Best Practices Session Agenda November 16, 2007 M. F. Berninger Review of attendees

1. Best Practices Session Agenda November 16, 2007 M. F. Berninger • Review of attendees • Business update - Mark • Legal research tools - Connie VonDerHeide, Wisconsin State Law Library • Quality control reminders • Long overdue review of transcripts

2. QuestionPoint blog • Be sure to check whenever you have question or issue relating to all things QuestionPoint! • http://questionpoint.blogs.com/questionpoint_247_referen/quality/index.html • Check out the categories when searching for information on specific subjects • See the “Quality tips” for best practice hints.

3. Reminder – Please log off! • When you don’t log off an asterisk will appear next to any of your patrons that come into the queue. Cooperative librarians will wait 60 seconds before answering – resulting in a longer response time for your patrons. • To log off QuestionPoint at the end of your shift - click the Logout link (top right).  • If you close the chat window by clicking on the X, or just close the QuestionPoint application the system will continue to show you as logged on.  • If you have a system problem that prevents you from logging out of chat properly, log back into QuestionPoint, launch chat, then click Logout.   • If you still have active sessions in your Active tab, you will have to end each one of those first.

4. Reminder about lost call code • When should you use LOST CALL as your resolution code? • Best Practices document – item 6 covers resolution codes. (http://questionpoint.org/policies/bestpractices.pdf. • Use for sessions where the patron does not respond during the session and no email address is provided. • When Lost Call is used, the session will never appear in the Active question list of the patron library (or of the chatting librarian).  Instead, the session will only appear in the Closed list.

5. Examples of lost calls • Patron with no email address never responds during the session.  Librarian should use Lost Call. • Patron with no email address disconnects after some chat and exchange of web pages. Librarian should code this as Answered. • USE FOLLOW UP BY PATRON LIBRARYIF: Patron with an email never responds during the session. 

6. Transcript #1 • Question: Chat Transcript: Does a clear glass full of water make a shadow? Does colored light make colored shadows? • Hello! My name is B, and I'm a reference librarian with the QuestionPoint chat service. Your librarians have asked us to staff this 24-hour service when they are unavailable. I'm reading your question right now to see how I can help you, but I'm wondering if your teacher didn't expect you to try setting up those situations and observe the answers for yourself? • Patron: no we are just supposed to provide an explanation to the questions • Librarian 1: I see. I'm sending you something about what shadows are. Your questions both depend on understanding what shadows are.http://www.pa.uky.edu/sciworks/xtra/shy.htm • Patron: ok thanks • Patron ended chat session. • Librarian 1: We seem to have lost our connection. Please feel free to connect with us again if we can be of help. Thank you for using our service!

7. Survey Results 1. age: 18 years or younger 2. used for: School3. how satisfied: Extremely dissatisfied 4. found out via: Extremely dissatisfied5. gender: Female 6. used similar service: Yes 7. use this again: Unsure 8. easy to use: Difficult9. question answered: Didn't answer my question 10. was helpful: Not at all helpful11. monthly library visits: 1-2 times 12. monthly website visits: 1-4 times 13. monthly used Ask?Away: Nevercomments: i didn't get an answer anywhere close to what i was looking for!

8. Follow up by patron’s library • Librarian 3: Hi <patron name>:This is in response to your question asked using AskAway Online Reference Service. • Here's some information that I found that may help you answer your question about colored light making colored shadows: http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/science/light/color/shadows/index.html http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/science/light/color/shadows/coloredshadowsbackground.html http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/colored_shadows.html • As for the other question, "does a clear glass full of water make a shadow?", I'm assuming that you are shining some light source through the glass of water. I couldn't find a source that exactly explains how a glass of water can make a shadow. But here's a website: http://tre.ngfl.gov.uk/pdf/8214.pdfIt explains how shadows are formed:"Shadows are formed when objects block light from the sun. Shadows are similar in shape to the objects forming them.“ • Thanks for using AskAway. Please use our service again!

9. More followup • I also found from this website:http://acept.asu.edu/courses/phs110/ds7/chapter7.html :that gives an explanation on how light travels through a glass of water which may help to explain how a shadow is formed: "What happens to the light from a flashlight shining on a glass of water from the moment the light leaves the flashlight, passes through the glass and the water, and emerges from the other side of the glass? The glass of water may appear clear to us, and transmit nearly all of the light from the flashlight, but some of the light never completes its journey through the glass and the water to the other side. Some of the light actually bounces back from the first glass surface (Can you see the light beam reflected from the front side of the glass?). Some light may collide with molecules inside the glass and in the water and may become deflected in directions that will never reach your eye on the other side of the glass.“ • I also found websites that mention when you shine a light through a glass of water, you find colored light like a rainbow.http://home.earthlink.net/~schepps/potteryAteach/teaching/rainbow.htmlhttp://www.fromoldbooks.org/Richter-NotebooksOfLeonardo/section-5/item-288.html • I hope this helps. You may also want to consider doing the experiment yourself to see what the results are

10. Feedback from Wren (QC) • Didn't ask the patron for feedback on the site you sent, resulting in the patron, who was admittedly impatient, logging off and submitting a poor survey.  • I usually like to say something like"  I found this site for, please tell me if it is useful to you".  That way you get more feedback from the patron to extend your search, and they feel as if they are cooperating in the search.

11. Transcript #2 • Chat Transcript: My wife's grandmother died in the Milwaukee area and I am trying to get an obituary from the local newspaper (Milwaukee Sentinel?). How do I do it if I am out of state? • Patron: She died I believe in 1958 or 1959. • Librarian 1: Librarian 'M--CSPL' has joined the session. • Librarian 1: thank you for your question.I see your message that she died in 1958 or 1959. Let me see what I can do. • Patron: Her name was <patron relative's name>. I have a form to order the Death Certificate from the County, but it requires specific information on when she died, where, etc. I thought the obit might shed some additional light on the matter. She lived in Whitefish Bay I believe. • Librarian 1: I am looking to see how one gets to look at resources in Milwaukee. You have reached a network librarian not working in Wisconsin so this may take some time. I see your message about the Death Certificate form and I am looking to see what can be done. • Patron: The problem with the Milwaukee County Library is that I need some login info to access their databases. • Librarian 1: Yes I see that. • Librarian 1: I am looking now at the Wisconsin Historical society. I will send you the URL so you may look at it as well. Possibly they may be able to help.

12. Transcript #2 • Librarian 1:http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/ I think this may not work as their information seems to be more historical than the 1950's. I am still looking. • Patron: That site has the Wisconsin Genealogy Index and a reference to the Wisconsin Geneological Society which may be helpful to me. • Librarian 1: Possibly the social security death index will help. Try this. Do you have this woman's birthdate or social security #? I tried both 1958 and 1959 on the SS death index without luck so far. • Librarian 1: http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3693 I am afraid that the SS site has come up with several Gertrude Pollock's but none that seem to match. I suggest that you telephone or write the Milwaukee Public Library and see what they suggest. Possibly they would search for a fee or possibly the Genealogical Society will also do that. I certainly think it is worth a telephone call. • Librarian 1: I will also refer this question to a Librarian in Wisconsin in the hopes that they can help you better. • Librarian 1: http://www.mpl.org/file/contact_us.htm • Librarian 1: Good luck with your research. • Librarian 1: I am logging off now but I will make sure that someone in Milwaukee gets to see this transcript. • Librarian 1: Librarian ended chat session. • Librarian 1: Note: Set Resolution: Followup By Me Set Description: Genealogy

13. Followup by patron’s library & Critique: Identify yourself when greeting patron • Librarian 2: Hello, This is a librarian from Milwaukee Public Library. If you have a the full name and death date, you can contact our Ditto Copy Service and they can check our newspapers for up to one week from the date of death for an obituary, and if found, make a copy and mail it to you for a fee. The ordering information can be found at http://www.mpl.org/file/ditto_index.htm • Hello Message – Identify yourself and your libraryIn the hello message (a good opportunity to use a script), you should identify yourself so the patron knows you are not a librarian with their local library. I see you mentioned it later in the session, but we've found that it works best if that info is given to the patron at the very beginning of the session. • From the Best Practices: Greet the PatronSend a personal greeting, identifying yourself and indicating your willingness to help. Identify the name of the library or group you are affiliated with, in order to set expectations with the patron.

14. Don’t assign descriptive codes to chats with “Other” patrons • Descriptive Codes: Don’t assign descriptive codes to sessions with patrons of other librariesI see that you selected a descriptive code, which should only be used with sessions from your own patrons, not when you answer questions for the Cooperative. • Librarians differ as to what the individual descriptive codes mean, or when one code should be used over another code. Since reports can be generated based on the code, there is an interest within a library of maintaining the integrity of what codes to use, and when.  Since each library has its own understanding and use of the codes, please refrain from assigning any descriptive code to a session from another library. • For more information, please see Susan's QP blog posting at:http://questionpoint.blogs.com/questionpoint_247_referen/2007/03/descriptive_cod.html

15. Only use “followup by me” to close chats with patrons of your library • Resolution Code: Followup by Me should RARELY be usedYou coded the session as "Followup By Me" instead of "Follow Up By Patron Library" (since you said you would "refer this question to a Librarian in Wisconsin"). • Assigning “Followup by Me” can confuse the local library When a question is marked "Followup By Me it does not appear as New for the local library. This help page explains how the resolution codes change the status of the question: http://www.questionpoint.org/crs/html/help/en/ask/ask_flash_codes.html#CIHEHEGD

16. Transcript #3 • Patron: the battle of verdun • Librarian 1: Librarian ‘M.uwoshkosh.askwi' has joined the session.Librarian 1: Hi, my name is M and I am a reference librarian at Polk Library at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Your library and mine are part of an academic chat service. • Librarian 1: Hello <patron name>, how can I help you today? • Patron: hi m i am <patron name> and i wanted to know about the battle of verdun • Librarian 1:How much information do you need? • Patron: i want to know how many people died in the war, and which country lost more pple i also want to know if there is anyway u cud tell me of any books i cud research from • Librarian 1: http://www.google.com/ • Patron: thank youPatron: now what website do i search forLibrarian 1: Okay--I'll see if I can find that for you hold on. Librarian 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Verdun

17. Transcript #3 continued • Patron: i am there now • Librarian 1: This is the wikipedia entry on the batlle of Verdun. Do you think this will be sufficient? • Patron: Have u read the book by Strachan on the first world war • Librarian 1: No I have not--I think I saw his name in the bibliogrpahy for this article.Do you think this is sufficient. I could look for something that has more authority. so you want me to. • Patron: well i am supposed to write a summative essay comparing two books - world war and intimate voices from the first world war • Patron: okay thank you very much i think i av gathered enuff info. i av to go now • Librarian 1: Okay. I am gald that I was able to help you with this. • Librarian 1: Note: Set Resolution: Answered • Librarian 1: Note: Set Description: Reference, Note: Set Description: Research

18. Followup by patron’s library • Librarian 2: Hi <patron name>, The first step to locate books in the library is to search the library catalog. Start at the library Web site: www.pasadena.edu/library Look under "Find Books" and click on "Library Catalog". • From the Basic search screen, select subject search, and type in: Verdun, Battle of • This subject heading has two books listed in our catalog. • Another approach to finding out facts about the battle or World War I in general is to locate reference books. I would recommend looking at World War I: A visual encyclopedia. It is on the Second Floor, in the reference section, shelved by call number REF 940.303 W 1 • If you have further questions you can log back in for another online chat or I would also encourage you to ask for help at the library reference desk.

19. Critique from Wren (QC) • Conduct a probing reference interview: Patrons often do not know the best way to ask a question, so I think when the student started asking if M had "read the book by Strachan on the first world war," that would have been a good opportunity for Mike to ask the student another question, especially since she mentioned that her assignment was to write an essay comparing two books. (Perhaps she needed help finding that book.) • Section 3.3 of the 24/7 Reference Collaborative Policies and Procedures document gives guidance about how to help students with academic questions:http://www.questionpoint.org/ordering/cooperative_guidelines_247rev3.htm#3_3 • 3.3 Academic vs Public library patrons • The goal in assisting academic students is not to give them a quick answer, but rather to assist them in using the resources available at their library so that they can do the research themselves. To best help academic students, start with the resources available to the students from their library, as set out in the library's policy page.

20. Transcript #4 • Patron: How is commercializaton of the media related to media being partisan (supporting one party or the other)? What does commercialization have to do with that? • Librarian 1: Librarian ‘E' has joined the session. Welcome to Reference Chat. Are you looking for info on the web or books? • Patron: I just have a generic question that I really need help with.... • Librarian 1: I'll see what I can find. Please wait a moment. • Patron: ok • Librarian 1: I put this search in to Google: commercialization of the media related to media being partisan and several articles came up. You may want to browse these. • Patron: ok thank you. • Librarian 1: Thank you for using online chat and have a nice day.

21. Critique from Wren (QC) • Refer patron’s to resources from their local library: It would have been best to use the library's policy page and direct the patron to the library catalog since her assignment was to compare two books. • Try not to make general internet sites your first recommendations: For other sessions, showing the patron the library's databases would be better than initially sending a general internet site like Google or Wikipedia--I think M was aware of that and that's why he asked if the patron needed something more authoritative. • Students don’t always know how to assess a source: students don’t always understand how to determine if a resource has enough authority. They probably just assume that if a librarian gives it to them, it is authoritative enough to use in a research assignment (all the more reason why library resources are preferable to general internet sites for academic questions).

22. Critique from Wren (QC) • 7.4 Librarian Screen Names The librarian's screen name identifies the librarian, thus communicating to the patron who they are talking to. The screen name should contain a personal name (it does not have to be the librarian's actual name) so that the patron will know he is talking to an actual individual (a person and not an automated system). The screen name should also contain a fairly understandable affiliation so that the patron will be aware that the librarian is not their local librarian. Abbreviations in general should be avoided since they may be unintelligible to the patron and cause confusion. • The policies include examples of screen names that comply with these guidelines. This change was posted to the QuestionPoint Blog:http://questionpoint.blogs.com/questionpoint_247_referen/2007/03/247_reference_n_2.html • Descriptive Codes I see that M selected descriptive codes--those should only be used with sessions from Wisconsin patrons, not when you answer questions for the Cooperative

23. Transcript #5 • Chat Transcript: I am looking for video resources on Russian President Vladimir Putin for a research project. I have already checked with my local public library branch and a search of the county library system did not produce any results. Can you help point me in the direction of any interlibrary loan possibilities?    Oh, and I would prefer VHS video format. • Librarian 1: Librarian 'QandANJ B' has joined the session. Librarian 1: Hello - welcome to this online reference service. I am looking at your question right now. Well - look at this to begin with -    http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/profile/putin.shtml • Librarian 1:   Can you use that - you can get the webcast?  Also - on YouTube there are some videos that do have Putin - CNN also has some video coverage - I can send that to you next – • Patron:   That might be useful. As I mentioned before, however, I would prefer to get some kind of VHS format video, maybe like a PBS documentary. • Librarian 1:   http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/06/18/saddam.terror/index.html • Librarian 1: I will see if that is available. • Patron:   I probably should have phrased the question to include "documentary." I wonder if the PBS show "Frontline" is what I am thinking of.   I am not really interested in news videos. I want a film production quality documentary on either his life or political career. Librarian 1: There is a DVD that was done on Biography -     http://www.amazon.com/Biography-Vladimir-Putin/dp/B000F6ZCY8/ref=sr_1_2/105-5699695-1562045?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1192305088&sr=8-2

24. Transcript #5 • Librarian 1: I am not sure if any library owns it - you would have to ask your library to try to get it through InterLIbrary Loan - Interlibrary loan is available to all residents of Milwaukee County. Patrons may initiate an Interlibrary loan in person at their home library. ILL materials may be sent out to any public library in Milwaukee County for pick-up. • Patron: That's a good start. I will check with MPL on this and see if I can get an IL. • Librarian 1: It doesn't look like you can request that online - you would have to call your library and give them the information. Did you get that page I sent to you? Does that answer your question? • Patron: Is that only documentary you can find? Do you know of any other databases to search? I mean, other than Amazon. • Librarian 1: When I searched for documentaries - I came up with the ones available on the Internet as webcasts - not another video or dvd. You might ask your library to do a search for you - they should have access to a database that can search other library holdings. • Librarian 1: http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-us&brand=msnbc&search=vladimir%20putin • Librarian 1: There are lots of videos on the web - you might think of a way to use them. • Librarian 1: I am sorry - but it is the end of my shift and I have to leave. Would you like me to transfer you to another librarian for further research? • Patron: Yes, I would like that. I am not satisfied with this reference interview. I liked the Amazon source, but that would have been easy for me to find, too. • Librarian 1: Ok - bye and have a good day - I will transfer you. .

25. Transcript #5 • Librarian 'A (24/7 Librarian)' has joined the session. • Librarian 3: Hello, This is a librarian from Milwaukee Public Library following up on your chat session. I also checked our card catalog but didn't see and video tapes or DVDs about Putin. • I checked Wiscat but could not find a library in Wisconsin that has a circulating copy of a Putin video. There was a reference copy of one in Madison. I also tried Worldcat but didn't have any luck there. • In order to do an ILS you can visit your local library and speak to a librarian. But they would need a title to fill out the form. ILS needs a specific item to search other libraries for. If you are aware of one, please feel free to try ILS and maybe they can still find it in another library system. • I hope this helps!.

26. Transcript #5 • It would have been useful to check Open WorldCat during the live session. • When I went to www.worldcat.org, I clicked Advanced Search and put putin in the subject field and chose Visual Material from the Format pull-down menu. • I did a simple subject search for "putin" because I wanted the broadest possible search. There is often more than one name authority and the bibliographic records can be split among them). • I found around six records that specify VHS format; one seems to be the Frontline video the patron mentioned.

27. In Conclusion • Thanks for your participation • Final thoughts or announcements from the group? • Burning issues we should plan to discuss in December? • Happy chatting/emailing/searching!