Insights on Virtual Reference Services and Collaboration in Libraries
Explore the findings from interviews with VRS librarians regarding collaboration, difficult reference encounters within and outside librarians' expertise, and the importance of sustainable collaboration between Virtual Reference and Social Q&A sites for creating new library services. The research focuses on analyzing themes such as collaboration modes, demographic patterns, and obstacles faced in providing effective reference services in the digital age.
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iConference 15 February 2013 http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/synergy.html You don t want to be a dead-end VRS Librarians on Collaboration & SQA Lynn Silipigni Connaway Senior Research Scientist OCLC Marie L. Radford connawal@oclc.org Associate Professor Rutgers University Chirag Shah mradford@rutgers.edu Assistant Professor Rutgers University chirags@oclc.org The world s libraries. Connected.
Cyber Synergy: Seeking Sustainability through Collaboration between Virtual Reference & Social Q&A Sites Possible collaboration with SQA community Evidence to model new library collaborative services Sustainability vital Three phases Transcript analysis 1000 Yahoo Answers Q&A pairs 500+ QuestionPoint chat/Qwidget transcripts 150 Telephone interviews & analysis Construct design specifications The world s libraries. Connected.
Librarian Interviews Preliminary Results 50 Total interviews - VRS librarians 25 Interviews analyzed for preliminary results Phone interviews 8/12 - 9/12 Responses analyzed 10/12 - 11/12 Analysis - constant comparative method & Critical Incident Technique Themes Difficult reference encounters Collaboration Social Question & Answer (SQA) VRS and SQA compared The world s libraries. Connected.
Difficult reference encounters WITHIN librarians expertise Librarian usually able to answer (only 4 referrals) Answering question convenient due to librarian s subject knowledge or familiarity with technological resources User seemed satisfied Librarian able to instruct & connect with user The world s libraries. Connected.
Difficult reference encounters OUTSIDE librarians expertise Librarian usually ended up referring user Difficulties were due to: - Librarian or user s lack of subject knowledge - Unfamiliarity with technological resources - Lack of time to answer question The world s libraries. Connected.
Collaboration Results Demographics Frequency hard to track - some more VRS than others Most collaborated more than once a week Modes of collaboration: e-mail, FtF, chat, phone Collaboration themes FtF most often reported, then e-mail, then chat Reasons for collaboration More comprehensive answer Lacks expertise Lacks time Sometimes followed up (8 of 25) The world s libraries. Connected.
Collaboration (cont.) Reasons to collaborate Librarian: lacks expertise, not local librarian, referral seen as option or easy/convenient User: needs more information, has sufficient time Facilitators & barriers Seen on individual or organizational level Facilitators: willingness to help, know who to contact, other librarians available Barriers: unwillingness to collaborate, insufficient time, do not know who to contact The world s libraries. Connected.
Crowd-sourcing? Consulting experts acceptable if: Expert is authoritative Question requires objective answer Convenient Question type suitable for SQA? Ready ref., experience or opinion based, starting point for in-depth research VRS is _______ and SQA is not (comparison) Authoritative Complex Objective Synchronous The world s libraries. Connected.
Next Steps The world s libraries. Connected.
Next Steps Continue interviews VRS librarians VRS/SQA users Nee help with English please? Further analysis SQA questions Answer Question Subject ANSWERS(0) Question Type Questions failing to obtain answers Design sessions with experts Specifications for system design The world s libraries. Connected.
? ?? Marie L. Radford: mradford@rutgers.edu Lynn Silipigni Connaway: connawal@oclc.org Chirag Shah: chirags@rutgers.edu ? Questions? ?? ? ? The world s libraries. Connected.
