I discussed Virtual Reference with Marie (not sure where she is from) through New Lenox Library’s Illinois Ask Away service. She spent about a half hour answering questions about some of the aspects of instant message (IM) reference.
I am very impressed with the thoroughness and how well written her answers are (see the chat posted below).
I am especially interesting in her textual cues. I always considered IM reference to have a serious drawback because of the lack of physical cues, but I never, naively I suppose, considered the textual cues that are embedded in each and every IM reference interview. I would be interested in reviewing IM reference interviews collected by a library and trying to figure out what the person really wanted.
I never thought of the aspect of group thinking potential in this service. I have never even considered IMing another librarian to ask for help with a reference question (I ask somebody near, I guess I really have not been asked thesis level difficult questions yet). What an incredible idea, if we could have tons of librarians in a group (would Ning work for this?) and have questions posted to that group. I imagine those may be some of the most throughly answered questions in history.
It is like the idea behind Yahoo! Answers, the now defunct Google Answers, Wikipedia Reference Desk or Metafilter but for librarians. I know I sometimes worry that I have not gotten all the best sources for a patron, and if I had somebody helping I would at least feel more confident (I hope others have this same worry).
Could we/should we set up a reference Wiki for librarians that are having trouble with a question, but specifically for librarians (or experts in a field willing to help librarians) at reference desks? Does this have a problem I am not seeing at this moment? Is it already out there and I don’t know about it? I am drooling at the very idea, something with and on the ALA website would be the best. Who do I need to talk to get this going?
Funny all this from an innocent IM interview.
Cheers Marie wherever you are!
Question ID: 2817482Chat Transcript: Do you have a free moment to discuss IM reference with a LIS student?
[Librarian 20:54:50]: Librarian ‘Marie (24/7 Librarian)’ has joined the session.
[Librarian 20:55:30]: I will do so as long as we don’t get crazy busy
)
[Librarian 20:55:38]: My name is Marie.
[Mick 20:55:46]: Ok, I work the reference desk as well so I know how that can be
[Librarian 20:56:01]: Brittney – are you still online?
[Mick 20:56:21]: Are you talking to me>?
[Librarian 20:56:28]: See – I got mixed up already. What is is that you need to know?
[Mick 20:56:52]: I was wondering what it is like to use IM for reference
[Mick 20:57:09]: Are you a reference librarian normally? Academic or public?
[Mick 20:57:49]: How does it differ from face to face?
[Librarian 20:57:58]: What is it like….it seems to work well for many patrons who are tired of trying to dig through the internet or are multitasking at home….
[Mick 20:58:10]: Tricks to doing it well
[Mick 20:58:31]: Do you point to websites mostly or do you have database type questions?
[Librarian 20:58:38]: I have always been a reference librarian…academic 10 years, public 3 years…
[Mick 20:59:18]: Who seems to be asking the most questions?
[Librarian 20:59:39]: Do you point to websites mostly or do you have database type questions? Both and tons of circulation questions.
[Mick 21:00:03]: Ah, circ about how do you answer those?
[Librarian 21:00:14]: Who seems to be asking the most questions? Students and geneology research.
[Mick 21:00:22]: Ok
[Mick 21:01:18]: How many questions do you get usually, when you are on?
[Librarian 21:03:14]: At busy times – about 15 per hour
[Mick 21:03:26]: Wow, that is great
[Mick 21:04:05]: How is the reference interview different?
[Librarian 21:04:29]: No visual cues…must rely on textual cues…
[Mick 21:04:40]: Such as?
[Librarian 21:05:00]: Circ questions are answered using the patrons’ own library website.
[Mick 21:05:45]: Ok, you get card number and see fines due holds etc?
[Librarian 21:06:40]: Does the patron frame the question well or does it need clarification – does the patron say where they have searched, are there misspellings or misunderstood terminology being used?
[Librarian 21:07:44]: No – can’t get into the system for the patron but follow the policy information given on the website. Refere to home library via telephone or visit for account info.
[Mick 21:08:00]: Do you often get pat questions, ones obviously taken verbatim from a homework assignment?
[Librarian 21:08:55]: About 25%
[Mick 21:09:04]: How do you respond to them?
[Librarian 21:10:35]: 25 percent of the questions – respond by locating websites that will lead them to resolving the question themselves….
[Mick 21:11:13]: Ok, do you have refer the users to print sources…
[Librarian 21:12:01]: All the time – books, newspapers on microfilm, gov docs…
[Mick 21:12:05]: Sorry, let me rephrase have you referred…
[Mick 21:12:40]: Do you check catalogs and then send them to the physical library?
[Librarian 21:12:53]: Where are you an LIS student?
[Mick 21:13:20]: Dominican in River Forest, you know of it?
[Librarian 21:13:30]: Yes – send them to the stacks and give them call numbers and search particular branch locations….
[Librarian 21:13:47]: Of course…also lots of ILL questions…
[Mick 21:14:08]: I am taking a Library 2.0 class… so IM reference
[Mick 21:15:00]: What does it take to be a good IM reference librarian, in your opinion?
[Librarian 21:16:21]: The same abilities it takes to be a good f-2-f librarian but also be able to develop an online rhythm and toggle bewteen many open windows rapidly.
[Mick 21:16:32]: LOL
[Mick 21:16:54]: Anything else I should know?
[Mick 21:18:58]: If you like you can check out our class blog at http://l2course.wordpress.com/
[Librarian 21:19:36]: Contrary to what most librarians think about VR, it is a service that is constantly in demand on a global scale even if it isn’t well-used in a single library. We answer 24/7/365 and some of the questions are amazingly sophisticated and from all over the world.
[Mick 21:20:41]: How else do you use technology to get to the questions?
[Librarian 21:20:54]: Unlike f-2-f, we have ability to contact many librarians instantly for referrals.
[Librarian 21:21:24]: Eeven librarians log into our service!
[Mick 21:21:35]: Yahoo! Answers, Wikipedia Reference Desk, Metafilter?
[Mick 21:22:08]: That is great, so this is a potential source for librarians that are stuck to bring in more minds, more of a crowd answer?
[Librarian 21:22:54]: Absolutely…they can instantly consult while their patrons are right there.
[Mick 21:23:13]: With more and more under qualified people on the desks that is great
[Mick 21:23:36]: Do you see that often, reference librarians consulting for help?
[Librarian 21:23:40]: Mick – gotta go – log in again when you need more assistance.
[Mick 21:23:50]: Ok, thanks a lot
[Librarian 21:24:01]: Sorry to cut you off but we have to kind of limit our sessions.
[Mick 21:24:10]: I understand
[Librarian 21:24:20]: Good luck in your studies.
[Librarian 21:24:24]: Librarian ended chat session.
