1. Tracking Reference with RefTracker Heather Close Reference and Research Services Coordinator Alberta Legislature Library

2. Reference Service 8 Librarians, 8 technicians scheduled for regular reference desk shifts Each shift is a half-day 1-3 shifts per week At the desk:  Shared email account through Outlook Web App  Shared phone line

3. The way we were….

4. Altarama’s RefTracker A web-based reference request management and tracking software system  Integrated workflow  KnowledgeBase  DeskStats - An electronic tally sheet

5. RefTracker

6. DeskStats Module

7. Details recorded for each question Staff member who answered the question Client category Location at which the service was provided How the question arrived – email, in-person, phone Date and time question was received Length of time spent in responding to the question Type of question answered Subject matter Resources used to answer the question Comments

9. March 2010June 2014 Subjects not definedTaxonomy 24 Client categories13 Client categories 7 Request Groups 10 Request Types 1 Request Groups 4 Request Types 19 Resource categories4 Resource categories

10. Taxonomy

11. Client Categories (% of total questions in 2013) ReportingRefTracker Members & LAO (50.5%) 18 different client categories Request from caucus staff accounts for more questions than all others combined Caucus (26.3%) Constituency Office (2.5%) Lieutenant Governor and Staff (0.3%) Members and Staff (6.5%) Office of the Speaker (3.1%) Independent Legislative Offices – AB (0.6%) LAO – Committee Research (1.6%) LAO – Communication Services (1.4%) LAO – FMAS (0.4%) LAO – Hansard (0.7%) LAO – House Services (0.9%) LAO – HRS (0.1%) LAO – ITS (0.3%) LAO – Legislature Library (0.7%) LAO – Parliamentary Counsel (3.1%) LAO – Sergeant-at-Arms (0.3%) LAO – VCSS (2.2%) Office of the Clerk (0.6%) Alberta Government (12.1%)Gov – AB (12.1%) Media (1.7%) Public (32.9%) APLIC (4.0%) Govts and Legislatures – Other (0.6%) Libraries – Other (2.6%) Public (25.7%)

12. Types of Requests Categorize requests at two levels: Request Groups determine the broad categories of requests  Request types allow these categories to be broken down into more specific areas

13. Request Groups & Types 2010 Reference – Research – Directional – Material – Referral Circulation Transactions – Circulation Equipment – Photocopier – PAC Computer / Printer – Microform Reader/Printers – Other Equipment Document Delivery – ILL Request – SPAL Request – NBIL Request – AV Reproduction – Other Document Delivery Library Policy & Services – Policy & Services Orientation / Tour – Orientation / Tour – PSO Tour – SATL Tour Feedback – Services – Collections

14. 2014 Review Debra G. Warner, “A New Classification for Reference Statistics,” Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 41, no. 1 (Fall 2001): pp. 51-55. Deborah B. Henry and Tina M. Neville, “Testing Classification Systems for Reference Questions,” Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 47, no. 4, (Summer 2008): pp. 364-373.

15. Request Groups & Types 2014

16. Non-resource Based Directional / Administrative Do not require a resource to answer May be about policy or services Circulation [to reflect the interaction with client] Document delivery, acquisition, or audio-visual requests that are referred / forwarded to staff/unit responsible Booking equipment

17. Skill-based Ready Reference / Technical Answer is always the same May be answered by well-developed set of directions or reference file Trouble-shooting equipment or resources Planned tours including prep time

18. Strategy-based Require the formulation of a strategy to locate an answer May require selection of resources May require individualized subject approach May require provision of instruction and guidance

19. Consultation Requires selection of materials, research recommendations or formatted reports Specialized orientation sessions or tours (other than planned tours which have a standard outline and as such are Skill-based) May require consultation with subject experts or other jurisdictions This level of service is generally provided to primary clients only

20. Training and Implementation April-May 2014 – Training – Shared proposed categories and background readings – Reviewed and discussed at reference meetings – Staff completed a brief exercise: Assign a request type with reasoning and/or comments to 14 sample questions June 2014 – Implementation Ongoing: – Applying categories to raw data retroactively

21. Going Forward Statistics that are:  Aligned with management’s strategic priorities  Available in real-time; readily available in usable form  Transparent  Meaningful Statistics gathering is:  Routine  Consistent  Efficient

22. Thank You! Heather Close Reference and Research Services Coordinator Alberta Legislature Library