Virtual reference service evaluation: Adherence to RUSA behavioral guidelines and IFLA digital reference guidelines

Pnina Shachaf; Sarah M. Horowitz

doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2007.12.002

Ask Live! UK public libraries and virtual collaboration

Library and Information Research ◽

10.29173/lirg146 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 27 (86) ◽

pp. 43-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Linda Berube

Keyword(s):

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Virtual Collaboration ◽

Virtual Reference ◽

Digital Reference ◽

Reference Service ◽

The Uk

Ask A Librarian, the UK public library digital reference service, has been piloting LSSI's Virtual Reference Toolkit. The pilot, managed by Ask administrator Co-East, went live to public users in May 2003 and will continue through September 2003. The pilot objectives include not only an evaluation of the software and support offered by LSSI, but also the eventual integration of the chat component with the main web-form service, and the implications for uptake and sustainability. This article combines a report of the largely positive initial findings of the pilot with an overview of digital reference service and UK public libraries.

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Lagniappe: Integrating a New Service: One Library's Experience with Digital Refrence

North Carolina Libraries ◽

10.3776/ncl.v61i4.178 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 152

Author(s):

Susan Herzog

Keyword(s):

Public Library ◽

Virtual Reference ◽

The Public ◽

Digital Reference ◽

Reference Service

Recently I completed answering a two-page list of questions from a Virginia library that was planning digital reference service. Their concerns reminded me where the Public Library of Charlotte andMecklenburg County (PLCMC) was about two years ago, when we began to consider virtual reference.

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Library Reference System and its Development Trend Analysis in China and Abroad

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.267.70 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 267 ◽

pp. 70-73

Author(s):

Chao Zhang

Keyword(s):

Reference System ◽

Service System ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Development Trend ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Network Technology ◽

Reference Systems ◽

Virtual Reference ◽

Digital Reference ◽

Reference Service

At present, in many developed countries, the library reference system is already very mature, and achieve a higher level of application. Britain's Ask A Librarian system is a typical example. Virtual Reference Desk in United States is also a kind of cooperative reference service system. due to the rapid development of network technology, library and reference technology has also developed rapidly. methods and current situation of domestic and foreign digital reference systems were analyzed. the development trends of reference system are discussed.

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Libraries Demonstrate Low Adherence to Virtual Reference Service Guidelines

Evidence Based Library and Information Practice ◽

10.18438/b8vs5b ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 152 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elise Cogo

Keyword(s):

User Satisfaction ◽

Information Science ◽

Science Research ◽

Service Evaluation ◽

Virtual Reference ◽

Service Effectiveness ◽

Reference Services ◽

Reference Service ◽

Professional Guidelines ◽

E Mail

A Review of: Shachaf, Pnina, and Sarah M. Horowitz. “Virtual Reference Service Evaluation: Adherence to RUSA Behavioral Guidelines and IFLA Digital Reference Guidelines.” Library & Information Science Research 30.2 (2008): 122-37. Objectives – This study evaluates the level to which virtual (asynchronous e-mail) reference services adhere to professional guidelines. Specifically, it addresses the following research questions: 1) To what extent do virtual reference services adhere to the American Library Association (ALA) Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) and the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) guidelines? 2) How does the level of adherence to RUSA or IFLA guidelines vary based on request type, user name, and institution? 3) Is there a correlation between outcome measures of reference transactions (accuracy, completeness, and satisfaction) and the level of adherence to RUSA or IFLA guidelines? Design – Unobtrusive evaluation of researcher-generated queries. Setting – Fifty-four academic libraries in North America. Subjects – A total of 324 queries were sent to the 54 libraries, with each library receiving six different types of requests from six different user names. Methods – Researchers developed two coding schemes for the guidelines (34 codes and 12 attributes for the RUSA guidelines and 33 codes and 10 attributes for the IFLA guidelines). Each of the six user names used represented an ethnic and/or religious group identity: Mary Anderson (Caucasian, Christian), Moshe Cohen (Caucasian, Jewish), Ahmed Ibrahim (Arab), Latoya Johnson (African American), Rosa Manuz (Hispanic), and Chang Su (Asian). The six request types were designed so that three would be answered (questions 1-3) and three would be out of scope and not answered (questions 4-6). The following queries were sent, individualized for each institution: 1) Dissertation query; 2) Sports team query; 3) Population query; 4) Subject query; 5) Article query; 6) Request for a PDF copy. The 324 queries were uploaded into NVivo 2 software, and all e-mail transactions were coded and analyzed. Main Results – Analysis of the 324 transactions from 54 libraries showed the following results: 1) Low levels of adherence to both sets of guidelines; 2) Varied levels of adherence based on request types and user names on both sets of guidelines; 3) Variation in institutional rank according to different sets of guidelines; 4) No correlation between user satisfaction and adherence to either set of guidelines. Conclusion – This study suggests that higher levels of virtual reference service effectiveness could be achieved by automatically integrating some less observed behaviours (e.g., thank you notes) into replies sent to users and by increasing librarians’ awareness of professional guidelines through training and detailed institutional policies. The authors also suggest that librarians should be aware of their tendencies to react differently to different user groups, and that administrators can facilitate this by providing diversity workshops.

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INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND MEDIATION IN A DIGITAL REFERENCE SERVICE FOCUSED IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

Brazilian Journal of Information Science ◽

10.36311/1981-1640.2012.v6n2.06.p84 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Author(s):

María Cecilia Corda

Keyword(s):

Information Management ◽

Academic Library ◽

Service Evaluation ◽

Digital Reference ◽

Policies And Procedures ◽

Information Professional ◽

Reference Service ◽

Concept Of Information

This paper investigates the current relationship between information management and information mediation along with the digital reference service through a case study which took place in an academic library. The concept of information mediation is herein analyzed, since a conceptual examination provides elements that will help people to comprehend and evaluate the concerned service. The information professional plays a very important role in the mediation aforementioned, which may be directly or indirectly; consciously or unconsciously; by himself/herself or plurally; individually or inserted into a group – in all such manners that mediator facilitates the acquisition of information, fully or partially satisfying a user’s need of all sorts of knowledge. Meanwhile, we here approach information management from a scope that points out a description over performed activities concerned to policies and procedures put into effect until the service evaluation by proposing a criterion for such point. Finally, we outline a few actions to be implemented in long-term perspective, which goal is to continually ameliorate such assistance, taking in account the human factor.

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Impact of digital reference on the delivery of reference in New Zealand public libraries

10.26686/wgtn.17005366 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Suzanne Alison Barnaby

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

School Children ◽

Response Rate ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Survey Design ◽

Virtual Reference ◽

Reference Services ◽

Digital Reference ◽

Digital Reference Services ◽

Reference Service

<p>This study looks at digital reference services in New Zealand public libraries to find out what types of services are being provided and what impact they are having on traditional reference services. A survey was sent to twenty-seven selected public libraries with a further sixteen selected libraries added after a low response rate from the first group, to collect information on their digital reference services. The libraries included large, medium and small and were selected from all areas of New Zealand. A questionnaire was used to collect the information and the data was statistically analysed. All large and the majority of medium selected libraries are providing a digital reference service in the form of email or web form. Four of the large libraries are participating in AnyQuestions - a virtual reference service for New Zealand school children, and one large library has their own virtual service. The low response rate and deficiencies in the survey design have resulted in inconclusive results for this study. We know libraries are providing digital reference services and we know something about how the services are provided, but it is still unclear whether these services are having an impact on traditional reference services.</p>

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Impact of digital reference on the delivery of reference in New Zealand public libraries

10.26686/wgtn.17005366.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Suzanne Alison Barnaby

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

School Children ◽

Response Rate ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Survey Design ◽

Virtual Reference ◽

Reference Services ◽

Digital Reference ◽

Digital Reference Services ◽

Reference Service

<p>This study looks at digital reference services in New Zealand public libraries to find out what types of services are being provided and what impact they are having on traditional reference services. A survey was sent to twenty-seven selected public libraries with a further sixteen selected libraries added after a low response rate from the first group, to collect information on their digital reference services. The libraries included large, medium and small and were selected from all areas of New Zealand. A questionnaire was used to collect the information and the data was statistically analysed. All large and the majority of medium selected libraries are providing a digital reference service in the form of email or web form. Four of the large libraries are participating in AnyQuestions - a virtual reference service for New Zealand school children, and one large library has their own virtual service. The low response rate and deficiencies in the survey design have resulted in inconclusive results for this study. We know libraries are providing digital reference services and we know something about how the services are provided, but it is still unclear whether these services are having an impact on traditional reference services.</p>

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The majority of library clients still use person-to-person interaction when asking reference questions

Evidence Based Library and Information Practice ◽

10.18438/b87p4b ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 92

Author(s):

Suzanne Pamela Lewis

Keyword(s):

Graduate Students ◽

Literature Review ◽

The United States ◽

Health Sciences ◽

End User ◽

Virtual Reference ◽

Reference Services ◽

Digital Reference ◽

Reference Service ◽

The University

A review of: De Groote, Sandra L. “Questions Asked at the Virtual and Physical Health Sciences Reference Desk: How Do They Compare and What Do They Tell Us?” Medical Reference Services Quarterly 24.2 (Summer 2005): 11-23. Objective – To identify similarities and differences in the questions asked at the virtual and physical reference desks of a health sciences library, in order to better understand user needs and highlight areas for service improvement. Also to retrospectively analyze reference statistics collected over the previous six years. Design – Use study; retrospective study of reference statistics for the period July 1997 to June 2003; literature review. Setting – Large academic health sciences library in the United States. Subjects – All questions asked at the reference and information desks, plus questions submitted to the University-wide virtual reference service and answered by a health sciences librarian, over a period of one month. The questions were asked by faculty, staff, students and members of the public. Methods – A literature review was carried out to examine the types of information/reference questions typically asked in health sciences libraries both before and after the mass introduction of remote end-user searching of online resources and the establishment of virtual reference services. Next, the reference statistics collected at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Library of the Health Sciences between July 1997 and June 2003 were examined. For most of this period a digital reference service was offered using a listserv address to which patrons would submit email queries. Beginning in March 2003, a formal virtual reference service (chat and email) was provided using commercial software. Finally, data was gathered on questions answered by a health sciences librarian, and clients who asked the questions, at either the physical or virtual reference desk, during the month of November 2003 at the UIC Library of the Health Sciences. Library staff completed an online survey form for each question, and if a client asked more than one question, each question was coded individually. Data included: status of client using the service (faculty/staff, undergraduate student, graduate student, non-UIC, unknown); mode of submission (email, chat, phone, in person); and type of question asked (directional, ready reference, in-depth/mediated, instructional, technical, accounts/status and other). In subsequent analysis, the original seven types of questions were further broken down into 19 categories. Main results – It was not possible to undertake a meta-analysis or systematic review of the studies identified in the literature review because of differences in time frames, settings and the categories used to code reference questions. However the following trends emerged: directional questions accounted for between 30 and 35% of questions asked at both physical and virtual reference desks; the remainder of questions were generally about known item searches, library policies and services, research, database use and quick reference. The statistics collected at UIC Library of the Health Sciences over the period July 1997 to June 2003 were analyzed. Coded reference questions fell into one of four categories: ready reference, in-depth reference, mediated searches and digital reference. There was a noticeable drop in the number of reference questions received in 1999/2000 which reflects trends reported in some of the studies identified in the literature review. The number of mediated searches decreased from 154 in 1997/98 to 4 in 2002/2003, but the number of digital reference questions increased from 0 to 508 in the same period. Statistics were collected over the month of November 2003 for 939 questions asked at the reference and information desks which included: 38 e-mail; 48 chat; 156 phone; and 697 in person. The major findings were as follows: • approximately 55% of questions were reference questions (33.5% ready reference, 9.7% in-depth/mediated, 9.7% instructional); 30% were directional; and 10% were technical; it is not stated what the remaining 5% of questions were; • library clients who asked the questions comprised graduate students (26%), faculty (24%), undergraduate students (24%) and non-UIC patrons (22%); • all groups of clients were most likely to ask their reference questions in person; • graduate students were the largest users of email reference (34%), undergraduates were the largest group to use chat (35%) and faculty/staff were the largest group to use the telephone (39%); • 28% of the questions were answered from library’s staff’s general knowledge of the library; 22% using the online catalogue or electronic journal list; 22% by referring the patron to, or using, an online database or resource; 13% by referring the patron to another department in the library (such as circulation); 7% by consulting another individual; and 5% by using print resources. Conclusion – The results of the three parts of this study – literature review, study of 1997-2003 statistics, and in-depth collection of statistics for November 2003 – are difficult to compare with each other. However, the general trend emerging from the results is that some kinds of questions asked by health sciences library clients have remained very much the same regardless of the rise of remote end-user searching and the mode of transmission of the questions. These include questions about library policies and services, journal and book holdings, database searching and instructional support. Questions about citation verification and consumer health appear to be decreasing while technical questions and questions about accessing remote databases and online journals are increasing. The majority of reference questions are still asked in person.

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