So You Work at a Library Service Desk…I can

make

it right!

Record statistics on LibChat by clicking on the reference analytics

tool

Now have 12 options listed for

question type

LibAnswers, LibChat, & Stats at the Service Desk

Information Transactionsat the Service Desk

National Center of Education Sciences (NCES) http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/

Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) http://www.ala.org/acrl/

Statistics Are Important

Statistics:

0 We have a mandate to provide annual reports;

0 Keep university administration informed about the outcome of their investment;

0 Can be a deciding factor on the future of the library – e.g., staffing, hours, and financial resources;

0 Can be used by library administrators and managers to analyze the result of their work; and

0 Can serve as a marketing tool.

Definition of Reference Transactions

“A reference transaction is an information contact that involves the knowledge, use, recommendations, interpretation, or instruction in the use [or creation of] one or more information sources by a member of the library staff. The term includes information and referral service.

Information sources include:(a) printed and nonprinted materials; (b) machine-readable databases (including computer-assisted instruction); (c) the library’s own catalogs and other holdings records; (d) other libraries and institutions through communication or referral; and (e) persons both inside and outside the library”.1

Definition of Directional Transactions

“A directional transaction is an information contact which facilitates the use of the library in which the contact occurs and which does NOT involve the knowledge, use, recommendation, interpretation, or instruction in the use of any information sources other than those which describe the library; such as schedules, floor plans, handbooks, and policy statements.”2

Plan: Track 5 Transactions,Not 12

1. Reference: These questions or research topics require significant knowledge, use, recommendation, or interpretation of one or more information sources. 

• Less than 20 minutes• Examples include answering questions about the use of electronic databases,

finding information on a specific topic, how to create a bibliography, and do we have a book on….

• If a reference transaction also includes a directional transaction – it counts as one reference transaction

2. Consultation: Similar to a reference transaction but last 20 minutes or more.

3. Directional These include questions that do NOT involve the knowledge, use, recommendation, interpretation, or instruction in the use of any information sources other than those which describe the library

• Examples include location of items, rooms, equipment and collections within the library

4. SystemsAny questions that we refer to Library Systems staff or that they come to the desk to answer.

5. General Everything that does not fit into a “bucket” above.

Reference Analytics Page in LibAnwers

Service Desk: Do’s and Don’ts

0 Be Courteous

0 Have a Positive Attitude

0 Address Patrons’ Needs

0Make the process more painful than the problem

0Allow things get unprofessional

0 Just say: I don’t Know (find out who does)

0Expect others to take care of the problem (own it)

DO DON’T

Reference Interview

Good InformationBe Helpful

Teach

I CAN MAKE IT RIGHT!

1. Watch a 20 minute video - a Ted Talk by Seth Godin at: http://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_this_is_broken_1.html

 2. Identify something that is broken in your work area or in the library and why it is broken. (If you think it is broken – it is broken.) Use one of Seth’s seven reason to explain why what you identified is broken.  3. Tell me how you would fix it. Due by next Tuesday.  

ASSESSMENT

Endnotes 1. ACRL. (n.d.). ACRL Statistics Questionnaire, 2011-12: Instructions for completing the questionnaire. Retrieved from http://acrl.countingopinions.com/docs/acrl/12instruct.pdf 2. NCES. (n.d.). Instructions for the Academic Library Survey: FY 2012. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/pdf/ACQuestionnaire_FY12.pdf