24th IATUL Annual Conference, Libraries and Education in the Networked Information Environment Metu - Ankara 2-5 June 2003 Cooperative Digital Reference in Europe : where are we going? Paola Gargiulo Ciber

Outline  Definition of digital/virtual reference service  Collaborative digital /virtual reference service in Europe : an overview  Digital reference service and consortia  Critical issues  Conclusions

Digital Reference Service: What is it?  It is a response to  exponential growth of electronic information resources available to users  the increased number of Internet users and their need for assistance in locating information or performing a search  “ask an expert” or other services commercially offered through the Web (AskJeeves, WebHelp, JonesKnowledge)

Digital Reference Service: what is it? It is a way to promote and improve  library’s visibility  library’s presence at the point of need  librarian’s competence, expertise, knowledge A move from a “just in case” to a “just in time” service

More opportunities for libraries More and better services for patrons (1)  service exstensible beyond the library opening hours  interactive on line assistance to users  personalized services to users  better service for impaired patrons (hearing/speaking problems)

More opportunities for libraries more or better services to patrons (2)  enhanced information literacy programs  service to remote users (distant learning)  increased communication with remote users and colleagues  better tools to reach out new users  better services through cooperation with other colleagues from all over the world

Digital reference services Interactive /real time reference e webform Videoconferencing Collaborative Digital Reference Community of experts

Digital reference: intermediation services Through basic address – question posed to the library that provides answer by , fax, letter, phone Web form Through interactive on line service simple chat technologies instant messaging software virtual reference room solution(Webmaster) chat software purchased by the library Web contact centre Software Through collaborative service

service Real time service Advantages Immediacy and interactivity Live reference interview (it can go on until patrons are not clarified ). The user can return to the search later as the text of chat session is saved and sent to him/her Drawbacks It is more complex to set up It can be time-consuming It can be expensive Advantages Users are familiar with it It is relatively simple to handle on both sides (users and libraries ) It does not require extra sw Drawbacks Lack of immediacy and interactivity Is it always a problem? Use of reference interview is limited clarification of question by 3/4 messages exchange over several days

Online interactive reference services based on Web contact centre software The librarian can : push Web pages to patrons escort patrons through catalogues or databases or other web resources Co-browse collaboratively with the patron (librarian is able to display specific Web pages on the patron’s computer screen) share online content with the patron transfer queries between institutions record answers and reuse them by built- in knowledge bases create patron profiles and system reports conduct studies on who is using the system and how

Digital reference services in Europe ? Reference service in Europe is mainly a tradition of UK, Eire, The Netherlands and Nordic countries, therefore the first experience of digital reference services started in these countries in recent years. The number of university libraries and public libraries offering service is now increasing all over Europe a search in Google on “Ask a librarian” + country domain gives an idea on how the service is spreading the service is not always well organized (lack of guidelines, web forms, FARQs, knowledge base ecc.) Fewer university libraries offer realtime services, several public libraries do, mainly in the Nordic countries, Netherlands and UK

Planning a digital reference service (1)  Physical service location  Virtual service location  Programming and web expertise  Hd and Sw (PC/Workstation; printer; scanner; mail client; web-form; chat software; authentication software)  Personnel involved  Personnel training in advanced web skills, reference interview and procedure

Planning a digital reference service (2)  Management and coordination (who does what and when)  Quality control  Service population  Promotion  Users orientation and feedback  Service Evaluation  Privacy and legal issues

Issues involved (1)  Telecomunications and network technology  Technical standards ( NISO Committee for AZ on Networked Reference Services to develop question processing transaction protocol for interchange between systems)  Users technology what technology are patrons using?  Users behaviours in locating information Patron’s access patterns, web log studies, users habits and perceptions  Users information literacy

Issues involved (2)  New and challenging service cultural resistance, workload, staffing problems  Gradual approach  Back up service to offer the service in the evening or at night  Digital reference work flow (question assignment, fulfillment, routing, question management, archiving, retrieval, assessment, evaluation, and reporting )  Creation of knowledge base (in order to reduce “access questions” and other repetitive questions)

Some other questions related to reference service How strong and well established is the traditional reference service? How is is structured? (e.g. general, subject reference, tiered, etc.) What is the availability of print and e- reference sources in the country language? How much is the reference service used? Who is performing the service ? (professional librarians, paraprofessionals, ecc.) Do librarians have subject expertise and technical skills?

Collaborative Digital Reference Service Libraries cooperate to provide and on line interactive reference service to their patrons Question Point- Collaborative Reference Service (the largest service, over 300 participant libraries from all over the world, from USA, Canada, China, Australia, etc, from Europe: UK, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, etc) Collaborative reference services are offered in USA, Canada, Australia, Europe

Collaborative Digital Reference Service in Europe “ ask a librarian” are offered by library consortia, public libraries, university libraries just to cite some  BiblioteksVagten, Denmark (22 public libraries)  Bibliotekarie Direct, Sweden (4 public libraries (Malmo, Sotckholm, Gothenberg and Nacka)  Bibliotekvakten i Vestfold (7 public libraries in Norway)  Ask- a- librarian coordinated by CO-East (10 library authorities in the East of England)  Kirjastot ( Finnish public and research libraries)  VRD- Regione Toscana (15 Italian public libraries) Large university and state libraries often join QuestionPoint

Collaborative Digital Reference Service in Europe  Most of the libraries start providing and later add real- time service;  Most of them provide their services to their primary clientele as defined in the mission of the library; questions posed from different clientele are answered when related to library holdings/services or information about the country  Questions are handled in local language and also English in Nordic countries; in other areas, questions posed in different languages will be answered in the local language  Knowledge bases are not yet available in most cases  Questions are not routed through automated system  Need to increase access to fee-based electronic resources is strongly felt in public libraries

Collaborative Digital Reference Service in Europe: Critical issues copyright issues  licensed databases and e-journals use in digital reference service A remote user can be considered equal to a “walk in user”? authentication problems  in navigating with the remote users in proprietary databases and e- resources back up service lack of e-resources in local languages language barriers

Collaborative Digital Reference Service in Europe : Critical issues  Are patrons from library A given same quality service by staff from library B?  Are training and professional development handled together by library A and library B  Who is providing the service at library A and library B (paraprofessional, professional librarians, a mix)  How will costs be shared?  Is collaborative digital reference service a sustainable economic model?

Library Consortia and digital reference service Library university consortia in Europe are just starting offering digital reference service, often they subscribe to QuestionPoint The flexibility and scalability of reference digital service can allow consortia to set up services tiered level subject cluster (e.g consortial business library cooperate) nested cluster (at local library, campus library, university library, consortial level, interconsortial level, global level )

To conclude Digital reference is not future is a today’s reality Its real- time technology is still primitive, it will improve Users need training in navigation, for accuracy, relevance, and currency If librarians are not there when patrons need them, patrons turn to alternative services Which services? What quality?

A final consideration Do we want just to be information custodians, information access engineers or do we also want to share our knowledge, expertise as information intermediators, information creators and help users to develop critical thinking?