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User behavior and digital reference: implications for service development

User behavior and digital reference: implications for service development. Jo Kibbee Unversity of Illinois, USA jkibbee@uiuc.edu. digital=virtual=electronic=online. Digital reference: Information service delivered over a computer network Asynchronous: e-mail

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User behavior and digital reference: implications for service development

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  1. User behavior and digital reference: implications for service development Jo Kibbee Unversity of Illinois, USA jkibbee@uiuc.edu

  2. digital=virtual=electronic=online • Digital reference: Information service delivered over a computer network • Asynchronous: e-mail • Synchronous: chat, instant messaging, etc.

  3. Why digital reference? • Library catalogs, databases, collections, and other resources are online • Users increasingly turn to the Internet for communication and information • 73% of American college students use the Internet more than they use libraries • 80% of Internet users search it to find answers to questions (source: Pew Internet Project, 2003)

  4. Who uses digital reference? • 88% of libraries typically stipulate that use is restricted to current affiliates or questions relating to the library’s unique holdings, but… • 30-50% of e-mail questions come from unaffiliated users • 10-20% of chat users are unaffiliated

  5. How do users find this service? • Through host library’s website or auxilliary pages • 40% main library’s main website • 38% auxilliary pages • 18% links from online catalog • 4% links from databases • (Ward, 2003)

  6. How do users find this service? • References from the bibliographic utilities or the Internet • OCLC/RLIN locations • Search engine indexing

  7. Why do users choose digital reference? • Convenience! • U of IL user survey: • 50% = quickest way to find info • 16% = library is too far • U of IL correspondence comparison: • Postal mail correspondence: average 125 letters/yr • E-mail correspondence: average 125 questions every 10 days

  8. Chat or e-mail? • Generational: Younger users prefer chat • (Pew Internet Project, 2003) • Technical: Connection speed, software reliability and ease of use • User’s language ability • Urgency and type of question • User affiliation

  9. What do they ask? • Questions are primarily library and research-related rather than fact-based • Strong local component • Database use and troubleshooting • Questions about specific holdings and resources

  10. How do users communicate? • Brief • Little context or cryptic! • Informal • Prefer anonymity • Civil

  11. Online Expert Services • Free or fee-based • Answer questions, provide research service, give advice • Subject focus: “Ask a…” expert services • Computer-generated: AskJeeves • Human-mediated: GoogleAnswers

  12. Digital reference vs online expert services • Online Expert Services • Staggering usage statistics • Heavily used for fact-based questions • Can provide extensive research services (for a fee) • Can provide personal or professional advice • 70% accuracy and response rate for fact-based questions, but low response rate (59%) for “source” questions about where to find information (Janes, 2001)

  13. Digital reference vs online expert services • Digital Reference Service • Occupies a different niche in the information landscape from online expert services • Strength lies in defined constituency, targeted service, and mediation skills • Educational mission

  14. Integrating reference into the digital library • Multiple, prominent links • Online catalog, databases, digital collections • Work with database vendors and software developers to facilitate effective co-browsing • Librarian competencies • Technical troubleshooting • Distance instruction • Knowledge of digital content, search strategies • Appropriate referral to expert online services

  15. Hvala!Jo Kibbee jkibbee@uiuc.edu

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