Serving Patrons Where They Are: Virtual Reference at LC Diane Nester Kresh, Director Public Service Collections

What is Virtual Reference? Asynchronous: Ask-A Librarian s through LC Web site Synchronous: Chat or “live” reference Video conferencing Others: voice-over IP, online tutorials etc.

History of LC Web site 1990 Internet connection established 1994 LCINFO allows patrons to send queries to NRS Internet Access to LOCIS using telnet LC Gopher Site MARVEL 1994 LC Web site and American Memory launched 1995 THOMAS launched 2000 America’s Library Launched

1994 Internet LOCIS, MARVEL, and REP-WEB accounts created to answer different queries 1995 LCREF pilot begins. becomes standard footer for all LC Web pages. 2,265 total queries processed in FY 1998 “Reference In a Digital Age” Institute held at LC. Proposal includes establishment of a collaborative remote reference service American Memory Help Desk launched, uses Web forms for reference transaction Numerous FAQs added to LC Web site, including a Research and Reference FAQ 1999 American Memory participates in the first Virtual Reference Desk conference History of LC Digital Reference

2000 CDRS launched Conducted survey of E-ref services at LC (May) 2001 First open chat sessions held by American Memory and HSS Initial Ask A Librarian buttons appear on LC Web site Chat pilot with roughly 150 live chat sessions Eleven E-reference librarians hired in PSC 2002 Additional Ask A Librarian buttons launched LC Help Desk debuts, phased Beta test of “next generation of CDRS” History of LC Digital Reference, cont.

Why Digital Reference? Must meet the public where they are In-person annual report stats decline: 1993: 769, : 544,599 (average 1,944 per business day) Web site hits have increased: 1995: 23,772, : 1,025,276,805 Ask A Librarian page hits on 2/19/02: 1,306 Declining readership in LC reading rooms requires proactive measures

“In-Your-Face Reference” Anne Lipow (1999) Reference Librarians MUST Take notice of shrinking clientele Provide “point of need” reference service to information seekers at the place where they are when they have a question Provide service that is obvious and as convenient to the remote user as is access to the information itself

Multiple Communications Options Telephone CDRS Ask-A Pages on LC Web site (former Surface Mail/Fax Walk-in Patrons Chat And patrons are behind them all…

While The Tools Have Changed, The Work Has Not Technology has provided new tools to expand and enhance delivery of information Skill set evolution is necessary to adapt to new environment Fundamental character of librarianship has not changed

Library of Last Resort? LC should never turn away a question BUT, LC doesn’t need to answer all of the questions Options: Answer it Give specific referrals and/or refer them to their local library with … Transfer to another LC reading room Escalate to CDRS

Can’t answer it? Find someone who can! Library of Congress P & P HSS Serials Patron access via Reading Room Ask-A pages and chat Etc. Rare Book MSS Mss buddy Seamless routing of digital reference queries, but also phone calls, walk-ins can be tracked in new service Mss buddy Local KB: Searchable Q & A LC Reference Network

Can’t find an appropriate LC Reading Room? CDRS Network Library of Congress P & P HSS Serials Science Rare Book MSS Member Consortium LC Reference Network Send it to CDRS! Global KB: Searchable Q & A

Beta Testing the “Next Generation” Better tools for better service Seamless escalation of Ask A Librarian questions to network Chat, with limited office hours Entire process, from registration through Q&A exchange Reporting and statistics Beta Testers: 100% LC participation CDRS members: academic, public, other consortia, etc.

Beta Timeline Feb 25 – Mar 15: Welcome and Orientation Mar 18 – 29: Training and Begin Implementation Mar 18 – 19: Day-long training sessions at LC (2) By Mar 29: Testers using tool for Q&A exchange On or around April 1: Chat Phase I On or around May 1: Chat Phase II Mid-May: Remaining CDRS members come into production service

Coping with Change If you’re not confused, you’re not engaged! ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Handouts Brief History of LC digital reference Survey Results from 1998 Draft Beta testing implementation plan for LC Slide notes List of digital reference resources