4 – 5 November 2008

Everybody is a SpecialistA Learning and Collaborative Platform for Reference Librarians at the National Library Singapore

The Hong Kong Library Association (HKLA) 50th Anniversary Conference 2008

Ivy LeeNational Library Singapore

“Collaboration”buzzword of Web 2.0

Collaborative Reference

• Marrying available technologies with the need to collaborate

• Tapping on expertise of librarians located in diverse library structure

National Library Board Singapore

NLB oversees• National Library Singapore• 3 Regional Libraries• 19 community libraries• 2 community children’s libraries• 17 government, schools and private

institutional libraries• A total of 42 libraries in Singapore

National Library Singapore building

Library 2010

New Knowledge Framework for Singapore

• Building knowledge and expertise• Making information accessible

• Sharing and exchanging knowledge

Library 2010 Report

Everybody is a Specialist : Collaborating to provide best answers

A project that taps on the use of social networking tools such as forums, blogs and wikis to create a familiar environment within our work space to facilitate and capture conversations amongst staff, especially for handling difficult enquiries.

Why Collaborate on CRNS?

Learning as ObserversStaff who did not participate in conversations can learn at their own time by observing discussions.

Hands-on LearningOnly staff who sought assistance gains new knowledge and learn while discussing with others.

Knowledge ManagementConversations are captured, archived and made searchable for future reference.

Knowledge GapStaff seek assistance via personal email, phone or face-to-face. Conversations, which are evolution of learning, not captured.

Collective KnowledgeStaff can rely on communities of subject librarians to seek inputs for difficult enquiries.

Work SoloStaff relies on personal contacts for assistance on difficult enquiries.

Collaborative Reference Network Service (CRNS)

Traditional Reference Service

CRNS works on the basis of 3 beliefs

• Everybody is a specialist in his/her own right.

• Collective knowledge can improve the quality of reference service.

• Our customers deserve the best answers that we can provide, and we are committed to provide the best quality answers we can give as library professionals.

Portable and Personal Workspace

Web-based

Input Template providing structured layout

WYSIWYGStructured Page

Drag & drop citations

Drag & Drop citations from Catalogue

Drag & drop to launch OPAC

Search Catalogue for item records

Click on title to view record

Ease in copying item citations

Click on title to view record

Click on “copy” to auto-populate citation fields in template

Auto-populate citations to input template

OPAC record copied into template automatically

Drag & drop citations from websites

Drag & drop to launch Google Search

Ease in copying website information to input template

Click on “copy” to auto-populate citation fields in template

Auto-populate website information to input template

Web record copied into template automatically

Drag and drop citations from database articles

Drag & drop to launch federated database search for articles

Ease in copying database article information to input template

Click on “copy” to auto-populate citation fields in template

Standard and structured appearance via URL

Sample of how the final answer looks like to the reader

Standard and structured appearance via URL

More of how the final answer looks like to the reader

Asking for assistance at workspace

Plug-in allows librarian to activate at will

Pop-up box allows librarian to select communities to broadcast enquiry and attach input template

Discussions are tracked and threaded

Tagged enquiry is tracked and threaded with auto-generated ID

Wiki-enabled input template

Staff can attach the input template in their email broadcast and community members can use the drag and drop citation function to add citations directly into the input template.

Discussion threads viewed, archived and searched by staff

Communities of subject experts

Discussion threads

Content of discussion

Members in the community

Blog View of Discussions

Blog View of threaded discussions

HTML view of discussions

HTML view of threaded discussions

Profile of specialist and tracking of contributions

Each specialist has a profile page with contributions tracked and viewed by members

Learn from specialists by viewing their contributions in “their blogs”

Each specialist’s postings are presented in a blog view for other librarians to learn and be “mentored”

Outcome achieved for CRNS

• More than 200 members are now working in collaboration on reference enquiries

• 18 subject communities formed• More than 400 postings and contributions on average every

month• Over 1211 discussion threads have been created (since August

08)• A record of over 2249 reads (log-ins by staff to read the postings

for self learning)

Key findings from CRNS project

• You don’t know who knows what. Best way to glean the most inputs is cast your net wide, rather than depend on own small circle of contacts.

• Greater participation encouraged if contributions are recognised.• Staff are more inclined to seek inputs to further enrich replies with

existence of discussion platform.• Quality of replies improved compared to traditional method.• Communities of specialists need not be formed based on job

descriptions but can be formed based on staff’s own interest.• Stumpers unique to Singapore and its region best answered on

this platform compared to other existing forums/listserv.

What’s Next for CRNS

• Develop directory of external contacts and profiles of specialists

• Engage users to leverage on their expertise and knowledge

• Extend CRNS platform to the library community outside NLS, to ASEAN and Asia-Pacific region

Thank You

For clarifications, email:

Ivy_LEE@nlb.gov.sg