Sometimes we cannot talk a patron Sometimes we cannot talk a patron through getting into cobrowsing through getting into cobrowsing and .the list of databases requires a and .the list of databases requires a login.login.

Cobrowsing can be problemmatic due Cobrowsing can be problemmatic due to the patron’s security settings or due to the patron’s security settings or due to multiple patrons being handled by to multiple patrons being handled by the same librarian at the same time—the same librarian at the same time—if one or more patrons is in cobrowse, if one or more patrons is in cobrowse, whenever they respond that window whenever they respond that window goes to the forefront, possibly causing goes to the forefront, possibly causing the librarian to respond to the wrong the librarian to respond to the wrong patron.patron.

And speaking of MultiplesAnd speaking of MultiplesMultiples are not a horrible thingMultiples are not a horrible thing

If we are “in the zone”, patrons If we are “in the zone”, patrons may not even realize that we are may not even realize that we are dealing with someone other than dealing with someone other than they.they.

If we are going to have delays we If we are going to have delays we will advise that there will be will advise that there will be delays and the interchanges will delays and the interchanges will be slower. They then have the be slower. They then have the option to wait, call back later, or option to wait, call back later, or sometimes wait for an e-mail sometimes wait for an e-mail response, if this is not an response, if this is not an assignment due tomorrow.assignment due tomorrow.

Often the ones who cannot wait Often the ones who cannot wait and have something due that day and have something due that day may be logging in at a time when may be logging in at a time when there would have been no bricks there would have been no bricks and mortar reference possibility and mortar reference possibility whatsoever—one third of a whatsoever—one third of a librarian is way better than one librarian is way better than one hundred percent of zero.hundred percent of zero.

Multiples will occur more and Multiples will occur more and more as traffic grows faster than more as traffic grows faster than HR budgets.HR budgets.

Multiples: ContinuedMultiples: ContinuedTechniques:Techniques: Intermittent post source reference interviewing—sending Intermittent post source reference interviewing—sending

the patron and querying him on how it meets his needs.the patron and querying him on how it meets his needs.

Statements like “I am going to send you several sources—Statements like “I am going to send you several sources—let me know which is closest to what you were looking for, let me know which is closest to what you were looking for, since I am working with several of you.since I am working with several of you.

Avoiding one patron’s dominating the entire librarian pool Avoiding one patron’s dominating the entire librarian pool on staff (on staff (“if I open 4 sessions I can get 4 librarians to each “if I open 4 sessions I can get 4 librarians to each do one of my assignments, thus leaving me more time…”)do one of my assignments, thus leaving me more time…”)

Apologizing for delays before they occur if possible.Apologizing for delays before they occur if possible.

Send a message like “I am still searching” or “this is Send a message like “I am still searching” or “this is challenging—still trying to locate something” even if an challenging—still trying to locate something” even if an information source has not yet been found.information source has not yet been found.

Let the patrons’ responses give input into the pace of your Let the patrons’ responses give input into the pace of your transactions.transactions.

Types of QueriesTypes of Queries

Lots of bibliographic instruction Tech support

Things for you to think about as Things for you to think about as your utilization increases…your utilization increases…

International Patrons

We are all trying to develop rapport every day, just as all of We are all trying to develop rapport every day, just as all of us are with patrons through every formatus are with patrons through every format

Sometimes, of course, we of course, we just can’t tell where the just can’t tell where the patron is coming from…patron is coming from…

Sometimes they give us great feedback..

Please feel free to let us know how Please feel free to let us know how to help your patrons betterto help your patrons better

Susan D. BarbQuestionPoint 24/7 Cooperative Staff Managerbarbs@oclc.org