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ASK?AWAY USERS GROUP October 19, 2006 AGENDA

ASK?AWAY USERS GROUP October 19, 2006 AGENDA. Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives. Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives.

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ASK?AWAY USERS GROUP October 19, 2006 AGENDA

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  1. ASK?AWAY USERS GROUP October 19, 2006 AGENDA Seeking Synchronicity:Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives

  2. Seeking Synchronicity:Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives • $1,103,572 project funded by: • Institute of Museum and Library Services • $684,996 grant • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and OCLC Online Computer Library Center $405,076 in kind contributions

  3. Seeking Synchronicity:Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives Project duration 10/1/2005-9/30/2007 Four phases: • Focus group interviews* • Analysis of 1,000+ QuestionPoint transcripts • 600 online surveys* • 300 telephone interviews* *Interviews & surveys with VRS users, non-users, & librarians

  4. Librarian and User Facilitator Comparisons

  5. Face-Work in Chat Reference Encounters Presented by Marie L. Radford and Lynn Silipigni Connaway Library Research Round Table June 24, 2006 ALA, New Orleans, Louisiana

  6. Review of Behaviors • Greeting Ritual • Scripted & Non-Scripted • Rapport Building • Deference – Showing Respect • Compensation for Lack of NV Cues • Closing Ritual • Scripted & Non-Scripted Source: Close Encounters of the Chat Kind: Interpersonal Communication in Virtual Reference

  7. GREETINGS • Thank customer for waiting. • Use your own name. • Inform customer that you are backing up their library and are not at their library. • If you can’t find their script, type your own greeting or make a local script.

  8. Rapport Building Admitting lack of knowledge: • I don’t know this term. Could you tell me what it means? • I don’t know what you mean. Could you be more specific.

  9. Use I Statements • I think that you will have more success if you do X. • I have used this strategy before and it works!

  10. Encouraging the User • User: I need 30 adjectives that describe the weather. • LIbrarian: How many do you have so far? • User: I have 20……foggy, cloudy, rainy. Are those OK? • Librarian: Yes. Those are really good.

  11. Empathy • Be empathetic when users express frustration: “Yes it is frustrating when technology doesn’t work.” “Yes that website is difficult to use.”

  12. Deference • I am sorry that you had to wait so long. • I am sorry that I can’t help you with that. You will have to visit your local library. • Do not mirror rude behavior

  13. Dealing with Rude Behavior • Check list: Don’t mirror rude behavior! Apologize when appropriate. Dealing with impatient users. Dealing with complainers. Don’t take it personally! Source: Close Encounters of the Chat Kind: Interpersonal Communication in Virtual Reference

  14. Compensation for Lack of Nonverbal Cues • Mirror customer’s style—use abbreviations, smileys, etc. • Use punctuation for emphasis • Use ellipses…….. to signal that more is coming so patron doesn’t log off prematurely.

  15. Closing Ritual • Ask if they need anything else. • Look for clues like “Well….. thanks.” • Always give a closing – bye! • Respond to user’s compliments; don’t just senda script.

  16. Recommendations • Training in basic interpersonal skills • Awareness that user may need lots of reassurance • Recognizing this • Providing reassurance • Awareness of appropriate self-disclosure • When to disclose • Acknowledgment of user’s self-disclosure • Humor – importance of acknowledgment Source: Close Encounters of the Chat Kind: Interpersonal Communication in Virtual Reference

  17. More Recommendations • Greetings & Closings. • Beware negative closure! • Beware robotic scripts! • Inclusion (use of we, let’s, etc.). • Take cue from user & mirror their relational strategies. • Don’t B afraid 2 use informal language, abbreviations & emoticons as appropriate. Source: Close Encounters of the Chat Kind: Interpersonal Communication in Virtual Reference

  18. Endnotes • 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 and OCLC, Online Computer Library Center. • Project web site: http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/synchronicity/

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