Virtual Reference
Is it making a difference?Librarian Wallenius
Leddy Library, University of Windsor
Basics about our Virtual Reference
• Software
• Staffing
• Hours of access
• Level of service provided
Structure of HumanClick
How the system can work:
Chat 1 - library personnel 1
Chat 2 - library personnel 1
Chat 3 - library personnel 2
Chat 4 - library personnel 3
Total numbers for 5 years
0
500
1000
1500
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
Year
Num
ber
Number of email questions
740
760
780
800
820
840
860
880
2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 .2005/6
Year
Nu
mb
er
Comparision of 2003/4 & 2005/6
0
50
100
150
200
250
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Month
Num
ber 2003/4
2005/6
Distribution of interaction over time
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
2001-2 2002-3 2003-4 2004-5 2005-6
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f q
ues
tio
ns
0-5 min.
5-10 min.
10-15 min.
15-20 min.
20+ min.
Less than 5 minutes
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Sep
t
Oct
Nov
Dec Ja
n
Feb
Mar
Apr
Month
Per
cen
tag
e
2001-2
2003-4
2005-6
5-10 Minute
0
10
20
30
40
50
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Month
Perc
en
tag
e
2001-2
2003-4
2005-6
10-15 minutes
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Sep
t
Oct
Nov
Dec Ja
n
Feb
Mar
Apr
Month
Per
cen
tag
e
2001-2
2003-4
2005-6
More than 15 minutes
0
5
10
15
20
25
Sep
t
Oct
Nov
Dec Ja
n
Feb
Mar
Apr
Month
Per
cen
tag
e
2001-2
2003-4
2005-6
Distribution of percentage over time
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2001-2 2002-3 2003-4 2004-5 2005-6
Year
Per
cent
age
0-5 min.
5-10 min.
10-15 min.
15-20 min.
20+ min.
Distribution of questions by less than 15 and greater than 15 minutes over time
0
20
40
60
80
100
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Month
Per
cent
age
01/2 <15
01/2 >15
03/4 <15
03/4 >15
05/6 <15
05/6 >15
Human Click Interactions June 2001-Febrary 2002
0
5
10
15
20
25
June
4-8
June
18-
22
July
2-6
July
16-
20
July
30-
Aug
3
Aug
13-1
7
Aug
27-3
1
Sept
10-
14
Sept
24-
28
Oct
8-1
2
Oct
22-
26
Nov
5-9
Nov
19-2
3
Dec
3-7
Dec
17-2
1
Jan
7-11
Jan
21-2
5
Feb
4-8
Afternoon
Morning
Chat texts
Reference Desk: Hi, May I help you?
Visitor: hello
Reference Desk: Hi, How can I help you?
Visitor: i am looking for online jorunals that deal with women in canada through the 1920's
Visitor: i can's seem to find the subject
Reference Desk: we could start searching in history indexes.
Visitor: how do i get there
Reference Desk: open library web page.
Visitor: ok im there
Reference Desk: Click on search journal articles.
Chats continued
Visitor: the thing is that it only is a canadian class and i don't want any american info
Reference Desk: and then try by America : History and Life <http://webvoy.uwindsor.ca:2048/login?url=http://serials.abc-clio.com/active/start?_appname=serials&initialdb=AHL> (North American History)
Reference Desk: You can specify canada
Reference Desk: and try also CBCA for Canadian content.
Visitor: ok thank you u have beena lot of help
Reference Desk: You're welcome.
Reference Desk: Good luck.
Reference Desk: bye. and good night.
Librarian: Hi, You are now chatting with a librarian. How can I help you?
Visitor: Hi, I requested 2 books through interlibrary loans. I want to know the status of the order.
Librarian: You can check the status of your interlibrary loan requests by logining back into RACER.
Librarian: It will tell you.
Librarian: okay?
Visitor: Yeah, I checked, it says for one book that its a electronic book, what doed this mean, can i read it on line. for the other book it says only for queens access.
Librarian: If it says we have it and it is online
Librarian: Search the library catalogue by the title of the book
Librarian: no leading articles
Librarian: and it will take you to the link.
Librarian: The other title is being processed.
Chats (continued)
• Librarian: Hi, You are now chatting with a librarian. How can I help you? • Visitor: I am in Management Information Systems and I was wondering if it is possible
to sign-out a copy of the course textbook or if there is a copy at the library to begin with
• Librarian: You need to search the library online catalogue to determine if we have the textbook.
• Visitor: can i do that from my home computer or do i need to search it from the library?
• Librarian: Then come with the call number to retrieve the book from either circulation or course reserves.
• Librarian: Yes you can search from there. • Librarian: It is on our webpage at the upper right side under the Chat with a librarian
logo. • Librarian: You msut come to borrow it however. • Librarian: must • Visitor: ok thank you very much • Librarian: your welcome • Librarian: bye
Types if questions asked
• Majority of questions were reference• Access to online materials• Access problems were very common, but
less often than reference• Interlibrary loans • Refworks or citation style questions• University question• Others
Types of questions continued
• Location in library of materials
• Renewals or fines
• High school students
• Printers or software
Conclusions
• Continue to offer VR
• Actually begin a marketing plan for VR
• Formalize staffing at least for parts of the day
• Consider how to expand to weekends
• Possibly expand evening hours
• Formal evaluation of services
Questions