Live Chat: Online Reference Pilot Project Report
Introduction
This report describes the Live Chat: Online Reference Pilot Project which took place from Tuesday, February 1, 2005 to Thursday, March 31, 2005 at the Ferriss Hodgett Library, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College. The report begins with a description of chat reference, followed by an examination of the project background, software, logo development, promotion, hours of service and staffing issues. Chat request statistics are then analyzed. Finally,
recommendations for future service are made, including suggestions for continuation of service, expanded hours, new software and additional marketing.
What is Chat Reference?
Chat Reference is a form of online reference not unlike face to face, or telephone reference and another means of communication with Library patrons. As an online reference service offered immediately in real-time, chat reference is a faster, more efficient version of email and webform reference. Chat reference technology permits the extensive use of library services beyond the walls of the building, allowing librarians to deliver quality reference to students, faculty, staff and members of the community. Patrons who may be hesitant to approach the reference desk can chat with a librarian anonymously and unlike email reference, chat reference allows a reference interview to take place.
Advantages of chat reference:
1. Provides immediate assistance for remote users.
2. Since the patron is already online, the librarian’s instructions can be followed immediately.
3. More efficient than email for conducting a reference interview. 4. Allows patrons to be anonymous.
5. Raises awareness of the library among user community. 6. Allows patrons to multitask.
Challenges of Chat Reference:
1. Staffing the chat service has potential to place greater demands upon already busy librarians.
2. The librarian receives no visual or auditory cues during the reference interview. 3. Less interactive than in-person or telephone reference.
4. Type to communicate can take time.
5. Due to occasional lengthy delays, some patrons log off before librarian finishes answering the question.
Project Background
The concept for this project was developed in the Fall of 2004, with implementation scheduled for February and March of the Winter 2005 semester. A key element of the project was the procurement in October 2004 of a free two-month trial of QuestionPoint the OCLC Chat Reference software. Getting the software gratis was essential, given the annual purchase cost of approximately $3300.00 for the Basic and $5200.00 for the 24/7/Enhanced versions. The Basic version of this software allows for straightforward chatting between patrons and librarians and includes the ability to push URLs back and forth. The Enhanced 24/7 version is more complex, allowing for co-browsing and application sharing, useful for more in-depth research questions. Both versions of
QuestionPoint include statistical reports that provide: transcripts, number of chat requests, missed chats, chat lengths, time of day, and day of week and other information of use to libraries in the evaluation of chat reference services.
Both Grenfell College librarians reviewed training materials and software tips that had been downloaded from the QuestionPoint website. One librarian had experience with
QuestionPoint from previous employment and was able to act as the software administrator to set up librarian accounts, print statistical reports, download chat transcripts, provide chat reference and deliver hands-on training.
While the Live Chat service was promoted first and foremost to students, faculty and staff of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, it is important to note that with no authentication process in place, members of the public were free to use the service, just as they are able to telephone, email or visit the reference desk.
Hours of Service and Staffing
The Live Chat: Online Help Service was offered 20 hours per week, from 9:00am to 11:00am and from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday.
Staffing was provided by two librarians, each of whom worked 2-hour shifts daily throughout the project. Initially, librarians staffed the service from an office computer. However, it soon became apparent that this was unnecessary and the Live Chat service was then monitored from the reference desk.
Logo and Promotion
Prior to developing promotional material, a Live Chat: Online Reference logo was created. The logo was placed on the main Ferriss Hodgett Library webpage (Appendix A) with a link to the Live Chat question webform (Appendix A) and information page. (Appendices B & C) Upon completion of the first month of service, the logo was changed slightly to include the word ‘help’ rather than ‘reference’. (Appendix D) This change was made as it was felt the word ‘help’ would be more intuitive or recognizable to patrons than the word ‘reference’.
The following promotional steps were taken to market the service to the Grenfell College community:
• College Website- A *NEW* Live Chat notice and link was added to the Library section of the main Sir Wilfred Grenfell College homepage. (Appendix C)
• Library Website- A Live Chat: Online Help button was added to the Ferriss Hodgett Library webpage with a link to information about the service. (Appendix A)
• Emails- Promotional emails were sent to the entire Grenfell College community both at the start of the project and mid-way through completion.
• Grenfell Newsletter- ‘The Grapevine’, Grenfell College’s bi-weekly newsletter, contained numerous promos throughout the two-month trial.
• Posters- Live Chat: Online Help posters were developed and posted in the Library and throughout the College.
• Bookmarks- Bookmarks were developed and placed at both the Reference and Circulation Desks. (Appendix D)
• Labels on College computers- All computers in the Library and in both computer labs were marked with removable labels containing the Live Chat logo and library web address. (Appendix D)
Project Findings Nature of Questions
All Live Chat questions received were relatively simple, each taking no more than a few minutes to answer. The questions may be categorized into four main types: research (62%), Grenfell College related (16%), off-campus login (16%) and intercampus loan /interlibrary loan (6%). All research questions were fairly straightforward inquires regarding the use of article indices, book reviews, catalogue searching and locating articles, e.g. “Do you have the collection of Newfoundland Quarterly? I am looking for editions before 1986.” Grenfell-related questions were asked regarding job opportunities at Grenfell College, College
application questions and biographical information about Sir Wilfred Grenfell, e.g. “How or where can I find more about hiring at your university?” Off-Campus login questions referred to patron passwords and Library pin numbers, e.g. “Can you give me a pin for the off-campus sign in, so I can look for an article online?” Intercampus loans/Interlibrary loan questions related to ICL/ILL forms, e.g. “I have some order forms for ILL and I was wondering where it was that I had to bring them so that they would be ordered for me?” Sample transcripts of chat sessions can be found in Appendix E.
Subject Breakdown of Chat Questions Research Grenfell-Related Off-Campus login ICL/ILL 6% 16% 62% 16% Hourly Breakdown
The following tables illustrate both the number of patrons who requested chats (62) and the number of chat sessions which occurred (13). While the service was offered 9:00am to 11:00am and 2:00pm to 4:00pm daily, chat log hourly statistics did not correspond to Newfoundland Standard Time. Moreover, it was impossible to determine exact times of unanswered patron requests.
February 2005
Time of Day Patron
Requests Chats 8:30am-9:30am 2 1 9:30am-10:30am 3 1 10:30am-11:30am 1 1 11:30am-12:30pm 3 2 12:30pm-1:30pm 2 1:30pm-2:30pm 8 2:30pm-3:30pm 3:30pm-4:30pm 1 4:30pm-5:30pm 3 5:30pm-6:30pm 2 6:30pm-7:30pm 1 7:30pm-8:30pm 3 TOTAL 29 5 March 2005
Time of Day Patron
Requests Chats 2:30am-3:30am 2 4:30am-5:30am 1 8:30am-9:30am 1 9:30am-10:30am 1 1 10:30am-11:30am 1 11:30am-12:30pm 1 12:30pm-1:30pm 2 1:30pm-2:30pm 5 2:30pm-3:30pm 4 4 3:30pm-4:30pm 7 3 4:30pm-5:30pm 0 5:30pm-6:30pm 1 6:30pm-7:30pm 0 7:30pm-8:30pm 2 8:30pm-9:30pm 2 9:30pm-10:30pm 3 TOTAL 33 8
At first glance, the stark contrast between patron requests and actual chats may be
surprising. Three reasons may account for the 49 unanswered patron requests: 1) Patrons requesting chat sessions outside of the scheduled hours of service, 2) Patrons logging off before a librarian responded to their requests as time delays are inherent in chat software and 3) Campus network downtimes and interruptions.
Percentage of Chat Requests/Time of Day
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 2:30 am -8:3 0am 8:30am -11: 30am 11: 30am -2:3 0pm 2:30pm -5:30pm 5:30pm -8:30pm 8:30p m-10: 30pm 10: 30p m-2 :30am Chat Requests
Percentage of Chat Requests/Day of Week
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 M T W TH F Sa Su Chat Requests
An hourly analysis of the number of chat sessions requested during the pilot clearly indicates that the busiest service hours were weekdays between 11:30am - 5:30pm, with the peak periods of 11:30am - 2:30pm accounting for 36% and 2:30pm – 5:30pm accounting for 25% of the requests. The times between 8:30am – 11:30am and 5:30pm – 8:30pm are also worth noting, as they each accounted for 14% of chat session requests. An extremely low volume of requests occurred between 10:30pm – 8:30am.
In terms of days, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday had the highest volume and accounted for 75% of all chat requests. In contrast, Saturday and Sunday were the slowest with only 5% of all requests.
Comparison with current online reference service
A comparison of the current online email reference service, Ask a Librarian, reveals that the number of chat requests (62) far exceeds the number of email requests (18 received by the Ferriss Hodget Library during the pilot project period) (see table below). This may be due to fact that patrons want and often require immediate feedback and/or point-of-need
assistance and are unwilling to wait for extended periods to receive answers to their inquiries. However, email reference offers an option to patrons outside chat reference hours or when the chat reference service in otherwise unavailable.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 February March Ask A Librarian Live Chat: Online Help Conclusion
This report described the Live Chat: Online Help Project piloted by librarians at Ferriss Hodgett Library in February and March 2005. By examining chat reference services in general and looking at the specific details of the pilot project including: background,
software, promotion, hours, staffing, and statistics, the report indicates that this two month pilot project achieved its goals of evaluating chat reference software and testing the service on patrons. While the sample size was small, the number of chat requests demonstrates that this type of outreach service is attractive to the patrons of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College and indicates that at least initially, basic chat software is suitable to field inquiries.
Recommendations for Future Service
This report makes the following recommendations for future chat reference service at Ferriss Hodgett Library, based on analysis of the volume of chat requests and the time and day of the week received:
• That the Live Chat service be adopted in the Fall of 2005. o 62 patrons requested a chat session during pilot project. • That the hours of service be expanded beyond 4 hours per day.
• That additional Live Chat promotion be carried out in the Fall 2005 semester: o Table tents in computer labs, Library study carrels, student lounge and Food
Court.
• Given the straightforward nature of chat questions, the use of MSN Messenger or other similar basic instant messaging software be explored as alternative software as it is:
o Free
o Familiar to most students o Easily accessible
Todie Winter May 27, 2005
Appendix A
Screenshot- Library Homepage with Live Chat logo/link:
Appendix B
Screenshot:
About
Live Chat service:
Appendix C
Screenshot: Live Chat
Privacy
statement:
Appendix D Promotion-
Live Chat: Online Reference Logo- Original Version:
Live Chat: Online Help Logo- Updated Version:
Promotion- Live Help: Online Reference Bookmark:
Promotion- Live Chat computer labels:
*New Library Service*
www.library.mun.ca/swg
*New Library Service*
Appendix E Sample transcripts:
Research Question:
Patron: I was wondering if you could help me find some information regarding Therapeutic
Applications in Adventure programming. Maybe direct me to some e-journals that would contain this type of information…Thanks.
Librarian: Hi Tina. Have you tired the Article Index, Sport Discus? Patron: No, I will thanks, I didn’t see that one.
Librarian: I just did a search in Sport Discus for “Adventure Programming” and got 28 hits… Librarian: If you can hold a bit longer, I’ll try another search…
Patron: ok, thanks.
Librarian: I just tried, “adventure education” in Sport Discus and got 321 hits. You could try this as well.
Librarian: I also did a search using therap* (which searches therapy, therapeutic, etc) and combined that with “adventure education” and got 50 hits.
Librarian: You combine search terms by clicking the “Combine Checked” button on the left of the screen.
Patron: is sport discus an e-journal I cannot find it in the list under the s category
Librarian: If you go to Article Indexes from the Library page, go to the S in the alphabetical list of Indexes and you’ll find Sport Discus there.
Librarian: Make sure you’re at Article Indexes and not e-journals. Have you found it? Patron: yes, yes, thanks.
Patron: so the hits that I get there I would have to make sure that the library is subscribed to them? Librarian: that’s right. The first step is to see what’s out there…
Librarian: the second step is to go to the catalogue and do a “periodical title” search for the title of the journal the article is in….
Librarian: then you’ll be able to see if Grenfell owns it, or perhaps at Memorial. If it’s not here, you can order it. In Sport Discus, click the ORDER button found in the article record.
Librarian: Do you have any more questions today? Patron: ok thank you very much, I appreciate it. Librarian: Happy to help.
Grenfell-Related Question:
Patron: Hello, is there anybody there? Librarian: Yes, Tom, how can I help you?
Patron: How or where can I find more about hiring at your university? Librarian: Please hold a sec. I’ll get you a url.
Patron: Very kind of you.
Librarian: Please try our College website at: http://www.swgc.mun.ca or more specifically: http://www.swgc.mun.ca/admin/OmnibusAd2005.htm
Librarian: The main College site has a link on the left called, “Prospective Faculty” Patron: Many thanks.
Librarian: Do you need any other information today? Patron: No thanks, I leave you to you work, thanks again. Librarian: Have a nice day.
Intercampus/Interlibrary Loan Question:
Patron: I have some order forms for ILL and I was wondering where it was that I had to bring them so that they would be ordered for me.
Librarian: You can drop them off at the circulation desk in the library. We’ll take care of them from there.
Patron: ok, thank you.
Off-Campus Login Question:
Patron: Can I access electronic articles from home?
Librarian: Hi Amanda, yes you can access electronic articles from home. You must do an “off-campus login” first though.
Patron: I tried that…it didn’t work.
Librarian: ok. Please give me your Library PIN and Student Number now and I’ll try it from here to make sure your account is up to date.
Patron: Student number: 2003#####, Pin#: 9999 Librarian: great. Give me a minute and I’ll go try it. Patron: thanks
Librarian: OK. So the good news is that your library account is fine. Both your student number and your PIN are working fine…
Librarian: Please try it again. Make sure you put your student number in the ALT ID box. Patron: Tried it. It worked! Thanks.
