VALE REFERENCE SERVICES COMMITTEE January 5 th, 2011

VALE MEMBER LIBRARIES - 52 academic institutions (68 physical locations on the map; Some institutions operate more than one library )

 “A reference transaction is an information contact that involves the knowledge, use, recommendations, interpretation, or instruction in the use of one or more information sources by a member of the library staff….”  “…Duration should not be an element in determining whether a transaction is a reference transaction”….. (ACR)

 February 14, 2011: Survey launched ◦ Mass to NJ Directors list  February 23 rd : survey re-sent  March 3 rd : individual s sent  Responses received from 37 libraries (including 5 Rutgers libraries)  OF THOSE THAT RESPONDED, TWO LIBRARIES DO NOT COLLECT REFERENCE STATISTICS  30 INSTITUTIONS (58% of VALE members)  35 individual libraries (5 Rutgers libraries)  13 PUBLIC; 12 COM. COLL.; 10 PRIVATE

1) What kind of data is collected in your library (libraries)? 2) How do you define different reference transaction categories? 3) Are statistics collected only at the reference desk? 4) Do you collect the data on a daily basis or as a sample (once a week, once a month)? 5) Do you register each question or rather each reference transaction? 6) Do you use an electronic tool to collect the data? Is so, what type of software program is used? 7) How is the collected data being used?

 Three main categories with a variety of terms:  Research: reference, extended reference, demonstration &/or instruction, consultation, professional, research levels;  Directional: information, ready reference, quick reference, basic, activity;  Technology related: computer assistance, technical support;  Other types:  Virtual (electronic) reference includes: IM, Meebo, Q&A NJ, text-a –librarian, blog visits, chat, ;  Phone  Assignments  Government documents

Research/Reference – 34 (1 library did not identify this category) Directional - 31 (5 libraries either do not collect directional encounters or did not specify this category) Technology /Virtual Ref Phone - 12

 Main categories versus tiers or levels (level 1, 2, etc.)  Main categories and subcategories (general ref. vs. extended ref., “2 types of reference”)  General categories vs. specific categories (i.e. research assistance and consultation)  Virtual (phone) versus on-site reference  General categories divided into time periods (under 15 minutes, over 20 minutes etc.)  Outliers: “…data (what type of data?) is collected based on time of day including walk- in, telephone and chat.”

 Research – more than 5 min.;  Extended time – over 15 min.;  “Reference transaction -questions that involve the use, recommendation, and interpretation of library resources;”  Research - means finding data, helping with search skill sets, search criteria - no time limit.  “use, recommendation, interpretation, or instruction of one or more information sources;”  Research levels from 1 to 4;  “information contact that involves the use of one or more information sources;  consultation = reference question: skill base, strategy based or non- resource;  “we try to follow the definitions used in the ACRL statistics gathering to differentiate directional from professional.” 

 Reference desk was omitted in several responses:  “reference service ( and chat) are collected separately,” or  “Off desk/offices s, phones, consultations”  Reference encounters (rowing?, appointments?)  Phone / separately at the Ref. Desk  Ref. desk include in person, phone and ; Chat separately, Libguides and dbase e-book use separately, but:  Ref. desk, s, chat reference, library blog, phone..  Libguides/database usage/e-book usage –probably not complete count – not everyone considered it a reference transaction (is this a reference transaction statistic?).

SAMPLE (7 libraries):  Three weeks during semester  3 week period during the Fall semester  Once a week  3 sample weeks spaced out during each semester  2-3 times a semester  sample week once per year  Four weeks a year MONTHLY (1) - cumulative DAILY (27 libraries – 77%):  Daily in three intervals  Hourly / Daily  Collected daily, reported by sampling DAILY (27 libraries – 77%):  Daily in three intervals  Hourly / Daily  Collected daily, reported by sampling

Transactions Transactions BUT (3 out of 23 libraries are not clear):  “If it is a reference transaction than it is recorded as a reference transaction; should additional assistance for another service be needed, that too is recorded under the appropriate topic.”  “If the students work on several papers, then questions.”  “Each transaction but it’s usually at the discretion to the reference librarian how to record it.”

ELECTRONIC TOOLS IN USE:  Google Tools/Google Docs  In house Access dbase  Excel & “spreadsheet” - 9 NONE, but:  “looking into developing home grown program”  LibAnswers soon  “our data librarian has developed a simple program that can be used at the Reference Desk.. which we're looking to implement”  Gimlet trial version None23 Excel5 Paper to spreadsheet4 Other3

What kind of:  “Annual reports“  “Reports to various associations”  “We report them to library associations that require them”  “To understand the value of our reference and research services”  “Assessment ” (staffing, col. development, instruction?)

Results – snapshot showing how academic libraries define, collect and use reference data  Data is being collected in three main categories with a variety of terms  Definitions of reference transactions vary  Reference desk still leading location for collecting data  Daily - preferable frequency for data collection  Transactions rather than questions  Electronic tools – few; homegrown rather than commercial  Data used for reports, but also for staffing, coll. devel., assessment  Next survey - clarification of terms necessary !

FEW FORMS/SYSTEMS CURENTLY IN USE

STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

GEORGIAN COURT

RARITAN VALLEY

DREW UNIVERSITY REFERENC E STATS FORM

Berkeley College Gimlet.us

Gimlet.us

 LibAnswers:  Libstats:  Desk Tracker:  RefTracker:  Gimlet:

 Novotny, Eric, and Washington, DC. Office of Leadership and Management Services. Association of Research Libraries. "Reference Service Statistics & Assessment. SPEC Kit." SPEC Kit 268 (2002): ERIC. Web. 4 Jan  2009 VALE Reference Services Survey Report, July 2010; prepared by Tony Joachim, edited by Jody Caldwell SurveyReport_final_0.pdf 009SurveyReport_final_0.pdf

 Panelists:  Denise Brush -Rowan University  Jennifer Heise -Drew University  Pat Dawson -Rider University  Moderator  David McMillan – Caldwell College THANK YOU Maria Deptula Berkeley College