NCknows Challenges

“There is only one little problem, of course. We are not on the Web, or we are not on it in any kind of a meaningful way. That position is still open. But there can be little doubt that we are the best ones to fill it.” – Steve Coffman

From Anhang, Abe and Steve Coffman. "The Great Reference Debate" American Libraries 33(3) (March 2002): 50-54.

“Issues”

• “Other” patrons• Quality Control• Humanizing Virtual Interactions• Marketing• Referral

“Other” Patrons• Why shouldn’t you partner academic, public and special libraries?• Why should you? Time, money, NCLIVE and your patrons!• Minimum performance standards- RUSA Guidelines (http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/professional.htm)

Reference Interview in Digital Reference(http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/~b-sloan/interview.htm)

• How will we know if it works?• How to make it better:

– NCknows listserv to reinforce resources and VR interactions– Ongoing informal needs assessment based on transcript reviews.– Websites arranged for the practicing NCknows’er

(http://www.247ref.org/info/manual/librarianprotocol.cfm)– Training taskforce to investigate need and organize class sessions.

Quality Control

• Who reads the transcripts? Evaluators and designated representative from each library.

• This will be done by the evaluators on a broad scale but by us on a day to day basis.

• Skills and trust.• Quality vs. Privacy (http://www.ncknows.org/using.htm-

http://www.ncknows.org/using.htm- scroll down)

• We need and will ask for regular input from you on the relevance of NCknows to your mission and professional goals and a formal evaluation process that includes your input.

MARS guidelines on Privacy• Privacy

• 5.1 Virtual reference communications between users and library staff should be private except as required by law.

• 5.2 Statistics gathered and maintained for the purpose of evaluating the growth or speed of virtual reference service should protect users' confidentiality and staff members' privacy.

• 5.2.1 It is recommended that user’s personal identifiers, such as name, e-mail, etc. be stripped from transaction records.  Stripped records may be maintained for statistical and evaluative purposes.

• 5.2.2 Users should be advised of if transcripts will be retained, and what, if any, personal information will be retained with the transcript.

• 5.2.3 Privacy policies and transcript retention schedules should be publicly available.

• 5.3 Data gathered and maintained for training purposes and for publicizing the service should also protect user’s confidentiality.

Humanizing VR

• Humanize?! How romantic. Why should I? Key to patron satisfaction and a succesful interview.

• You and the Patron• Expectations (human/human vs. human-comp-human)

• What’s different/same in a virtual environment.

• Ann Viles http://www.ifla.org/VII/dg/dgrw/dp99-06.htm

• RUSA behavioral guidelines:(http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/guidelinesbehavioral.htm)

• Bad behavior? Either use scripted messages or ignore.

• You and your Co-workers• NCknows, your home institution, and other VR’ers.

• Share positive experiences for instruction value.

• Listservs (NCknows, DIG-REF, live-reference) and IPSWICH IM

Marketing

• Meet Pam Jaskot, Communication Programs Specialist• LSTA grant: Phase II• Marketing task-force• After March 11, we will re-evaluate to see if libraries can market on

their own.