Research help now 2008 fall meeting--how do we help your patrons?

Help Me Help You: Notes from Help Me Help You: Notes from a Backup Librariana Backup Librarian

Research Help Now Research Help Now Fall Meeting Fall Meeting

Nicolette Warisse SosulskiNicolette Warisse Sosulski

Business Librarian, Portage Business Librarian, Portage District LibraryDistrict Library

Staff Reference Librarian, Staff Reference Librarian, OCLC QuestionpointOCLC Questionpoint

Who are we and where do we Who are we and where do we come from?come from?

Me:Me: Cornell-University of Washington queue in library Cornell-University of Washington queue in library

schoolschool email reference in classes through work on the email reference in classes through work on the

Internet Public LibraryInternet Public Library Washington State Virtual Reference projectWashington State Virtual Reference project training as an evaluator on the Librarians Index to training as an evaluator on the Librarians Index to

the Internetthe Internet public library chat reference internship with 24/7 public library chat reference internship with 24/7

March 2004-June 2004, hired as staff librarian March 2004-June 2004, hired as staff librarian June 2004June 2004

Day job business librarian in a public library, Day job business librarian in a public library, where I field academic reference questions each where I field academic reference questions each day as well as those by members of the general day as well as those by members of the general publicpublic

Where do we come fromWhere do we come from

My other experience:My other experience: Secretary: Genetics Secretary: Genetics

department/yeast department/yeast lablab

Training in medical Training in medical field as a health field as a health insurance counselorinsurance counselor

Degrees in English Degrees in English literature and literature and governmentgovernment

Marriage to a Marriage to a German studies German studies /film studies grad /film studies grad student /professorstudent /professor

And for 5 years I And for 5 years I was a dorm mother was a dorm mother at the University of at the University of Chicago…Chicago…

My Colleagues includeMy Colleagues include University subject bibliographers University subject bibliographers

in religion, Chicana studies, in religion, Chicana studies, Romance Languages and businessRomance Languages and business

Librarians who have “hit for the Librarians who have “hit for the cycle”: public, school, academic & cycle”: public, school, academic & special librariesspecial libraries

Librarians married to facultyLibrarians married to faculty

Public librarians trained in the Public librarians trained in the academic reference milieu in a academic reference milieu in a program developed with input by program developed with input by librarians such as Stephen librarians such as Stephen Francoeur and Nancy HulingFrancoeur and Nancy Huling

All of us have our transcripts evaluated by All of us have our transcripts evaluated by 1.1. The patrons, when they fill out a The patrons, when they fill out a

transcripttranscript2.2. The quality control staff on QPThe quality control staff on QP3.3. The home library of the patronThe home library of the patron

My Colleagues, or How is a non-academic My Colleagues, or How is a non-academic librarian prepared to assist my patronslibrarian prepared to assist my patrons

Public librarians receive training in how to handle Public librarians receive training in how to handle academic questionsacademic questions

More “source” questions than “answer” questionsMore “source” questions than “answer” questions

more BI—What is the process of getting to the answer? more BI—What is the process of getting to the answer? What is the reason that we chose that source? What What is the reason that we chose that source? What search terms did you use? Which would we have used? search terms did you use? Which would we have used?

We also have a probationary period during which we We also have a probationary period during which we are paid less and during which our transcripts have a are paid less and during which our transcripts have a higher degree of scrutinyhigher degree of scrutiny

How do we know what sources to use? After all, How do we know what sources to use? After all, few public librarians have subscriptions to America few public librarians have subscriptions to America

History and Life, Psych Info Abstracts, or BiosisHistory and Life, Psych Info Abstracts, or Biosis

Prior experiencePrior experience Patrons on our day jobs—we often encounter Patrons on our day jobs—we often encounter

patrons intimidated by or oblivious to academic patrons intimidated by or oblivious to academic librarieslibraries

Colleagues (backroom chat)Colleagues (backroom chat) Some of us are pathological browsers at nearby Some of us are pathological browsers at nearby

research librariesresearch libraries Cobrowsing (though sometimes that may be Cobrowsing (though sometimes that may be

problematic, depending on the patron’s security problematic, depending on the patron’s security settings, browser choices, or a multiplicity of settings, browser choices, or a multiplicity of patrons)patrons)



When coaching a patron through database access When coaching a patron through database access does not work (imagine coaching somebody does not work (imagine coaching somebody through the thesaurus of psych info extract sight through the thesaurus of psych info extract sight unseen—sometimes it works), and when unseen—sometimes it works), and when cobrowse does not work a one-two approach of cobrowse does not work a one-two approach of Google scholar combined with your e-journal Google scholar combined with your e-journal finder will help us locate articles for your patronsfinder will help us locate articles for your patrons



And most importantly:And most importantly: Your Research Guides--If you say that A, B, and C Your Research Guides--If you say that A, B, and C

databases are the top three for Women’s studies, databases are the top three for Women’s studies, chances are that we will be recommending one, chances are that we will be recommending one, or two, or three of them as jumping off points, as or two, or three of them as jumping off points, as well as your most recommended general info well as your most recommended general info databasesdatabases

And if all those fail, we have And if all those fail, we have backup—We collaborate/ backup—We collaborate/

communicate during all shiftscommunicate during all shifts

Ipswitch, a freestanding IM Ipswitch, a freestanding IM program--we log in during program--we log in during each shifteach shift

IM imbedded in the IM imbedded in the Questionpoint programQuestionpoint program

So what is it like when a backup So what is it like when a backup librarian logs in?librarian logs in?

There are the queues (I man 68 including the UK during their middle of the night)

Chat monitoring tool

The institution’s policy page—we open this immediately

The institution’s databases

And of course the library webpage, google, etc.

Policy Pages and Library Websites Policy Pages and Library Websites are Criticalare Critical

We look at everything…

Can the backup librarian get into at least the catalog and list of databases? Or are they hidden behind a login?Have you given her an ID or library card number? We promise we will not give it out

If not, it can be…challenging If not, it can be…challenging

Of course there are some things Of course there are some things that only you know or can accessthat only you know or can access

Is there good parking today? Is there good parking today? Why doesn’t my library card Why doesn’t my library card

work?work? Can you override it so I can Can you override it so I can

renew all the books I have renew all the books I have checked out?checked out?

What do I have checked out?What do I have checked out? Why do I show 58.00 in fines?Why do I show 58.00 in fines? Why don’t you have all the Why don’t you have all the

required texts for for my class?required texts for for my class? Why is there no paper in the Why is there no paper in the

copier on 4 North?copier on 4 North?

We will refer to the local institution We will refer to the local institution

by phone or email, especially to by phone or email, especially to a subject bibliographer when a subject bibliographer when appropriate. We check library appropriate. We check library hours to see when the soonest hours to see when the soonest the patron can reach somebody the patron can reach somebody will be.will be.

Is there a map of the library on your site?

Do you have a site map or search box for the library page?

But sometimes we can fake it…But sometimes we can fake it…

Sometimes there are technical Sometimes there are technical difficultiesdifficulties

If your catalog or web page is down the same time every day for updates, please put that on your policy page.

If you are having longterm problems with a database login—put the workaround on the policy page or on your site.

And about Cobrowsing…And about Cobrowsing…Cobrowsing can be problemmatic due to Cobrowsing can be problemmatic due to the patron’s security settings, especially if the the patron’s security settings, especially if the patron has no clue what they arepatron has no clue what they areDifferent browsersDifferent browsersFirewalls at an institutionFirewalls at an institutionmultiple patrons being handled by the same multiple patrons being handled by the same librarian at the same time—if one or more patrons librarian at the same time—if one or more patrons is in cobrowse, whenever they respond that window is in cobrowse, whenever they respond that window goes to the forefront, possibly causing the librarian goes to the forefront, possibly causing the librarian to respond to the wrong patron.to respond to the wrong patron.

And speaking of MultiplesAnd speaking of MultiplesMultiples are not a horrible thingMultiples are not a horrible thing

If we are “in the zone”, patrons may not If we are “in the zone”, patrons may not even realize that we are dealing with even realize that we are dealing with someone other than they.someone other than they.

If we are going to have delays we will If we are going to have delays we will advise that there will be delays and the advise that there will be delays and the interchanges will be slower. They then interchanges will be slower. They then have the option to wait, call back later, have the option to wait, call back later, or sometimes wait for an e-mail or sometimes wait for an e-mail response, if this is not an assignment response, if this is not an assignment due tomorrow.due tomorrow.

Often the ones who cannot wait and Often the ones who cannot wait and have something due that day may be have something due that day may be logging in at a time when there would logging in at a time when there would have been no bricks and mortar have been no bricks and mortar reference possibility whatsoever—one reference possibility whatsoever—one third of a librarian is way better than one third of a librarian is way better than one hundred percent of zero.hundred percent of zero.

Multiples will occur more and more as Multiples will occur more and more as traffic grows faster than HR budgets.traffic grows faster than HR budgets.

Multiples: ContinuedMultiples: ContinuedTechniques:Techniques: Intermittent post source reference interviewing—sending Intermittent post source reference interviewing—sending

the patron and querying him on how it meets his needs.the patron and querying him on how it meets his needs.

Statements like “I am going to send you several sources—Statements like “I am going to send you several sources—let me know which is closest to what you were looking for, let me know which is closest to what you were looking for, since I am working with several of you.since I am working with several of you.

Avoiding one patron’s dominating the entire librarian pool Avoiding one patron’s dominating the entire librarian pool on staff (on staff (“if I open 4 sessions I can get 4 librarians to each “if I open 4 sessions I can get 4 librarians to each do one of my assignments, thus leaving me more time…”)do one of my assignments, thus leaving me more time…”)

Apologizing for delays before they occur if possible.Apologizing for delays before they occur if possible.

Send a message like “I am still searching” or “this is Send a message like “I am still searching” or “this is challenging—still trying to locate something” even if an challenging—still trying to locate something” even if an information source has not yet been found.information source has not yet been found.

Let the patrons’ responses give input into the pace of your Let the patrons’ responses give input into the pace of your transactions.transactions.

Types of QueriesTypes of Queries

Lots of bibliographic instruction Tech support

Things for you to think about as Things for you to think about as your utilization increases…your utilization increases…

International Patrons

We are all trying to develop rapport every day, just as all of We are all trying to develop rapport every day, just as all of us are with patrons through every formatus are with patrons through every format

Sometimes, of course, we of course, we just can’t tell where the just can’t tell where the patron is coming from…patron is coming from…

Sometimes they give us great feedback..

Please feel free to let us know how Please feel free to let us know how to help your patrons betterto help your patrons better

Susan D. BarbQuestionPoint 24/7 Cooperative Staff [email protected]

Research help now 2008 fall meeting--how do we help your patrons?

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