ASK A LIBRARIAN

2. ASK A LIBRARIAN COLLABORATIVE PROJECT OF CROATIAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PILOT STUDY Martina Dragija Ivanović, Zadar City Library mdragija@gkzd.hr Gorana Tuškan, Rijeka City Library gorana@gkri.hr

3. INTRO 15 Croatian public libraries joined their hands (and brains) and offered a new service to the public: ASK A LIBRARIAN, online reference inquiry service Wonder how? Here’s the story…

4. TIMELINE • Things started to move during LIDA 2003 • June 2003: the initial group of librarians started discussing relevant issues through a mailing list

5. TIMELINE • Fall and winter 2003: we worked hard defining the pilot project • September 2003: we applied for funding from Ministry of culture • December 2003: CARNET provided server for our website • January 2004: the new service started replying users’ inquiries

6. PILOT PROJECT • Project coordinator: Zdenka Sviben, Zagreb City Libraries • Webmaster: Boris Badurina, Faculty of Philosophy, Osijek • 15 participating libraries • 18 participating librarians

7. PARTICIPATING LIBRARIES Dubrovačke knjižnice, Dubrovnik Gradska i sveučilišna knjižnica, Osijek Gradska knjižnica Ivana Gorana Kovačića, Karlovac Gradska knjižnica "Metel Ožegović", Varaždin Gradska knjižnica Slavonski Brod Gradska knjižnica, Rijeka Gradska knjižnica, Zadar Gradska knjižnica Marka Marulića, Split Knjižnice grada Zagreba (koordinator) Knjižnica Bogdana Ogrizovića, Zagreb Knjižnica i čitaonica "Fran Galović", Koprivnica Knjižnica Medveščak, Zagreb Knjižnica Marina Držića, Zagreb Knjižnica Vladimira Nazora, Zagreb Narodna knjižnica "Petar Preradović", Bjelovar

8. PILOT PROJECT - RATIONALE • Explore possibilities of implementing online reference services in public libraries in Croatia • Offer this type of service as regular public library service • Croatian public libraries become more present on the Internet and more often they receive inquiries by e-mail

9. WEBSITE AND DATABASE • Librarian section (administration) • Web site directory • Inbox • Info • User section • Info about the project • Use policy • Links to web directory and inquiry form

10. http://public.srce.hr/pitajte-knjiznicare

11. FIGURES… • Number of questions received January 19 – May 5 2004: 92 • Users were asking: • Factual questions (4) • Relevant literature lists (various school papers, reports…) (43) • Questions directed to specific libraries (about collections, opening hours…) (11) • Factual questions about books (translations, information on authors…) (23) • Other (7)

12. USER PROFILE • Female (68.1%) • Age: up to 30 (75.8%)

13. USER PROFILE 2 • Has graduated from highschool (45.1%) or university (29.7%) • A public library member (60.4%)

14. USER EVALUATION OF THE SERVICE • Mostly satisfied (71 %) • Users expect answers to be more concrete and elaborate • They find promptness more than satisfying • Most users tried to search for an answer through web site directory, but they didn’t find it helpful

15. PROBLEMS…YOU CAN’T GET AWAY FROM • Insufficient and inadequate information sources in Croatian language  a language barrier • No available databases in Croatian • National bibliography not up to date • Not enough special bibliographies • Magazines and proceedings not analized and catalogued properly • Lack of advanced features in OPACs

16. PLANS FOR THE (NEAR) FUTURE • Marketing • Create a reliable directory of relevant web sites • Staff training • User education (presentations in schools, universities, libraries) • Funding

17. The Crew

18. THANK YOU!