Comments on: Looking to Connect: Technical Challenges that Impede the Growth of Virtual Reference http://www.rusq.org/2008/01/06/looking-to-connect-technical-challenges-that-impede-the-growth-of-virtual-reference-2/ Sun, 10 Apr 2011 13:16:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: A propos des défis techniques des services de références virtuels « pintiniblog http://www.rusq.org/2008/01/06/looking-to-connect-technical-challenges-that-impede-the-growth-of-virtual-reference-2/comment-page-1/#comment-220 A propos des défis techniques des services de références virtuels « pintiniblog Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:07:06 +0000 http://rusq.org/test/2008/01/06/looking-to-connect-technical-challenges-that-impede-the-growth-of-virtual-reference-2/#comment-220 [...] A propos des défis techniques des services de références virtuels Looking to Connect: Technical Challenges that Impede the Growth of Virtual Reference [...]

]]> By: Kris Johnson http://www.rusq.org/2008/01/06/looking-to-connect-technical-challenges-that-impede-the-growth-of-virtual-reference-2/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Kris Johnson Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:02:32 +0000 http://rusq.org/test/2008/01/06/looking-to-connect-technical-challenges-that-impede-the-growth-of-virtual-reference-2/#comment-102 While I agree that improvements can and should be made to the technical aspects of providing a virtual reference service (and I’m really looking forward to those improvements and innovations), it continues to concern me that much of our blame for a perceived low use of these services focuses primarily on the software. How can we definitively state that because an “…abundant evidence that millions of teenagers and young adults are using commercial chat and instant messaging (IM) services regularly, but that isn’t translating to the library realm”? I don’t understand that logic. It’s like saying billions of humans use phones, but it just isn’t translating to the library realm because our phones aren’t ringing off the hooks. What is our benchmark for sufficient usage? And how are you making the service know to your users?

Here at AskColorado we struggle to keep up with demand. We do very little marketing. Use is generated from link placement at participating library websites, library catalogs and databases, and word of mouth. Our primary users (more that 60%) are the same demographic cited as being avid IM users in the article; teenagers.

My main concern is that libraries first need to set benchmarks for sufficient use of any reference service (in-person, phone, e-mail, IM, VR) then assess usage. If you’re not happy with usage you need to look at how you are making your service available. Can users find the VR service on your website? No? Then you need to make it more visible (‘Goal of Convienence’.) Try this experiment: Add Live Help links throughout your library’s website and in your library catalog. Assess usage of the service. If your numbers still do not meet your goals then perhaps you need to assess whether it is the technology preventing usage of your service.

I know it’s not as simple as I’ve explained above. My main point is to caution librarians not to discount a service based on technology alone, without looking at other factors that may impact usage of that service.

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