Online Reference
Academic Senate2009 Counseling and Library Science Faculty
Development Institute
February 20-22, 2009 • San Jose Marriott
Phyllis UsinaReference & Instruction Librarian Santa Rosa Junior College, CA 95401
Shirleigh BrannonReference & Instruction Librarian Butte College Library, Oroville CA 95965
Online Reference Overviews and Comparisons: BCL and SRJC
Why? How? Who? Issues and challenges Is it working? Sample workshop presentation on online
reference - Butte
Online Reference at BCL: Why? 3 campuses:
Main Campus (near Oroville) open 49 hours per week M-F, no late eves or weekend hours; classes 8 am-10 pm and Saturdays
Chico Center (Chico) library open 20 hours per week M-Th pm only, CMDL open 8 am-8 pm no librarian: classes from 8 am to 9 pm
Glenn Center: classes, no library presence
Staffing: 2.5 FT Librarians, 1 ref paraprofessional in budget to cover all 3
locations; maintain web site; schedule BIs; 35 hours additional part time staffing on soft money to help with BIs, ref
desk coverage: still not enough for demand for evening & weekend reference & BI
Increase in distance ed/online classes
Increase in online book and article resources, but not reference & instruction staff
Online Reference at SRJC: Why?
2 campuses & 1 center: Santa Rosa Campus (Main) open many hours per week.
M-Sa, 4 eves until 10 pm and 5 weekend hours on Saturday Petaluma Campus library open slightly less hours per week Windsor Center: no library presence
Staffing: 6 FT Librarians to staff ref desks; provide eReference; maintain web site
& Library Guides; collection development; schedule & deliver BIs; etc. 39 hours additional part time staffing for ref desk coverage
Increase in distance ed/online classes –four online degrees
Increase in online book and article resources
Multi-Floor buildings –students unable to leave other floors
Online Reference at BCL: How?
E-mail (link from Butte College Library web site)
24/7 Ask-A-Librarian chat service (we provide 4 hours per week of service as part of agreement)
Referral to additional online reference services
Part of overall push for online information competency program: advertised in BIs, on web site, and in all workshops
Butte College Library Web Main Page
Ask-A-Librarian Page
“Click on this link to launch a chat session”
“Ask a Librarian Via E-Mail”
Online Reference at SRJC: How? Meebo IM (no E-mail at this time)
Meebome - free widget embedded into webpage code appears as chat window to allow real-time interactions; no student account necessary
Page design considerations: times, instructions, guidelines
Training Essential to establish eReference competencies and provide
practice to ensure consistent service Expand skills for example, chatspeak & keyboard shortcuts Increase knowledge of online resources available
Support All work collaboratively using pbwiki to provide technical tips
and scripts of common interactions to speed up transactions
Santa Rosa Junior College Library
Santa Rosa Junior College Library
Santa Rosa Junior College Library
Santa Rosa Junior College Library
Santa Rosa Junior College Library
Online Reference at BCL: Who?
1 FT and 1 PT librarian currently share 4 hour per week commitment for AskNow! 24/7 Morgan Brynnan (FT) [email protected] Jacquie Foster (PT) [email protected]
Time is integrated as part of overall reference desk schedule and counts toward public service hours
Librarians check Reference e-mail every morning and periodically throughout the day.
FT Librarian tracks and provides follow-up when needed for all of our student requests handled by other libraries.
Online Reference at SRJC: Who?
All Librarians participate Fosters broader commitment to the service
Time is integrated as part of overall reference desk hours. Provide eReference only when have back-up
coverage and during slower evening hours
Online Reference at BCL: Issues and Challenges Cannot do 24/7 on the reference desk:
too busy, so adds another 4 hours to “open” hours from a production hour POV – hard for management to understand
Illness of librarians who normally provide 24/7 poses challenges
Hours available for coverage do not always mesh with our available service hours OCLC rep has been very flexible
Nuances of F2F and “push” technology: requires ongoing skills sets, incl keyboarding skills There are “scripts” that can be imported to help Morgan and Jacquie can tell you more!
Online Reference at SRJC: Issues and Challenges Providing eReference while on the reference desk.
During the day, librarians feel it is too busy Trying it in the evenings which are slower Illness of eRef librarians results in no eRef service
Training Ongoing need but difficult to schedule Meebo ads, dropping connection, interface
changes, notification
Surviving Budget Cuts
Online Reference at BCL: Is It Working??
Yes! Yes!
And YES!!!!
Each semester we see an increase in student 24/7 and e-mail use Increase in faculty use Popular response in student and all-campus surveys Librarians continue to promote via BIs, reference desk, faculty,
staff & student orientations and workshops
Online Reference at SRJC: Is It Working??
Yes
In pilot stage no marketing has been done Use has been low but is increasing Future funding for staffing is unsure
