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QuestionPoint: Making It Work For You. April 2002 Diane Nester Kresh. The Knowledge Challenge. Exponential growth of resources New researchers with new needs and expectations New opportunities Going where the users are. Multiple Communications Options. Telephone. Walk-in Patrons.
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QuestionPoint: Making It Work For You April 2002 Diane Nester Kresh
The Knowledge Challenge • Exponential growth of resources • New researchers with new needs and expectations • New opportunities • Going where the users are
Multiple Communications Options Telephone Walk-in Patrons Surface Mail/Fax Chat Ask-A Web forms
While The Tools Have Changed, The Work Has Not • Fundamental nature of librarianship has not changed • New technology tools to enhance delivery of information • Skill set evolution is necessary to adapt to new environment
The Challenge for Librarians • Use traditional strengths to build new programs • Leverage the community of librarians and libraries worldwide • Acquire new skills • Redefine the role of librarians and libraries in the Internet age
QuestionPoint is a Web-based LC-OCLC co-branded service that: • enables Internet user to ask questions of his/her local library • allows local library to escalate unanswered questions to other libraries within its cooperative • allows reference librarian to submit a question to global network
QuestionPoint Components • Local/Regional Interface • Profile Database • Global Reference Network • Routing Manager • Access to hundreds of institutions • Knowledge Base • Administrative Interface • Usage Statistics and Reports • Patron Question Form (Templates)
Members National Libraries Consortia Academic Libraries Professional Assn. Public Libraries QuestionPoint Unaffiliated Experts Partners ASK-A Services Special Libraries
QuestionPoint Advisory Board • LC and OCLC co-chair • QuestionPoint members on board represent variety of library types • Committees to address: • Legal • Membership • Implementation • Best practices
QuestionPoint Terminology • Patron: person who asks a question • Institution: L2L • Service Level Agreement: describes the scope of a member’s services • Local Network: Consortia + tools • Global Reference Network: formerly CDRS
Real Time Local Interaction Librarian Chat window Patron Chat window Library web page Librarian Chat Monitor Web sites & databases Call others Look up In references Own knowledge Inst 1 Patron Local KB Ref Lib Ref Lib
Offline Local Interaction Inst 2 Ref Lib Inst 3 Ref Lib Ref Lib Web sites & databases Call others Look up In references Own knowledge example Consortium Inst 1 Patron Ref Lib/ editor Ref Lib Local KB Library web page Ref Lib/ editor Ref Lib/ editor Patron email
QuestionPoint Process Patron access via institution web pages Library Local/Regional Library Consortium A Library Local KB Individual Library Global KB Global Only Library Library Global Only Library Consortium B Library Global Only Library Library Library Global
Best Fit • Step One - Exclusionary Elements: • Education Level Served • Weekly Quota Filled • Step Two - Best Fit Matching: • Subject 30% • Geographic Area 20% • Load Balancing 20% • Availability 20% • Format Expertise 10%
Knowledge Base • Editorial Board • Guidelines: • Copyediting, link checking • Add subjects and keywords for enhanced searching • Removal of patron • Identify need for later review • Volunteer editors from membership • 2,100 + records edited since December
QuestionPoint Member Benefits • Extend traditional reference services • 24x7 service • Access to virtual collections • Access to subject/language specialists worldwide • Web-based (no software) • Reporting and tracking tools • Forge collaborative partnerships with other libraries and librarians • Develop digital reference best practices
Before You Sign Up… • Consider staff buy-in • Daily workflow • Reference service policies • Identify patron needs • Patron access to reference librarians? • Questions submitted after hours? • Think about being a part of subject or type-based group/consortium
Global Expansion: Issues • Language, literacy, and context • Accessibility and infrastructure • Cultural & political sensitivities • Digital divide • Intellectual property and service constraints • Trade agreements
Timeline • Where we’ve been . . . • LC pilot & start up (98-00) • LC-OCLC initial partnership (01) • Where we’re going . . . • LC-OCLC phase 2 partnership • Version 1.0 Beta (March-May 02) • Version 1.0 release (June 02) • NISO Standards Committee AZ (ongoing)
Pricing Model • Annual subscription model • Unlimited use • Packages = global only or local + global • Based on “profiles” • A profile = a sector on the global network • Reference “consortia” can be created by associating profiles • Begins at ~$2,000 per year per profile • Discounts for contribution and consortia
QuestionPoint Futures . . • Standards-based communication • Interoperability among reference networks and between local services/global network • Automated routing at the local level • Off-hours and supplemental coverage • Batch import of local KBs (recon) • Public access to global network
http://www.loc.gov/cdrs/ http://www.oclc.org/strategy/reference/cdrs/