Joe Dobbs Virtual Reference Coordinator
Beta Test this Fall with 6 UT Components UT Austin UT Arlington UT Brownsville UT Dallas UT Houston, School of Public Health UT San Antonio
Goals of Beta Test Determine demand for this new service What types of questions users ask Will collaboration work? Can librarians at one campus help another school’s library users? Will QuestionPoint work for a collaborative reference service?
How it works… Each component links from their own web site Rotating schedule Hours: Mon - Thurs noon - 6pm, Fri noon – 4pm Some local questions referred to local UT component Start date: September 2, 2003
What we found out… 151 chat sessions with users Users ask many types of questions: database searching circulation procedures research help Low percentage of questions required referral Software problems – disconnections, reports, surveys Placement of link on UT component’s web site matters
Spring 2004 Link added from TeleCampus pages Discussions with other UT Components about joining service Working with QuestionPoint to resolve software issues Slow start but gradual increase in traffic Disconnects appear to be less frequent Video Conferences and additional discussion among Components