Outline – Gerstein Background: Gerstein IM & other reference services Planning, Implementing & Adapting Results of Pilot stages Conclusions

Gerstein Science Information Centre

Reference Services at Gerstein

ask.gerstein web presence

Planning (for success) Form a team Work towards a date Brainstorm logistics Marketing plan Evaluation planned prior to going live

Logistics (initially) IM aggregator GAIM connects to: MSN, Yahoo, Google, AIM IM hours same as info desk Weekly rotation Away messages used when necessary I will be away from my desk until 12:00. In the meantime us at ___ or phone us at ___ Back in 5! One-on-one training with manual

Marketing Bookmarks Signs in library Banners outside library Branding

Evaluation of service Logging through GAIM Date, duration, content Evaluation questions asked: Are you a U of T student/staff/faculty/other? Where are you IMing us from? What do you think of the service?

Quiz ! ! ASL?

Quiz ! TTFN

What happened? April 11 – went live 250 questions received Ranged from _ to _ per week Pilot over, service continued Success!

What happened? Some troubleshooting required Software Staffing

Who asked the questions?

Roughly 90% students Equal number of grads & undergrads 5% from outside U of T

What did they ask? Typical questions: What time does the library close? I need 3 articles for my assignment

IM Services used Almost 90% MSN No AIM users

Patron feedback Some funny: "is this a robot is this the minx with the tightly wound bun?

Patron feedback Some very useful: "the service the wonderful - i find it efficient to ask on msn for info if i cannot find something and then drop by the library to pick it up I think that it is great, very convenient and quick. You told me exactly where to go and what to do so that I would be able to find the information that I need.

Patron feedback Some made us blush: I BRAG to my friends…that I'm talking to a librarian or I chatted up the librarian today … lol, it drives them nuts

Patron feedback More blushing: The service is awesomeness wrapped up in electronic form. I'm so so so pleased that the university decided to be technologically advanced and realized that sometimes students are too busy to trudge all the way down to the library to get questions answered from reliable sources

Is IM a worthwhile addition? Definitely: Patrons use it Patrons love it! FREE

Quiz ! HTH

Quiz ! ROTFL

Acknowledgements

Questions?