QuestionPoint Worldwide Cooperative Reference George S. Ouyang OCLC Asia Pacific Library Services Executive

Overview What is QuestionPoint? What does it do for me and my users? How do I use it? How do I buy it? What does the future hold?

Patron Reference Professional Regional Networks ( state, National ) Commercial services ( Ask - A S e rvices) Subject Based Networks (law, medical) Your group reference Networks ( branches, consortial ) Global A Cooperative Model A Cooperative Model Your library reference staff

Benefits Enables libraries to Take the lead as an information providerincreasing visibility and use of libraries & competing with web-based services Improve service to patronslinking them to subject experts and serving them Improve efficiencyrouting questions automatically to experts in libraries across town or around the world Reduce costsproviding affordable subscription pricing to an OCLC-hosted service Reach new usersincreasing visibility and use of libraries

Benefits Enables users to Get quality and reliable information.Ask questions and receive answers from their local library via the Web and to draw on the resources of a global network of expert reference professionals. Track and review their previously asked questions. View their question history and the current status of submitted questions via a password- protected and secure interface.

Profiled Inst 1 QuestionPoint Local/Regional Component- Chat interaction example 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 Global KB

Local/Regional Component- Web form/ interaction Patron or Library web page Ref Lib Local KB Patron Web sites & databases Call others Look up In references Own knowledge Global KB Profiled Inst 2 Profiled Inst 1 Ref Lib

Global Knowledge Base Profiled institutions available for question services Ref Lib Ref Lib Ref Lib Ref Lib Ref Lib ProfileDatabase Request Manager Routes to best-fit profiled institution Request Manager Routes to best-fit profiled institution Global Administration- Q & A Editing QuestionPoint Global Component LOCAL DIGITAL REFERENCE SOLUTION QuestionPoint Local/Regional Component LSSI Convey Locally created solution Exhausted local knowledge or seeking expertise globally. LOCAL DIGITAL REFERENCE SOLUTION QuestionPoint Local/Regional Component LSSI Convey Locally created solution Exhausted local knowledge or seeking expertise globally. Submit question to global component Question answered.

QuestionPoint With QuestionPoint, you... –Use tools like , web forms, chat, and page sharing to answer questions as part of a hosted service requiring only a web browser –Create, profile, and manage local and regional reference groups to handle querying, routing, and answering of patron questions within these groups –Participate in a global cooperative network of reference librarians for answers to patron questions requiring expertise or coverage unavailable within your local/group network

QuestionPoint (June 2002) With QuestionPoint, you... –Build and access shared local and global knowledge databases comprised of completed and edited Q&As –Manage user accounts, interface customization, and statistical reporting

Demonstration

QuestionPoint Pricing Annual subscription model –Unlimited use –Packages Global Network Access Local/Group Reference Network & Global Network Access (ONCE OFFICIAL) Enhanced Communications Option Based on “profiles” –A profile = a node on the global network –Reference “consortia” created by associating profiles Begins at $2,400 per year per profile –Discounts for contribution & consortia

QuestionPoint Pricing SubscribersGlobal NetworkLocal/Group Network & Global Network Contributing Subscriber $1,700$2,000 Non-contributing Subscriber $2,000$2,400 DiscountsGlobal NetworkLocal/Group Network & Global Network 1-5 Libraries 0% 6-10 Libraries 5% Libraries10% 20 + Libraries15%

The Future… Standards-based communication –Interoperability among reference networks and between local services/global network –NISO Standards Committee AZ for Networked Reference (ongoing) Automated routing at the local level Off hours and supplemental coverage Batch import of FAQs Public access to the global network Addition/integration with other communication technologies: one and two-way streaming video, application sharing, and voice over IP

Questions and Feedback