Click, Call, or Come on In! Connecting to Millennials in FtF & VR Encounters

1. Click, Call, or Come on In! Connecting to Millennials in FtF & VR Encounters R U Communicating? Speaking the Language of Millennials ACRL, University Library Section ALA Annual Conference Saturday, June 28, 2008, Anaheim, CA Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Rutgers University, SCILS E-mail:mradford@scils.rutgers.eduwww.scils.rutgers.edu/~mradford

2. Seeking Synchronicity:Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives Project duration: 2 ½ Years(10/05-3/08) Four phases: • Focus group interviews • Analysis of 850 QuestionPoint live chat transcripts • 496 online surveys • 283 telephone interviews

3. Interpersonal Communication in Academic Reference Encounters • Complex Interaction • Reference Environment • High Tech • Different Formats • (e-mail, chat, IM, phone, FtF etc.) • Rapid Change • Time Constraints • Diversity of Users

4. May be most studied generation 4x amount of toys than Boomers Born digital Can’t remember life w/o computers The Millennial Generation

5. Millennial Preferences & Characteristics(Sweeney, 2008) • 50 focus groups, identified 24 characteristics • “The challenge to libraries…is to match services to Millennial Characteristics and needs, and not just continue old ways.” • Youngest - most likelyto display Millennial characteristics

6. Millennials, Screenagers, Digital Natives • Implications for academic libraries? • For traditional & virtual services?

7. Students - Short-term objective - Immediate gratification - Expects to use less effort than actually required - Technological Idolatry Librarians - Long-term objective(s) - Creation of “Independent User” - Instruction Opportunity - Expects good attitude & effort Expectations: 2 Views

8. Multiple Demands on the Library(Connaway, de Gaia, & Radford, 2007)

9. Convenience Seekers • Major consideration in information seeking • Low tolerance for complex searching • Prefer online resources to print • Prefer click to brick • Variety of services (FtF and online)

10. Mobile Information Seekers • Phone major part of information behavior • Promote phone reference

11. Practical • “Students do not want to learn how to use a library – they want to get their work done!” (Robert H. Kieft, 1995)

12. Expect Personalization • They like interacting with a known, friendly librarian! • Seek flexibility • May prefer FtF interaction

13. Independent in Information Seeking • Google & Wikipedia • Web surfing • Learn by trial & error

14. Impatient • Will ask family & friends • Speed concerns

15. Just the Facts – Info Quality Concerns • Accuracy • Subject specialist • Want specific information

16. Improving Communication with Millennials • Build positive interpersonal relationships 1 person at a time • Whether FtF, phone, or online • User may need reassurance • Promote full range of reference options • Provide support for independent learning.

17. More Ways… • Don’t force instruction! • Try show & tell. • Market online resources as timesaving. • Outreach – FtF & Online. • Encourage, mentor, & learn from them. • Enjoy them!

18. End Notes • This is one of the outcomes from the project Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives • Funded by IMLS, Rutgers University, & OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. • Special thanks to Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Patrick Confer, Timothy Dickey, Jocelyn DeAngelis Williams, Julie Strange, & Janet Torsney. • Slides available at project web site: http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/synchronicity/

19. Questions? • Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. • Email:mradford@scils.rutgers.edu • www.scils.rutgers.edu/~mradford