April 2002 Diane Nester Kresh QuestionPoint: Making It Work For You

The Knowledge Challenge Exponential growth of resources New researchers with new needs and expectations New opportunities Going where the users are

Telephone Ask-A Web forms Surface Mail/Fax Walk-in Patrons Chat Multiple Communications Options

Fundamental nature of librarianship has not changed New technology tools to enhance delivery of information Skill set evolution is necessary to adapt to new environment While The Tools Have Changed, The Work Has Not

The Challenge for Librarians Use traditional strengths to build new programs Leverage the community of librarians and libraries worldwide Acquire new skills Redefine the role of librarians and libraries in the Internet age

QuestionPoint is a Web-based LC-OCLC co-branded service that: enables Internet user to ask questions of his/her local library allows local library to escalate unanswered questions to other libraries within its cooperative allows reference librarian to submit a question to global network

Local/Regional Interface Profile Database Global Reference Network Routing Manager Access to hundreds of institutions Knowledge Base Administrative Interface Usage Statistics and Reports Patron Question Form (Templates) QuestionPoint Components

AcademicLibraries NationalLibrariesConsortia SpecialLibraries UnaffiliatedExperts ASK-AServices PublicLibraries Partners ProfessionalAssn. Members QuestionPoint

QuestionPoint Advisory Board LC and OCLC co-chair QuestionPoint members on board represent variety of library types Committees to address: Legal Membership Implementation Best practices

QuestionPoint Terminology Patron: person who asks a question Institution: L2L Service Level Agreement: describes the scope of a member’s services Local Network: Consortia + tools Global Reference Network: formerly CDRS

How Does It Work?

Inst 1 Patron Library web page Ref Lib Local KB Patron Chat window Librarian Chat window Librarian Chat Monitor Web sites & databases Call others Look up In references Own knowledge Real Time Local Interaction

Consortium Inst 1 example Library web page Ref Lib Ref Lib/ editor Inst 2 Ref Lib Inst 3 Ref Lib Ref Lib/ editor Ref Lib/ editor Patron Local KB Patron Offline Local Interaction Web sites & databases Call others Look up In references Own knowledge

Global Local/Regional Consortium A Library Local KB Patron access via institution web pages Individual Library Consortium B Library Global Only Library Global Only Library Global Only Library Global KB Library QuestionPoint Process

Member Profiling

Best Fit Step One - Exclusionary Elements: Education Level Served Weekly Quota Filled Step Two - Best Fit Matching: Subject 30% Geographic Area 20% Load Balancing 20% Availability 20% Format Expertise 10%

Sample Q & A Set

Knowledge Base Editorial Board Guidelines: Copyediting, link checking Add subjects and keywords for enhanced searching Removal of patron Identify need for later review Volunteer editors from membership 2,100 + records edited since December

QuestionPoint Member Benefits Extend traditional reference services 24x7 service Access to virtual collections Access to subject/language specialists worldwide Web-based (no software) Reporting and tracking tools Forge collaborative partnerships with other libraries and librarians Develop digital reference best practices

Before You Sign Up… Consider staff buy-in Daily workflow Reference service policies Identify patron needs Patron access to reference librarians? Questions submitted after hours? Think about being a part of subject or type-based group/consortium

Language, literacy, and context Accessibility and infrastructure Cultural & political sensitivities Digital divide Intellectual property and service constraints Trade agreements Global Expansion: Issues

What’s Next?

Timeline Where we’ve been... LC pilot & start up (98-00) LC-OCLC initial partnership (01) Where we’re going... LC-OCLC phase 2 partnership Version 1.0 Beta (March-May 02) Version 1.0 release (June 02) NISO Standards Committee AZ (ongoing)

Pricing Model Annual subscription model Unlimited use Packages = global only or local + global Based on “profiles” A profile = a sector on the global network Reference “consortia” can be created by associating profiles Begins at ~$2,000 per year per profile Discounts for contribution and consortia

QuestionPoint Futures.. Standards-based communication Interoperability among reference networks and between local services/global network Automated routing at the local level Off-hours and supplemental coverage Batch import of local KBs (recon) Public access to global network