1. Emily Scharf | Webster University Library. St Louis, MO. Library Technology Conference | March 21, 2013

2. Not hash tags; hash marks

3. Ref desk statistics research

4. Think, pair, share How has your reporting to university administration or the library board changed? How have you changed your data collection based upon that?

5. Webster U Library background

6. Going online

7. LibAnswers

8. Why change? Assessment.

9. READ scale background Developed by academic librarian Bella Karr Gerlich in 2002, launched as a trial at Carnegie Mellon in 2003, studied nationally in 2007

10. READ Scale 1 : Answers that require the least amount of effort; No specialized knowledge skills or expertise; No consultation of resources; Less than 5 minutes. Anyone in the library can answer Mostly questions you can answer with a few words Examples: Directional inquiries; Library or service hours; Service point locations; Rudimentary machine assistance (locating/using copiers, how to print or supplying paper). 2: Answers given which require more effort; Require only minimal specific knowledge skills or expertise; Answers may need nominal resource consultation. Anyone in the library can answer Examples: Call number inquiries; Item location; General library or policy information; Minor machine/ printer & computer equipment assistance; More complex machine assistance (how to save to a disk or email records, launching programs or re- booting). How to scan and save images;

11. READ Scale 3: Answers in this category require some effort and time; Consultation of ready reference resource materials is needed; Minimal instruction of the user may be required; Subject based questions where 1 or 2 sources are briefly consulted, or a patron only requires 1 article/book Reference knowledge and skills come into play; If Referrals are done, they occur immediately, or after consulting 1 or 2 sources very briefly Examples: Answers that require specific reference resources (encyclopedias or databases); Basic instruction on searching the online catalog; Direction to and minimal searching in relevant subject databases; 4: Answers or research requests require the consultation of multiple resources Patrons require multiple sources for research; Subject specialists may need to be consulted and more thorough instruction and assistance occurs. Reference knowledge and skills needed. Efforts can be more supportive in nature for the user, or if searching for a finite answer, difficult to find. Exchanges can be more instruction based as staffs teach users more in-depth research skills. Examples: Instructing users how to utilize complex search techniques for the online catalog, databases and the web; How to cross-reference resources and track related supporting materials; Services outside of reference become utilized (ILL, Tech services, etc), collegial consultation; Assisting users in focusing or broadening searches (helping to re-define or clarify a topic)

12. READ Scale 5: Does not normally resolve at the reference desk; typically by email, consultation, etc. More substantial effort and time spent assisting with research and finding information. On the high end of the scale, subject specialists need to be consulted. Consultation appointments with individuals might be scheduled. Efforts are cooperative in nature, between the user and librarian and or working with colleagues. Multiple resources used. May include primary sources as well as secondary sources; Research, reference knowledge and skills needed. Dialogue between the user and librarian may take on a 'back and forth question' dimension. Examples: False leads Interdisciplinary consultations / research; Graduate research; Difficult outreach problems (access issues that need to be investigated). 6: The most effort and time expended; involves multiple days. Does not normally resolve at the reference desk; typically by email, consultation, etc. Inquiries or requests for information can't be answered on the spot. At this level, staff may be providing in-depth research and services for specific needs of the clients. This category covers some 'special library' type research services. Primary (original documents) and secondary resource materials may be used. Examples: Creating bibliographies and bibliographic education; In-depth faculty and PhD student research; Relaying specific answers and supplying supporting materials for publication, exhibits etc; working with outside vendors

13. Think, pair, share What READ scale number would you give the following questions – work together in a group

14. 1.I am looking for an article on current trends in the heavy industrial industry. Are there any in the library? 2.I want the book Culture Warrior, but it’s not here in your library – can I get it from somewhere else? 3.The printer is jammed and my paper is due in 15 minutes.

15. Scaffolding the chat instruction

18. Implementation of LibAnswers

19. Rollout to our patrons

20. Staff feedback

21. Next steps

22. How can we analyze stats to further our training and staffing needs?

23. Example scenario There are more technical questions than research questions at the reference desk. The library is invested in degreed personnel, some of whom aren’t tech-savvy. Now what?

24. Group discussion How do we close the loop? How do we use this data to make decisions? Which data is the most important?

25. Questions, comments? Or, one last slide so I can use this picture

26. Photo credits Time Passages taken from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/booleansplit/7493920398/ Author: Robert S. Donovan http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/booleansplit/7493920398/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en Follow a Library, taken from http://followalibrary.blogspot.com/.http://followalibrary.blogspot.com/ Evaluation scale taken from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/billsophoto/4175299981/ Author: billsoPHOTO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- sa/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/billsophoto/4175299981/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- sa/2.0/deed.en Ask Here taken from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/madison_guy/4253518040/ Author: Madison Guy http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc- sa/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/madison_guy/4253518040/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc- sa/2.0/deed.en Read! taken from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/5926270312 Author: kevin dooley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/5926270312http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en Guys in Las Vegas Never Enjoyed Reading, Until Now... taken from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/roadsidepictures/244926428/ Author: Roadsidepictures http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/roadsidepictures/244926428/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en Scaffolding: Not just for construction workers anymore taken from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/2201791390/ Author: kevin dooley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/2201791390/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en Keyboard in action - http://www.flickr.com/photos/lapideo/198046070/ Author: lapideo http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/lapideo/198046070/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en Questions Answered... - http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelinlibrarian/223839049/ Author: Travelin' Librarian http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc- sa/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/travelinlibrarian/223839049/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc- sa/2.0/deed.en Going online photo by Emily Scharf, 2010. well | Flickr - Photo Sharing! : taken from - http://www.flickr.com/photos/telmo32/2591933295/ Author: telmo32 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- nd/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/telmo32/2591933295/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- nd/2.0/deed.en

27. Bibliography Aguilar, P., Keating, K., & Swanback, S. (2010). Click it, no more tick it: Online reference statistics. Reference Librarian, 51(4), 290-299. doi: 10.1080/02763877.2010.501421 Beirne, H., & Aldridge, E. (2012). No more tally marks: Making the most out of archived reference transactions. Kentucky Libraries, 76(3), 22-26. Chow, A. S., & Croxton, R. A. (2013). A usability evaluation of academic virtual reference services. College & Research Libraries, Devine, C., Paladino, E. B., & Davis, J. A. (2011). Chat reference training after one decade: The results of a national survey of academic libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 37(3), 197-206. doi: 10.1016/j.acalib.2011.02.011 Evans, G. (2011). Libanswers. Charleston Advisor, 12(4), 42-45. doi: 10.5260/chara/12.4.42 Garrison, J. S. (2010). Making reference service count: Collecting and using reference service statistics to make a difference. Reference Librarian, 51(3), 202-211. doi: 10.1080/02763871003733372 Gerlich, B. K., & Berard, G. L. (March 2010). Testing the viability of the READ scale (reference effort assessment data)©: Qualitative statistics for academic reference services. College & Research Libraries, 71(2), 116-137. Gerlich, B. K., & Whatley, E. (2009). Using the READ scale for staffing strategies: The Georgia college and state university experience. Library Leadership & Management, 23(1), 26-30. Gossett, J. G., Stephan, E., & Marrall, R. (2012). Implementing reference statistics collection software at multiple library service points. New Library World, 113(5/6), 235. doi: 10.1108/03074801211226328 Nicol, E. C., & Crook, L. (2012). Now it's necessary: Virtual reference services at Washington State University, Pullman. The Journal of Academic Librarianship. doi: 10.1016/j.acalib.2012.09.017 Stevens, C. R. (2013). Reference reviewed and re-envisioned: revamping librarian and desk-centric services with LibStARs and LibAnswers. The Journal of Academic Librarianship. doi: 10.1016/j.acalib.2012.11.006 Thomsett-Scott, B., & Reese, P. E. (2006). Changes in library technology and reference desk statistics: Is there a relationship? Public Services Quarterly, 2(2), 143-165. doi: 10.1300/J295v02n02•10 White, M. D., Abels, E. G. & and Kaske, N. (2003). Evaluation of chat reference service quality pilot study. Retrieved from http://www.dlib.org.library3.webster.edu/dlib/february03/white/02white.html Zabel, D. (2005). Trends in reference and public services librarianship and the role of RUSA part one. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(1), 7-10.