Best Practices of Text Reference Service: A Synergistic View Lili Luo School of Library and Information Science San Jose State University

Do you own a cell phone? A. Yes B. No Do you text? A. More than 50 messages/day B messages/day C. Less than 20 messages/day D. I don’t text at all.

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project: In 2011, 83% of American adults own mobile phones and 73% send and receive text messages. Young adults are the most frequent texters – mobile phone owners between the ages of 18 and 24 exchange a daily average of messages

Text A Librarian – how text reference works

A collaborative text reference service Launched in July 2009 Participated by over 20 libraries, including both public and academic libraries A study to examine the practice of text reference (based on My Info Quest) -- Funded by IMLS

Question CategoryPercentage% Clearly Worded Questions Local Library Related13.3 Non Local Library Related Ready Reference69.8 Specific-search9.2 Personal Knowledge Related 1.3 About My InfoQuest2.4 Out of Service Scope1.5 Unclear Questions2.5 Text Reference Question Types

A sample of questions. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen european swallow? How do i get from the intersection austin st and pecan st to 1634 chestnut st in denton, TX? wut does comme d'habitude mean in French what is the weather forecast for portland, oregon? What is the recipe for coca cola cake? Can I contract an STD from having intercourse with my female doberman pinscher? What is the reason for each country having its own currency? What is a good book about 17th century warships? Why are so manny players in the world

A synergistic view Librarian perspective identifying the competencies requisite for providing text reference service User perspective examining library patrons’ use and non-use of text reference service

Top Ten Essential Text Reference Competencies MeanStdev. Ability to compose answers to patrons' questions concisely, quickly, and accurately Ability to construct effective search strategies and skillfully search online information sources Ability to quickly evaluate information and determine the validity, credibility, and authoritativeness of sources Knowledge of information resources, especially online information resources Ability to interpret patrons' information needs with limited context in text messages Good communication skills, such as maintaining a friendly, respectful, helpful, and pleasant tone Familiarity with the software/platform used to provide text reference service Understanding of text reference service policies Customer service skills Ability to answer questions politely, intelligently, and professionally, even questions that might be judged inappropriate due to language or content Librarian Perspective

Chat ReferenceText Reference Referring users to appropriate resources/services when necessary Ability to compose answers to patrons' questions concisely, quickly and accurately Skills in selecting and searching databases and internet resources Ability to construct effective search strategies and skillfully search online information sources Familiarity with subscribed library databases Ability to quickly evaluate information and determine the validity, credibility and authoritativeness of sources Ability to think quickly and deal flexibly with unexpected situations in chat reference sessions Knowledge of information resources, especially online information resources Using open probes to clarify questions Ability to interpret patrons' information needs with limited context in text messages

User Perspective A survey was conducted among library users. Among the 303 respondents, 255 (84.2%) never used the text reference service provided by their library, and 48 (15.8%) did. For those who had not used the service, they were asked about their interest in using the service in the future: 58.2% -- “Maybe”, depending on whether they have the need or not; 23.7% -- “No” 18.1% -- “Yes”.

Reasons for non-use: 59.8% -- were not aware of it 22.5% -- were not texters 22.5% -- considered their information needs adequately met by receiving assistance from librarians via other venues like telephone, reference or coming to the reference desk 15.7% -- generally did not ask librarians for help because they were self- sufficient information seekers and they were able to use library resources and other information resources independently In addition, some lack the knowledge of how to appropriately use the service, and some had unpleasant experience with librarians that makes them reluctant to use text reference service.

How users discovered text reference servicePercentage I found it on the library Website. 41.7% I learned about it in the library promotional material/events. 16.7% I heard about it from someone I know. 6.3% I heard about it from a library staff member. 37.5% What users liked about text reference servicePercentage It’s easy to use.77.1% It’s convenient. 66.7% It’s fast to get an answer. 52.1% I’m comfortable with it. 47.9% Librarians are a reliable source of information.4.2% It’s cool and fun.4.2% It is useful when I have an idea of the question I want to ask but cannot form it into a specific Google search.2.1% Views from the users: Users indicated a high level of satisfaction - on a five point Likert scale (1 being not satisfied at all, and 5 being very satisfied), 87.6% selected “4” or “5”.

Implications for Best Practices MarketingUser SatisfactionTraining

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