Service with a Byte: Service with a Byte: Building a New Model Building a New Model of Customer Serviceof Customer Service

October Conference at Dartmouth CollegeOctober Conference at Dartmouth College

Kathryn D. SouleKathryn D. Soule

University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia

University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia

Computers at the UniversityComputers at the University 14 Libraries14 Libraries

Owns and maintains its own computers in each Owns and maintains its own computers in each librarylibrary

IT DivisionIT Division 15 computer labs on campus15 computer labs on campus 2 labs are located in libraries2 labs are located in libraries

Brown Science & Brown Science & Engineering LibraryEngineering Library

Service Desk Service Desk handles circulation handles circulation and reference and reference questions and is questions and is staffed by library staff staffed by library staff and undergraduate and undergraduate student assistants. student assistants.

47 computers that 47 computers that are maintained by a are maintained by a Library tech staff Library tech staff member.member.

IT Division (ITC)IT Division (ITC)

ITC Computer Lab – ITC Computer Lab – staffed by Lab staffed by Lab consultants who are consultants who are undergraduate undergraduate students who work students who work 10-12 hours/week.10-12 hours/week.

25 computers that 25 computers that are maintained by are maintained by ITCITC

IssuesIssues

Library patrons, particularly students, did Library patrons, particularly students, did not distinguish which questions should be not distinguish which questions should be directed to the Library (informational) and directed to the Library (informational) and which should be handled by IT which should be handled by IT (technological)(technological)

IssuesIssues

Students, faculty, and staff expressed the Students, faculty, and staff expressed the need for library spaces to be flexible need for library spaces to be flexible multi-tasking environments.multi-tasking environments.

Technology needs were inexorably linked Technology needs were inexorably linked to inter-disciplinary curricular needs and to inter-disciplinary curricular needs and scholarly research.scholarly research.

CommitteeCommittee

Committee convened by Associate University Committee convened by Associate University Librarian for User Services & ITC Director of Librarian for User Services & ITC Director of Computing Support ServicesComputing Support Services

Goal of the CommitteeGoal of the Committee Transform the existing service/help desk modelsTransform the existing service/help desk models Provide better support for the teaching, research, Provide better support for the teaching, research,

and learning environment in the library.and learning environment in the library.

Committee MembersCommittee Members

Library membersLibrary members Two Library directors (Clemons & Brown)Two Library directors (Clemons & Brown) Director of Library Information Technology Director of Library Information Technology

ServicesServices Coordinator of Outreach & Public Service for Coordinator of Outreach & Public Service for

Brown Library (Chair of the Committee)Brown Library (Chair of the Committee) IT membersIT members

Manager of Desktop Computing SupportManager of Desktop Computing Support Manager of Research Computing SupportManager of Research Computing Support

ProcessProcess

Defined the IT/Library shared universe of Defined the IT/Library shared universe of knowledge.knowledge.

Developed a common understanding of Developed a common understanding of the distinction between general and the distinction between general and specialized support services for the specialized support services for the Library and IT.Library and IT.

Pilot Program-Fall 2004Pilot Program-Fall 2004

One unified Service One unified Service Desk where Desk where customers could ask customers could ask circulation, reference circulation, reference and computer and computer questions.questions.

Pilot Program-Fall 2004Pilot Program-Fall 2004

Library and IT co-supervision of the IT Lab Library and IT co-supervision of the IT Lab Consultants on-site in the Library.Consultants on-site in the Library.

Increased hours for the IT Lab Consultant at Increased hours for the IT Lab Consultant at the Service Desk to meet the needs of the Service Desk to meet the needs of customers during peak hours.customers during peak hours.

Joint training sessions for IT and Library Joint training sessions for IT and Library student assistants which focused on base-line student assistants which focused on base-line skills and informationskills and information

Update-Fall 2005Update-Fall 2005

The undergraduate library has The undergraduate library has implemented the program in their libraryimplemented the program in their library

The Humanities/Social Sciences Library The Humanities/Social Sciences Library (UVa’s largest library) will be (UVa’s largest library) will be implementing program in the Spring 2006 implementing program in the Spring 2006 semestersemester

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Address the differences in organizational Address the differences in organizational cultureculture Customer ServiceCustomer Service Expectations of Student AssistantsExpectations of Student Assistants TrainingTraining

Be realistic about goalsBe realistic about goals Too ambitious about how to use the Too ambitious about how to use the

students at the service deskstudents at the service desk