Users and Librarians Reveal Critical Factors for Virtual Reference Service Excellence

1. “Way Sweet” or “Just Wrong:” Users and Librarians Reveal Critical Factors for Virtual Reference Service Excellence Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D. Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. Best Practices in Collaborative Virtual Reference ALA 2009 Annual Conference July 11, 2009

2. Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, & Librarian Perspectives IMLS, OCLC, & Rutgers University funded project Four phases: Focus group interviews Analysis of 850 QuestionPoint live chat transcripts Online surveys 137 VRS Users Telephone interviews 76 VRS Users

3. Online Surveys & Telephone Interviews • Descriptive statistical analysis • Demographics • Multiple choice (surveys only) • Likert-type (surveys only) • Qualitative analysis • Open-ended questions • 2 critical incident (CI) questions

4. VRS Users: What’s Hot Word of Mouth Recommendation Interviews N=76 (Adult N=55, Net Gen N=21)

5. VRS Users: What’s Hot Give Me the Facts • Answer the Question • Accuracy Survey N=129 (Adult N=71, Net Gen N=48); Interviews N=64 (Adult N=42, Net Gen N=21)

6. VRS Users: What’s Hot Be On Target Be Quick Be Convenient Survey N=129 (Adult N=71, Net Gen N=48); Interviews N=64 (Adult N=42, Net Gen N=21)

7. VRS Users: What’s Hot Know Your Stuff Survey N=68 (Adult N=38, Net Gen N=30); Interviews N=34 (Adult N=26, Net Gen N=7)

8. VRS Users: What’s Hot Be Personable Be Friendly Survey N=129 (Adult N=71, Net Gen N=48); Interviews N=64 (Adult N=42, Net Gen N=21)

9. VRS Users: What’s Not Negative Closure Survey N=68 (Adult N=38, Net Gen N=30); Interviews N=34 (Adult N=26, Net Gen N=7)

10. VRS Users: What’s Not “Did you already check the catalog?” Survey N=68 (Adult N=38, Net Gen N=30); Interviews N=34 (Adult N=26, Net Gen N=7)

11. VRS Users: What’s Not Grumpy Librarians Survey N=68 (Adult N=38, Net Gen N=30); Interviews N=34 (Adult N=26, Net Gen N=7)

12. VRS Librarians: What’s Hot Leveraging Complex & Specialized Knowledge Survey N=143; Interviews N=86

13. VRS Librarians: What’s Hot Information Access to Remote Users Survey N=143; Interviews N=86

14. VRS Librarians: What’s Hot Positive Feedback Survey N=143; Interviews N=86

15. VRS Librarians: What’s Hot Tell Me More… Survey N=143; Interviews N=86

16. VRS Librarians: What’s Hot Morphing Modes Survey N=143; Interviews N=86

17. VRS Librarians: What’s Not Convoluted or Confusing Questions Survey N=124; Interviews N=71

18. VRS Librarians: What’s Not Imposed Queries Survey N=124; Interviews N=71

19. VRS Librarians: What’s Not Co-Browsing & Other Pesky Software Survey N=124; Interviews N=71

20. VRS Librarians: What’s Not Grumpy Users Survey N=124; Interviews N=71

21. VRS Librarians: What’s Not Unrealistic Expectations Survey N=124; Interviews N=71

22. VRS Librarians: What’s Not Disappearing Users Survey N=124; Interviews N=71

23. What We Learned VRS Users Want • Access to electronic information • Convenient • Accurate • Timely • Interact w/ friendly librarians

24. What We Learned VRS Librarians Want • Clear questions • Query clarification • User feedback • Positive User attitude • Resolved software issues • Ability to serve diverse users

25. What We Can Do Provide • Convenient, authoritative, reliable services • Accurate information • Positive attitude

26. 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 Slides available at project web site:http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/synchronicity/ Special thanks to Patrick Confer, Jocelyn DeAngelis Williams, Timothy J. Dickey, and Erin Hood

27. Questions & Comments Lynn Silipigni Connaway connawal@oclc.org Marie L. Radford mradford@scils.rutgers.edu