24/7 reference cooperative training
DESCRIPTION
24/7 Reference Cooperative Training. QuestionPoint: 24/7 Reference Service Director: Susan McGlamery [email protected] Today’s Trainer: Paula Rumbaugh [email protected]. Be there when they need you. Coverage around the clock Expand hours of service without adding staff Failsafe coverage - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
24/7 Reference Cooperative Training
24/7 Reference Cooperative Training
QuestionPoint: 24/7 Reference Service
Director: Susan McGlamery
Today’s Trainer: Paula Rumbaugh
Be there when they need youBe there when they need you
•Coverage around the clock
•Expand hours of service without adding staff
•Failsafe coverage
•Staffed by librarians like you
•2 Cooperatives: Public and Academic
24/7 Reference is:24/7 Reference is:
•Over 1500 libraries in the U.S. and UK
•Staffing cooperatively to provide service for all participating libraries, around the clock
•Contract staff cover hours when no libraries are online
Who Participates in 24/7? Who Participates in 24/7?
• Single library
• New York Public Library
• Libraries within a region
• HALS in southeastern Texas
• Statewide Service
• Maryland AskUsNow
• AskMN 24/7
• Countrywide service
• United Kingdom
Alaska
Statewide Services
Regional groups
Individual libraries
Washington
Oregon Idaho
Montana
Wyoming
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nevada Utah
California
Arizona
Colorado
Nebraska
Kansas
New Mexico
Texas
Oklahoma
LA
Arkansas
MS
AL
Tennessee
Missouri
Georgia
FL
SC
N Carolina
Iowa
KY
IllinoisIndiana
Ohio
WV VA
Penn
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Michigan
New York
Maine
VTNHMA
RICT
NJ DEMDDC
Hawaii
24/7 Reference Cooperative: US members
24/7 Reference Cooperative: US members
How Do They Know?Answering on behalf of other librariesHow Do They Know?Answering on behalf of other libraries
Cooperative Resources
Library Policy Pages
Scripted Messages
Communication:
• Transfer
• IM
Follow Up/ Referral
Coop Guidelines from My QuestionPointCoop Guidelines from My QuestionPoint
Coop GuidelinesCoop Guidelines
•QuestionPoint wiki
http://wiki.questionpoint.org
24/7 Policies and Procedures
http://wiki.questionpoint.org/247-Policies
•Best Practices for 24/7 Reference Sessions:
http://wiki.questionpoint.org/247-Best-Practices
Coop Guidelines on the WikiCoop Guidelines on the Wiki
Policies and ProceduresPolicies and Procedures
Best PracticesBest Practices
Cooperative ResourcesCooperative Resources
Cooperative Resources: AdministratorsCooperative Resources: Administrators
Cooperative Resources: Academic ScheduleCooperative Resources: Academic Schedule
Chat Monitoring ToolChat Monitoring Tool
Chat Monitoring ToolChat Monitoring Tool
Details on Current ChatsDetails on Current Chats
Queues Being MonitoredQueues Being Monitored
Preparing for your shiftPreparing for your shift
• Be sure all workstation and browser settings are correct: see Guide to IE Browser set-up, at
http://questionpoint.org/support/documentation/gettingstarted/chatsetup.pdf
• Please be on time for your shift
• During your shift, your first priority is picking up patrons from the chat queues you are monitoring
Logging into ChatLogging into Chat
Queue SelectionQueue Selection
Current Activity in Your Queues Current Activity in Your Queues
New Patron: Librarian View
Patron View
Picking up PatronsPicking up Patrons
• During your shift, your first priority is picking up patrons from the chat queues you are monitoring
• Pick up patrons as soon as they appear in the queue
• Your own patrons (your primary queue) will appear to you before they appear to others outside your group.
• After 40 seconds, all patrons will appear to monitoring Coop members. They should be picked up!
Greet the patronGreet the patron
• Send a personal greeting, identifying yourself and indicating your willingness to help. Identify the name of the library or group you are affiliated with, in order to set expectations with the patron.
Greeting ExamplesGreeting Examples
• "Hello [patron name], my name is Mark, and I'm a reference librarian at xxx University. Your library and my library are part of a nationwide cooperative that staffs this chat service. I'm looking at your question right now."
• "Hi [patron name]! Your call has been picked up by a librarian at the xxx service in [name of state]. Your library and my library are part of a nationwide group that provide backup for each other's service. I'm reading over your question and will be with you in just a moment."
Reference InterviewReference Interview
Conduct an adequate reference interview to understand the question and the patron's information need. Be sure to clarify patron’s question before beginning the search.
Choosing ResourcesChoosing Resources
Choose resources at the appropriate level for the patron's research. In general, databases are preferable to Google or other general web sources when assisting students with research projects.
Use the library policy page to find information using home library’s resources (including OPAC, databases, and guides).
Evaluate resources for authority, objectivity, and currency; share with patron.
Answer the right question accurately. Answer all questions.
Policy PagesPolicy Pages
•Template for each library in the Cooperative
• Information about your library to assist other libraries to answer your patrons’ questions
•Be sure it is up to date
•All policies within the same group (BME) are linked via drop down list
•For policies of groups other than those you’re monitoring, “Search Policy Pages”
Policies of Active Patron’s LibraryPolicies of Active Patron’s Library
Public Library Policy PagePublic Library Policy Page
Academic Policy PageAcademic Policy Page
Institutions in the Same GroupInstitutions in the Same Group
Search Policy PagesSearch Policy Pages
Provide professional level search assistanceProvide professional level search assistance
• Provide context and instruction, rather than just sharing resources or merely sending web pages.
• Provide enough guidance so that patron can recreate the search if needed (include the name of links, which one patron should click on, as well as the “click path”).
• Merely providing links to resources often will not suffice – some URLs are dynamic, such as library catalog search results, and the links that appear in session transcripts may become dead links.
• Recommend appropriate search terms and subject headings, in the context of a recommended search statement using Boolean operators. Provide examples of query constructions using basic and advanced Boolean operators.
Sending Information to PatronSending Information to Patron
•Help patron evaluate the sources for relevancy to topic
•Ask for feedback on resources sent
Scripted Messages and Web PagesScripted Messages and Web Pages
Scripted messages for the patron library and your library:
•Patron library scripts for both SUP and BME, in one list
•Your institutions’s scripts plus your personal scripts
ScriptsScripts
Script AdministrationScript Administration
• Go to “Ask”
• Click on “Settings”
• Click on “Institution Scripts”
• The scripts are displayed in alphanumeric order.
• To reorder your scripts, number them beginning at: 01, 02, etc.
• 01_Greetings; 02_Please Clarify, etc
Script Administration (cont’d)Script Administration (cont’d)
Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills
• Create a welcoming atmosphere
• Send messages frequently, so patron doesn't have long lags without chat from librarian (no more than 3 minutes should elapse without the librarian sending a message to each patron who is in session, even if it is a simple “I’m still working on your question”, or even “Still searching…” )
• Show interest in the patron's question through chat tone and choice of words
• Use positive phrasing ("We can…" instead of "We don't/can't/won't…")
Interpersonal Skills (cont’d)Interpersonal Skills (cont’d)
•Use scripts appropriately, as needed
•Paste small excerpts of information; avoid pasting long blocks of text in the chat.
•Be sure links you send are not broken
•Be careful to send chats to correct patrons when serving multiple patrons!
Best Practices for Virtual ReferenceBest Practices for Virtual Reference
http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/synchronicity/resources/refren08-handout.pdf
Research by Lynn Silipigni Connaway and Marie Radford
Communicating with Others in the CooperativeCommunicating with Others in the Cooperative
See who else is online
Is a librarian from the Patron’s library online?
If so, are they busy?
IM with other librariansIM with other librarians
•Go to IM tab to see who is available
•Click on the librarian you want to send an IM to
•Your screen will change, allowing you to type an IM message to the selected librarian
Selected Librarian Name Shows in IM MonitorSelected Librarian Name Shows in IM Monitor
IM SessionIM Session
View of Librarian Receiving an IM RequestView of Librarian Receiving an IM Request
•Pop up and sound alert: New IM
•Dismiss the pop up (click OK)
•Click IM tab, then click sending librarian’s name
• IM message loads into recipient librarian’s transcript area
•Send IM messages in lower right text box
IM AlertIM Alert
Sending Librarian Name Loads into IM MonitorSending Librarian Name Loads into IM Monitor
When transferring a session: Policies, 5.3When transferring a session: Policies, 5.3
Look for the patron’s local librarian who is not already occupied with a session (i.e. if it is a CA patron, look for a CA librarian).
If there is no local librarian, then look for another librarian who:
• a) Is not busy (has 0 active sessions) AND
• b) Is monitoring for the Coop (more than 6 queues) AND
• c) Is monitoring the same type of library (send public patrons to public Coop members; send academic patrons to academic Coop members).
ALL of those criteria must be fulfilled before transferring to another Cooperative member.
IM before TransferringIM before Transferring
• Before transferring to any librarian, send an IM to the librarian to ask if it is ok to transfer the patron. IM is built into the transfer process.
• If the librarian agrees, go ahead and transfer.
• If the librarian does not agree or fails to respond:
• Try another Cooperative librarian; or
• Transfer the patron to the After Hours queue; or
• Tell the patron that a librarian will get back to them via email, and code the session for Follow Up By Patron Library.
Transfer Process: Beginning to EndTransfer Process: Beginning to End
• Click <Transfer>
• Select the librarian/queue from the list. The message box becomes an IM message box.
• Type a note to the librarian you want to transfer to explaining why you want to transfer. Click <Send>.
• Once other librarian acknowledges, click <Transfer> again
• Then close your session.
Transfer ButtonTransfer Button
Transfer PossibilitiesTransfer Possibilities
Message Box Becomes IM BoxMessage Box Becomes IM Box
Transferring to After Hours QueueTransferring to After Hours Queue
To transfer to the After Hours queue, do the following:
• Click on Transfer
• Select After Hours queue
• Explain why you need to transfer the question
• Transfer after librarian acknowledges
Please do not transfer to the After Hours queue unless you have
already tried to transfer to the patron’s local librarian or to a
Cooperative librarian.
Concluding the SessionConcluding the Session
1. Verify that question was answered
2. End the session
3. Assign resolution code to the session
4. Close the session
Concluding the SessionConcluding the Session
•Before ending, ask the patron if their question has been answered (“Does this completely answer your question?”) or if they need additional information.
• If the request cannot be adequately answered during the session, code the session for Follow Up by Patron Library
Concluding the SessionConcluding the Session
•But . . . before coding for follow up, verify the patron’s email address and deadline. It may take several days for the patron to get an answer back from the library.
• If the patron indicates that they need no additional information, send the appropriate Goodbye script provided by the patron’s library. If no Goodbye script is available, thank them for using the service and encourage them to return if they have more questions.
Ending the Session: OverviewEnding the Session: Overview
Is the patron still there?
YES: Has the question been answered? (ASK THE PATRON)
Yes: End session
Code Answered
No: Verify e-mail address
End session
Code for Follow Up
NO: End the session, assign resolution code, Close
End SessionsEnd Sessions
Assign Resolution CodeAssign Resolution Code
Resolution CodesResolution Codes
• It is important to use a resolution code to end the session. If no resolution code is selected, then the session is assigned the default code of Answered.
• Answered: no additional information is needed by patron.
• Follow Up by Patron Library: In most cases, use this code anytime Follow Up is needed.
• Follow Up by Me: Only use this code if you (the chatting librarian) have information at hand which will thoroughly answer the question. When you use this code, you are responsible for the follow up. Be sure and either send the follow up through QuestionPoint, or add a note that
• Lost Call: If the patron never responds and does not have an email address. Do not use Lost Call if the patron left an email address; instead, use Follow Up by Patron Library.
Resolution CodesResolution Codes
Please don’t use Descriptive Codes unless it is your local patron
Why Follow Up/ Referral?Why Follow Up/ Referral?
•Patron’s own circ record
•Question can’t be answered by reference to library’s policy page or web page
•You aren’t able to find a complete answer while online, so more work is needed on the question
•It’s usually a good idea to NOT say“Contact your library.”
Referral networksReferral networks
• 24/7 Subject experts
• Medical librarians
• Art librarians
• Business librarians
• Genealogy librarians
• Spanish-speaking librarians
• Next: multilingual cooperatives
Global Reference Network
Ending Your Shift: Is your replacement logged in?Ending Your Shift: Is your replacement logged in?
AdministrationAdministration
Policy Pages
Managing Questions
Quality Control
Staffing the Cooperative
Policy Page adminPolicy Page admin
•Log into QuestionPoint with your administrator ID (9 digits ) and your password
•Go to “Profile” (dropdown list in the upper right corner)
•Go to “Policies”
•You can add or edit any information to your page from there.
Managing QuestionsManaging Questions
• Active question list usually contains all sessions your librarians answered for others AND all sessions other librarians answered for your patrons
• Exception: Include/Exclude option
Active Question ListActive Question List
• Be sure you are only closing sessions from your own patrons! Look in the column on the right.
• If you see a red arrow, pointing down, that session is from another library, that one of your librarians chatted with - so don't close that one!
• If you do nothing, a session will automatically leave the active list and go to Service History after 90 days of no activity on that session. However, please close questions promptly, to lessen the impact on other Cooperative members.
Questions Answered for Others:Red Down ArrowQuestions Answered for Others:Red Down Arrow
Include/ExcludeInclude/Exclude
Why?
• Exclude transcripts with other libraries’ patrons from your Active Questions list
• Only transcripts with your own patrons will display in Active list
How?
• Administration/Institution/Settings/Chat Transcripts
• Chat librarian must have selected a resolution code
Admin>>Institution>>Chat TranscriptsAdmin>>Institution>>Chat Transcripts
Quality controlQuality control
• Session Review
• QC Staff
• QP Blog: Quality Tips on Tuesday
• Refresher Training Classes
Sending to Quality: Policies 6.1Sending to Quality: Policies 6.1
• Go to Ask>>Review Transcripts:
• Click on the button "Send To Quality Control" when viewing the transcript
or
• From your Question List:
• Open the full view of the session
• Select Subject Matter Expert from the Refer-to drop-down menu, then click the arrow key
• A list of Subject Matter Experts appears
• Select Quality
Sending to Quality (cont’d)Sending to Quality (cont’d)
You will then see a text box to enter your reasons for referral. When you are done, click the <Refer> button. This will send the session to the Quality Team.
Send to Quality fromAsk>>Review TranscriptsSend to Quality fromAsk>>Review Transcripts
Pull down Refer-To menuPull down Refer-To menu
Select Subject Matter ExpertSelect Subject Matter Expert
Select “Quality” from List of SMEsSelect “Quality” from List of SMEs
Add Reasons for ReferringAdd Reasons for Referring
Staffing the Cooperative: Policy 7.2Staffing the Cooperative: Policy 7.2
•While staffing, picking up chat patrons is the first priority
• If library can’t staff, please find a substitute
• If no substitute available, please notify Victor D’Altorio ([email protected]) and choose another time
24/7 Cooperative: Learn More24/7 Cooperative: Learn More
QP Wiki: http://wiki.questionpoint.org
• FAQs about the Cooperative
• 24/7 Policies and Procedures
• Best Practices for 24/7 Reference Sessions
• Resources
• Times needing staffing
• And more!
QP Blog: http://questionpoint.blogs.com/
• Weekly tips
QP software: Learn MoreQP software: Learn More
Public Website: http://questionpoint.org
• Tutorials on how to use the software:http://questionpoint.org/education/index.html
• Guide to Follow Up:
http://questionpoint.org/support/documentation/gettingstarted/qp_ref_followup.pdf
• Community information
QP Blog: http://questionpoint.blogs.com/
• Release notes
