ASK A LIBRARIAN
Annual Report 2001-2002
Natalie Borisovets
Coordinator, Electronic Reference ServicesIn 2001-20021, Ask a Librarian, the Rutgers Libraries email reference service, received 12,071 questions/requests—a 68.5 percent increase over the 7,164 queries received in the previous year.
Ask a Librarian
September 2001-August 2002
Questions Received
Answers Sent
Not Answered
Percent Answered
September
1252
1193
94
92.5
October
1343
1347
127
90.5
November
1216
1188
73
94.0
December
894
921
82
90.8
January
1039
999
183
82.4
February
1279
1214
208
83.7
March
1133
1035
195
82.8
April
1075
999
144
86.6
May
702
680
102
85.5
June
715
642
128
82.1
July
704
680
94
86.6
August
719
681
95
86.0
TOTALS
12071
11579
1525
87.4
Response Rate:
Despite the significant increase in the number of total questions received, 87.4 percent of the questions received in 2001/2002 were answered—a slight increase over the 86.3 percent response rate of the previous year.
Questions Answered:
While Reference (2179; +5.1%), Request Services (497; +13.7%), and Interlibrary Loan (1252; +17.3%) showed increases in the total number of questions answered, the most dramatic increase came in demand for Access Services. 7492 responses were sent by Access Team members in 2001-2002, a 147 percent increase over the 3039 sent the previous year.
ASK A LIBRARIAN
September 2001- August 2002
Answered By
Reference
Access Services
Systems
Request Services
Interlibrary Loan
Acquisitions
Other
Sep
195
859
8
45
84
2
0
Oct
291
889
9
52
101
2
3
Nov
234
742
11
56
145
0
0
Dec
140
621
16
29
111
4
0
Jan
200
619
16
56
108
0
0
Feb
246
845
11
42
69
1
2
Mar
197
627
5
65
132
5
4
Apr
180
617
3
46
143
0
10
May
153
395
3
26
97
1
5
Jun
120
405
3
30
77
2
5
Jul
110
457
10
14
83
0
6
Aug
113
416
9
36
102
0
5
Total
2179
7492
104
497
1252
17
40
%
18.8
64.7
0.9
4.3
10.8
0.1
0.3
PINs:
Most of the increases of Access queries can be attributed to the escalating demand for Library PINs. An increasing number of Rutgers users are using commercial Internet Service Providers rather than connecting directly to the Campus networks and need to know their PINs in order to connect to the Libraries’ proxy server and use restricted resources such as databases or electronic reserves. They also need to know their PINs in order to renew library materials and check on request status. And beginning this Fall, they will need to know their PIN in order to request Rutgers Delivery Services.
Of the 7366 queries received between January and August 2002, 3350 (45.5%) were requests for PINs.
In response to the continuous and overwhelming demand for PINs, in September 2001 a PIN/Registration Request form was made available at
http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/forms/reg_pin.shtml
Requests generated by this form are distributed only to the current Access Team members, as well as the AAL Coordinator and her Assistant. This eliminated the need for an intermediate reply on the part of the Access team member, and also dramatically reduced the amount of email automatically routed to everyone except current Access Team members. Replies to PIN requests are sent directly to the requestor, with a cc: to the Coordinator and the Assistant who tracks the requests.
In order to alleviate some of the volume-induced pressure on Access Team members, beginning in October team members were assigned to half-days Sundays thru Thursdays. And in April Access Team members met and decided that the two 6-month access services teams should merge into one year-round team beginning June 1, 2002. Staff would participate throughout the year but with fewer shifts per month.
However, even half-day shifts may mean responding to 40 or 50 PIN requests as well as other questions concerning recalls, patron records, missing books, email addresses, electronic reserve, etc.
While there have been some tentative discussions about the possibility of creating a program whereby registered users could automatically ask for and be given their PINs without the need for staff intervention, it seems that the situation is reaching the point where such an investigation needs to be made a priority.
As PIN requests are received via phone as well as in-person at Circulation Desks, they constitute a significant workload issue even beyond the Ask a Librarian service. That Access staff have managed to sustain such a high response rate despite the extraordinary demand is a testament to their dedication and professionalism.
Response Time:
Once again, the significant increase in the total number of queries received seems to have had little effect on response times. During the Spring/Summer of 2002, 87.7 percent of the answered queries were responded to on either the same day or on the next day; 96.1 percent were answered within the "24 to 48 hours" specified in the Ask a Librarian guidelines.
ASK A LIBRARIAN
January 2002-August 2002
Response Time (Days) 2
Monthly Total
Same Day
Next Day
Two Days
Three/+ Days
January
97
54
28
2
13
February
131
49
53
19
10
March
131
82
32
15
2
April
109
97
7
5
0
May
66
41
19
5
1
June
89
50
26
12
1
July
49
18
28
2
1
August
52
37
14
1
0
Total
724
428
207
61
28
%
59.1%
28.6%
8.4%
3.9%
FAQs:
The questions received by Ask a Librarian form the basis for the Libraries’ Frequently Asked Questions pages.
- In response to the many New Jersey and genealogy questions received via Ask a Librarian, in October 2001 a Genealogy/Local History FAQ [http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/ask_a_lib/faq_genealogy.shtml] was added to the Ask a Librarian page with a link to a new New Jersey Genealogy guide: http://newark.rutgers.edu/~natalieb/gen.htm
- In February 2002 the Remote Access FAQ [http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/ask_a_lib/remote.shtml] was revised and expanded, as were all related remote access pages. This revision seems to have resulted in significant decreases in the number of access questions coming in via Ask a Librarian.
- In June 2002 the top (contents) Ask a Librarian page [http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/ask_a_lib/ask_a_lib.shtml] was reformatted from a descriptive listing of FAQs to a more user-friendly Need/Action table.
- In June 2002 the Done at Rutgers FAQ [http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/ask_a_lib/faqru.shtml] was revised to reflect recent Rutgers research in the news.
- The IRIS and Requesting Library Materials FAQS [http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/ask_a_lib/irisfaq.shtml and http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/ask_a_lib/faqrrsill.shtml] are in the process of being revised to reflect the many changes implemented in recent months, including MARC holdings, user-initiated holds, email notices, and web document delivery. These should be available the first part of September 2002.
User Survey:
During the week of March 4th, 2002 the Libraries’ Assessment Committee conducted an Ask a Librarian User Survey. Included in the AAL responses that week was a request for users to complete the survey found at http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/aal_survey/ .
42 of the approximately 280 users responded to that week completed the survey. Most indicated a high level of satisfaction with the service.
User Survey Comments: Positive
- The responses I get are always timely and polite…which I really appreciate!
- As a faculty wife of a friendly competitor University, Delaware, I am very pleased with the prompt and courteous help provided me by the Ask a Librarian web site and by Dave in Special Collections and University Archives.
- The help I received was very useful, prompt, and professional. Great experience.
- The responses from Librarians are VERY helpful, thorough, and received in a timely manner. The Rutgers library system was one of my favorite parts of receiving my Doctorate at Rutgers. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!!
Those who did express dissatisfaction with the Ask a Librarian service for the most part seem to have either not understood what services are available to them, or were looking to "kill the messenger."
User Survey Comments: Negative
- Yes, as UMDNJ staff, I understand that I no longer have borrowing privileges or web access to the Rutgers library. Is this true?
- Yes, I am dissatisfied with the fact that the library incorrectly charged me a fine for….
- I have never had trouble renewing an interlibrary loan, but I have had a great deal of trouble getting updates on my requests. For example, I requested a book in December. It is now mid-March and I have received no information on the request other then….
- I really like the electronic access to library journals, where you simply click on a link and are connected. I would like this to work remotely in the same fashion it works from a Rutgers (New Brunswick) computer lab.
Perhaps the one surprise in the survey was the response to the question "Would you be willing to work with a librarian online to receive an answer to your question in real time?"
While 71 percent of responding users answered "Yes," 55 percent of the undergraduates who answered this question said "No," they would not be willing to work with a librarian online in real time.
As these were undergraduates who had used the email reference service and were filling out a web-based form, technology was clearly not the issue. As a colleague pointed out, undergraduates don't really understand the value of face-to-face--or keyboard-to-keyboard--reference transactions. Often they want to be anonymous, ask their question, go away, and come back when there's an answer.
Ask a Librarian LIVE:
As a pilot project, in the Spring of 2002 the Rutgers Libraries allowed users to ask questions in "real time" using "LiveAssistance," a web-based call center product from International Business Systems (IBSI), a Chantilly, Virginia based company.
An Ask a Librarian LIVE link was available from April 8th through May 17th. The service was available Monday – Friday, 1 pm to 4 pm. In the 72 hours that the service was available between April 8th and May 10th, a total of 110 "chats" were attempted.
Users who completed the Ask a Librarian LIVE Exit Survey seemed very pleased the service. While some of the librarians who participated felt that the limited usage of the service, coupled with a number of issues that were identified during the pilot, did not warrant continuation of a "live" service at this time, most felt that the pilot should be extended through the Fall 2002 semester.
The full report on the Ask a Librarian LIVE pilot is available at http://newark.rutgers.edu/~natalieb/asklivereport.htm
Management of Ask a Librarian Services:
In October, librarian Linda McSweeney was hired to assist the Ask a Librarian Coordinator on a part-time basis. She took over the tracking of AAL questions and answers thus lifting a major burden from the AAL Coordinator. Requests are now tracked using an Excel spreadsheet, and reports can be easily produced.
However because this is a part-time position, and because the number of daily requests has continued to escalate, is has become increasingly difficult to ensure that when questions for one reason or another don’t get answered initially that the individual responsible is sent a reminder on a timely basis and questions don’t fall through the cracks. This is reflected in some of the disappointing monthly response rates seen in the second half of the academic year. However we believe that we have identified some possible procedural solutions to this issue and will be implementing them in the coming year.
The Ask a Librarian Team:
In September a new rotation format was implemented for the Reference Team and new members, primarily from the New Brunswick libraries, were added.
Beginning June 1, 2002, the two 6-month rotating Access Services teams merged into one year-round team, allowing for fewer shifts per month. Unfortunately this was partially off-set by the number of Access staff who took advantage of the state’s early retirement offer, as well as the departure of staff who took positions elsewhere.
Despite the escalating volume and workload, the members of the Ask a Librarian Team have continued to provide quality services efficiently, effectively, and perhaps most extraordinarily of all cheerfully. Their dedication is to be highly commended.
The 2001-2002 Team
(Past and Present)
Reference
Access
Requests
Ka-Neng Au
Susan Beck
Cathy Pontoriero
Natalie Borisovets
Emily Carey
Jeris Cassel
Mary Fetzer
Rebecca Gardner
Sara Harrington
Theo Haynes
Scott Hines
Yoshiko Ishii
Marty Kesselman
Laura Mullen
Pat Piermatti
Hector Perez-Gilbe
Wen Hua Ren
Nancy Stowell
Stephanie Tama-Bartels
Lourdes Vazquez
Karen Wenk
Myriam Alami
Georgina Alonzo
Elsa Alves
Peter Anderson
Rose Barbalace
Zohreh Bonianian
Mary Brodman
Stacy DeMatteo
Marc Forster
Mary Gadek
Judy Gardner
Ines Gessner
Christopher Lee
Barry Lipinski
Bill McNelis
Andy Martinez
Dean Meister
Nita Mukherjee
Ramon Negron
Asuncion Ortiz
Sothy Padmanathan
Phyllis Palfy
Antoinette Peteet
Roger Smith
Ann Snowman
Jeff Teichmann
Michele Tokar
Ann Watkins
Penny Weniger
Drue Williamson
Gloria Windham
Pat WomackTracey Meyers
Bob Warwick
Interlibrary Loan
Brian Johnson Jane Mihalick
Dorothy Grauer
Libby Hart
Mary Anne Nesbit
Systems
Dave Hoover
1 Statistics are based on the academic (September-August) rather than the fiscal year. See Appendix A for the fiscal year summaries.
2 Weekly sample days. Calculated on the basis of working days.
Appendix A
ASK A LIBRARIAN
FY2001-FY2002
Questions Received
Answers Sent
Not Answered
Percent Answered
July
455
446
36
92.1
August
466
463
35
92.5
September
1252
1193
94
92.5
October
1343
1347
127
90.5
November
1216
1188
73
94.0
December
894
921
82
90.8
January
1039
999
183
82.4
February
1279
1214
208
83.7
March
1133
1035
195
82.8
April
1075
999
144
86.6
May
702
680
102
85.5
June
715
642
128
82.1
TOTAL:
11569
11127
1407
87.8
ASK A LIBRARIAN
July 2001- June 2002
Answered By
Reference
Access Services
Systems
Request Services
Interlibrary Loan
Acquisitions
Other
Jul
119
181
1
33
104
5
3
Aug
133
227
11
22
63
9
8
Sep
195
859
8
45
84
2
0
Oct
291
889
9
52
101
2
3
Nov
234
742
11
56
145
0
0
Dec
140
621
16
29
111
4
0
Jan
200
619
16
56
108
0
0
Feb
246
845
11
42
69
1
2
Mar
197
627
5
65
132
5
4
Apr
180
617
3
46
143
0
10
May
153
395
3
26
97
1
5
Jun
120
405
3
30
77
2
5
TOTAL
2208
7027
97
502
1234
31
40
%
19.8%
63.2%
0.9%
4.5%
11.1%
0.3%
0.4%