Mary Beth's AskNow Page

QuestionPoint transition CD available

2005-06-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

I have made a CD of the slides used in the QuestionPoint training for 24/7 Reference users, i.e. AskNow. Please email me with your snail mail address at mbtrain@asknow.org for your CD. I'll send it to you via snail mail. The files are too big for the Bubbler blog and this one.

New URL for Bubbler Blog

2005-05-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

I found I could name the blog what allows file posting to something easier to remember -http://bubbler.net/train/AskNow - so I did!

Virtual User Group Notes on my other blog

2005-05-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

I have posted my notes for April's Virtual User Group meeting on my blog that accepts files. It is
http://bubbler.net/mary_beth_train/page_1

Forums and Training in Southern California May 23 & 24

2005-05-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

The first semi-annual AskNow Forum for Southern California will be held on Monday, May 23 at Los Angeles Public Central Library and repeated on Tuesday, May 24 at the Fullerton campus of the San José State University. This is to accommodate the many AskNow’rs in Southern California. You need to come to only one! Forums are 9-12:30.

Each Forum will be followed by a hands-on training 1-5pm. You can attend either the Forum or the training or both.

Details later!

SF Bay Regional Forum - Tuesday, February 8, 2005

2005-02-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

All-group discussion session, Question-and-Answer session - Notes

Outside of California, libraries have always paid for software, each seat, and training – but not for after-hour service to keep it 24/7. If OCLC changes charges to California libraries, hope that State will continue to pay for AskNow. Support it with your reference head and director.

· Jeff Penka and Susan McGlamery will review the new QuestionPoint 24/7 Cooperative Reference service, and what it means for you. Please plan to attend one of the following live, virtual sessions.

Tuesday, February 15, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. EST [1:00 – 3:00 p.m. PST]
Wednesday, February 16, 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. EST [6:00 – 8:00 p.m. PST]
Thursday, February 17, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. EST [6:00 – 8:00 a.m. PST]
Thursday, February 17, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. EST [11:00 a.m.– 1:00 p.m. PST]

To register for a session or change to another, please contact Marianne Vagnier at 'vagnierm@oclc.org '. Please indicate your institution, the names of all staff attending, and the number of seats needed. Hopefully institution staff will gather around speaker phones to reduce the number of seats needed.

· Policy pages: Send recommendations for changes in any library’s policy page to Sue Barb and Mary Beth Train. Also send them copies of transcripts, for troubleshooting or for compliments.

· Ongoing co-browsing troubles: Make sure both librarian and patron clear cache. OCLC is working on the problem posed by patron firewalls. If patron can’t see the librarian’s typing, send firewall script (if patron has provided email address) so patron will be advised what to do via the transcript. Guideline: if no response from patron in 4 minutes, you may assume there’s a problem and end the session.

· Scripts and Messages: Since the coordinators for the different queues write the scripts, you may not find your favorite script in some queues. You can put your favorite scripts in your personal messages, which are in the drop down box below the “Messages” chat box. The most important system messages are at the top of the list. Yours will be below that. The messages drop down menu doesn’t contain the many scripts because it would be long, unwieldy, and unsortable.

· Support pages: When Sue and Mary Beth get access to the AskNow site to make changes, they will encourage the web team to add link in addition to AskNow link stating something like “If you’re using IE, click here.”

· Library barcodes: If your library management team has not already done so, encourage them to provide library generic barcode/PIN (with no expiration). Issue the card to AskNow Then online librarians can access your library’s expensive databases to show them off to your patrons. If you find that a library’s barcode has expired, please notify Sue and Mary Beth.

· Overflow queues: Some of the other states, e.g. MD AskNow, CT project, want to serve their own patrons first, so they won’t pick up more than one patron at a time. When these librarians are all busy, their patrons move into Public Cooperative Overflow.

· Schedules & Holidays: Victor maintains library schedules – should be polling libraries on their holiday availability. On the general collaborative schedule at http://www.247ref.org/schedule/libschedule.cfm, the consensus was that name for the librarians in the old QandAcafe area will be changed from qanda to SFBay. That will have more meaning to librarians outside California.

· Back-up/Contract Librarians: When looking for someone to transfer patron to, look for 24/7 librarian (not MCLS any more). These contract librarians, who provide back up and staff when the libraries are closed (nearly 2/3 of the week) may be called QP Librarian (+ initials) in the future.

· Instant Message – IM: The Ipswitch IM client used for the QuestionPoint-24/7 service is completely private and secure, unlike AOL or the other open IM clients. It is on the 24/7 server, not a public, open one. Please install it on your computers if you haven’t already done so and explain this to your IT department to reassure them of the safety of Ipswitch IM. Instructions and the link are at http://www.247ref.org/info/im/index.cfm

If you get no response when you IM, assume that the librarian is unavailable. Sue Barb is generally on IM 9-1 in the 24/7 Librarians group. Ingrid is on weekdays at the bottom; she is part of the Cherry Hill support team.

To IM someone, double-clicking on their name will bring up the messaging box.

· Marketing tips: Add AskNow to your email signature line, to your library’s main telephone message about hours, to your telephone reference service message, and to your out-of-office email messages

Example: Ronna C Nemer
Reference and Live Online Reference Librarian
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San Jose Public Library System
San Jose, California, USA

Library web page: http://sjlibrary.org
Link to AskNow: http://www.sjlibrary.org/services/reference/

· Live Homework Help: It’s now extended to college freshmen. Stats going WAY up. Patrons must download Shockwave, but most kids have it on their computers. Always do brief interview before sending script to patron being connected to Live Homework Help. We must end session before patron can go to LHH. Current hours: 1-9, M-F. Bilingual help, 1-8, M-F. Also helps with editing English language documents. Students will get a persistent link for 30 days, after which they must go through AskNow again. Students may review previous sessions with this link. Try out a session yourself to see how LHH works. Contact Mary Beth for marketing materials, including a customizable PowerPoint for presentations to students, parents, home-schoolers and teen and children’s librarians.

· Statistics and annual report: Attendees asked that the annual report be published on the listserv. For help with statistics and packaging them to appeal to management and boards, please contact Mary Beth.

· QRC migrating to QuestionPoint’s question-answering software. On 1/23, QRC was loaded into the QuestionPoint databases and QuestionPoint will replace QRC for handling AskNow follow-up questions. It’s free until 6/2006. In addition to AskNow follow-ups, your library can track phone, walk-in, and library email questions; patrons also will have the ability to track the status of their questions – useful for complicated questions. Much better statistical reporting. Basics will be similar to QRC. Since all transcripts for a library’s QuestionPoint account will go into its database, the ones requiring follow-up need to be flagged and extracted; this is one of the migration issues. Susan McGlamery wants conversion completed by 3/15 but she doesn’t know if this is doable or not. Interface to logon for chat will look different, but once on, the chat main page will look the same.

You *always* have option of forwarding QRC follow-up question to 2nd level reference or subject specialist. Since many libraries want to see all of their follow-up questions and have the first pass at answering them, all the follow-up questions, not coded for a specialist, are put into the CA FOLLOWUP folder.

Inactive transcripts not being purged from QRC– can go back quite far. Transcripts in 247reg.org/INFO have the identifying information stripped after 35 days. The follow-up component to QuestionPoint has a knowledge base for you to check to see if an answer to a similar question may help with a question you’re working on. The migration to QuestionPoint involves these privacy and knowledge base issues.

· Question: Possibility of incorporating IM directly into the software so we don’t have to load yet another thing? Sue will look into this.

· 30-second Public Service Announcement for AskNow on KPIX Channel 5 (wee hours) There are 30-, 20- and 10-second versions for TV stations outside the 9-county KPIX market. Please contact Mary Beth Train about getting a PSA for your area if you’re outside the greater San Francisco Bay area.

· Marketing idea: Starbucks provides wireless service – Mary Beth will search for an introduction to a contact to get the AskNow logo on one side of Starbucks’ java jackets.

· OCLC and Sue are recruiting for after-hours Spanish language service, trying to get fully 24/7. Spanish 24/7 is a high priority. After that, the next language is French because of OCLC’s proximity to Canada. Chinese is after that.

· Third Thursday Forums – live online meetings to be announced on the listserv. Possibilities of Tuesday or Wednesday meetings too; contact Sue Barb for those times.

Note-taker: R. Nemer

AskNow service - Holiday

2005-02-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

Here's what San Jose Public Library did when it was going to be closed. Below the dates the library was closed was a link - Try "AskNow" during the closure. Clicking on that brought up the AskNow portal page.

Publicity Ideas

2004-12-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

The link to the AskNow Publicity site - http://www.asknow.org/special/index.cfm - is also in the Wistlist.

Here are some more publicity ideas from DIG-REF:

Local Promotion Ideas

The following is a list of ideas that were potentially or already being
implemented by our local [Maryland] libraries (including colleges) in late 2003.
Since about 50% of our customers find out about Maryland AskUsNow! just
By seeing it on the web pages, I would suggest a focus in this area more
than others. (Of course this is also dependent on people already knowing
That the library has a web site!)

On the web:

* Ask the following groups to add links to their web pages using your
library's virtual category:
o Local government
o School web pages
o Local economic development groups
o Local non-profit groups
o Community associations
* Add links to other pages within your library's web site, including:
o Reference Resources & Information page
o Kid's, Teen & Homework pages
o Seniors page
o Business, Law, & Health pages
o The library catalog ("Didn't find what you need?" page)
" Move your library's home page link 'above the fold' so people
would not need to scroll down to see it.

In person:

* Visit the school media specialists and public school teacher
orientation
meetings in August
* Invite school teachers to your library for orientation to services.
* College orientation for students and parents
* New faculty orientation
* Library instruction classes
* Computer classes: Make it a part of Intro to Computers or Intro to
Internet
* Mention during library's closing announcement

In your library & community:

* Student newsletter or school newspaper
* Printed calendar of library programs
* E-mail newsletter
* Student union or cafeteria
* Place bookmarks into every book on Sale Book shelves
* Video loop playing in branch, with bookmarks available
* Book stores & computer stores
* Phone message while people are on hold
* Notice on print or e-mail on hold books pick-up message (But word
text
carefully so that we don't encourage people to write in regarding their
books for pick-up)
* Merge with other outreach already being done, such as bookmobile and
homebound services
* Hold a local anniversary celebration recognizing one year of
providing
Maryland AskUsNow! on March 17, 2004 (or other achievement)
* Hold a local contest
* Public access or cable television
o Interview programs
o Homework show
* Suggest as great local story to regional, neighborhood, or campus
newspapers

Joseph Thompson
Project Coordinator, Maryland AskUsNow! Information
Services
Department, Baltimore County Public Library 320 York Road, Towson, MD
21204
(410-887-6124)

From: Jennifer Duvernay <http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/dig_ref/post?postID=CW_ffvoOH71wm7ODlqjh2qsQga9STO8vfkbAhhWy0ytFufvBS-YeNfyyqBM70tr9m3VG6xFhI4xy2WibRAxQU6s> Date: Fri Dec 3, 2004 1:22 pm
Subject: Re: [DIG_REF] Promoting VR services?

We've done a variety of things this semester to promote our VR service. We've been making a particular effort to do so because this was the first semester we offered 24/7 service.1. Placed "Ask a Librarian" info on promotional highlighters and post-it notes distributed during the first week of classes (seehttp://www.istl.org/04-fall/article3.html)2. Created color postcards featuring our "mascot", a large inflatable yellow chicken/duck (very eye catching). We made several versions as semester progressed3. Had personal appearances by chicken/duck mascot outside libraries – staff talked about service to students stopping to look at chicken4. Worked with Distance Ed to get links to 24/7 service from their student support pages5. Placed signs by library workstation with slogan "Get help without getting up"6. Added short text message to bottom of all circulation receipts7. Promoted heavily by individual reference librarians at the desk and in instruction classes. Some classes were given postcards with other class hndouts.(You can see pictures of the chicken featured in our VRD presentation titled,"Taking the plunge to 24/7":http://www.asu.edu/lib/library/eref/presentation/vrd2004.ppt)-Jennie
Jennie Duvernay Science Reference Librarian
Noble Science and Engineering LibraryArizona State University
480-727-7636 jennie.duvernay@a...

From: Sara Weissman <http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/dig_ref/post?postID=GOU-tVG0-LIMRRk6CGWWjNnolwSYgw8DmNHdryZnk7De1gJykLbsGpDDPnFDnvWab1nG0oj3yYTFtf1S9lFEL8mX> Date: Mon Nov 29, 2004 6:41 pm
Subject: Re: [DIG_REF] Promoting VR services?

I made up business cards two weeks ago...just on Avery stock, from the Word biz card template. They read simply:
Morris County Library
http://www.mclib.info
(973) 285-6930
mocolib1@g...
At all service counters (colleague pointed out that an audio cassetteplastic case flipped open and over is a great card display unit). I also and one to each person who comes up to desk and pays for copies.
Also finally changed over text link to our e-ref service to a graphic http://www.mclib.info/askdot.gif Deploying that all over the site, moving it up from bottom of pages where t languished.Have you taken out an ad in school paper? Put poster in dining hall,etc?

We've promoted our live chat reference service by methods similar tothose you've mentioned (bookmarks, library instruction sessions, link inSFX interface). Here are some other steps we've taken:- month-long exhibits in library display cases (during Feb. and Nov.2004);- ads in the online student newsletter (4-6 ads per term);- collaborating with LIS faculty, who direct students to the service;- prominent placement of links on home page and contact page;- addition of the phrase "live chat" to links;- redesign of email and live chat web pages; and- extended live chat hours from the reference desk (over 40 hrs/week),The redesign of our home page during the past year may have alsoincreased the accessibility of this service. In any case, our chattraffic has increased from an average of 8-10 per month last year toover 20 in each of the past three months. -Tim
___________________________________
Tim Bryant Reference Librarian & Bibliographer
Rod LibraryUniversity of Northern Iowa
1227 West 27th StreetCedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Email: tim.bryant@uni.edu Tel.: 319/273-3703 Fax: 319/273-2913

We had posters and mouse pads made using our bright green logos. They'vebeen placed at public service pcs throughout our Library building and incomputer labs throughout the campus and at the 2 remote site campuses. Thedesign was created by a former student assistant who was an graphic artsmajor, and it seems to be eye catching and appealing to students.
Beth Stahr Reference/Distance Learning Librarian
Distance Learning Library Services
Sims Memorial LibrarySLU
10896Hammond, LA 70402
dllib@selu.edu 985-549-5056 877-746-5463 (877-SIM-LINE)
985-549-3995 (fax)online request form: http://www.selu.edu/Library/forms/distancereq.html
Get online help when you "chat with a Librarian":http://www.selu.edu/Library/forms/askref.html

At UNC-CH's Undergraduate Library, we distribute business card-sizedstickers at the Reference Desk and in instruction sessions with ourbuddy name on it (we use AOL's IM). These stickers are a huge hit withstudents because they can stick them right to their laptops or ontonotebooks. We also use the same graphic to advertise the service on ourhomepage.
-Suchi Mohanty
--Suchi Mohanty, Reference and Instruction Librarian
R. B. House Undergraduate Library, CB# 3942
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890
Phone: (919) 962-1355 Fax: (919) 962-2697 Email: smohanty@email.unc.edu

Our director recently talked to a focus group of students about how they find out about library news & services. One of the most popular ways was through banner signs in the upper windows of the library. Signage around campus is definitely one way to go. Also, our student newspaper ran an article about our chat service when we first launched it. Does your campus have a radio station? Maybe they'd bewilling to do brief promos on the air for you. It sounds like you are on the right track. Web page, bookmarks, andword-of-mouth will help get the ball rolling. I've found that promoting theservice in library instruction classes almost always results in 2 or 3questions from members of that class within the next few days.It will take time. Our service is still fairly new (~ 6 months), and usage started out *very* slow, but we're happy to note that it is increasing quite a bit as the semester goes on. We use AOL IM for chat reference.Hope this helps. Good luck with your service.Emily Alling
**************************************************************************
Emily AllingReference LibrarianBabson LibrarySpringfield CollegeSpringfield, MA 01109(413) 748-3848(413) 748-3631 (fax)AIM: fondueparty

AskNow Regional Forum Notes 10/14/04

2004-10-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

<>AskNow Northern Regional Forum
Thursday, October 14, 2004
San Francisco Public Library

What’s New and Software Demo

– Sue Barb

OCLC has bought up 24/7 software and personnel. Sue Barb, 24/7 after-hours staff support, is taking over management of California’s statewide AskNow service for Susan McGlamery, who is now focused on the nationwide users of 24/7 software. “Mary Beth and I will try to get rid of the North/South Mason-Dixon line.”

<>OCLC also bought LC’s nationwide QuestionPoint program, and is looking at merging this program with the nationwide 24/7 service. AskNow’s software and services may be linked more closely into a nationwide system. One of the coming changes is an email tracking system that is more sophisticated and flexible than the QRC system we are currently using. This could be rolled out as early as January. <>

“Small Business in a Box” grants – AskNow provides business experts now. Very soon you will see scripts for follow-up on business reference questions. There is already a link on the homepage at www.AskNow.org for business questions. Libraries can have a Spanish link if they provide online written Spanish language service.

<>We should all be using the Express Inbox. Also, please use Instant Messenger, a way to get support quickly. If IT department is concerned, inform IT that it’s perfectly safe, private for 24/7 purposes only, no security holes.

“The Australian Problem” happens because Australia uses 24/7 software and calls their service “AskNow.” If we get an Australian patron, we can handle the question but need to advise patron to use own library. Do not send question to Followup. <>

If you would like another librarian to take over the call, conference the librarian in. However, the “transfer” button now conferences in the other librarian and leaves you in the session. Be sure to use Leave Conference button, not End This Call button, when leaving a conference. <>

If you get nothing back from patron, might be a patron firewall problem. Wait 4 minutes before assuming technological difficulty, and disconnect. In session, use firewall script – telling patrons to disable firewall before connecting. <>

If you have multiple windows open and experience frequent crashing, your computer may have an internal memory problem. Need a minimum of 256 MGs of RAM. <>

Some scripts are very handy, e.g.: Inappropriate language, also some that automatically send to followup. Drop-down suggestions are only the real basics or those you have created for yourself. Scripts are specific to queue of patron you’re helping at the time – may change, although most AskNow scripts are pretty generic. Also, you can create scripts for your library, e.g. SFPL can create a script for suicidal patrons with a local hotline number. <>

New are different tones for arriving patrons. 1^st tone is the same standard doorbell ring; 2^nd tone (dead ring, thunk) sounds when patron is arriving on different queue from the 1^st patron; 3^rd tone only when patron is transferred to your personal queue. <>

First Source Virtual – free service available throughout California via Los Angeles Public Document Delivery. Use First Source FollowUp script for transcript to be sent to them. Don’t need to get an exact citation – if you know source is in particular book, just reference that book but don’t need specific page number. The MCLS Second level librarians will verify the exact citation. First Source Virtual sends information as PDF attachment to email message. <>

CSU and other colleges/universities use Academic Queue and not the QRC followup software. <>

Use the Librarian’s Network in conjunction with Instant Messenger. Face icon at top of the Express Inbox must change frequently to indicate you’re still logged in to the software. Sometimes you don’t show up or you disappear from the Librarian’s Network. Not sure why this happens. May be worth logging in again. <>

24/7 internal databases – First, try to show the patrons what is available to them in their own libraries. LAPL FirstSource databases are a large suite of Gale databases, including Associations Unlimited and Health and Wellness Center. WebFeat is provided by San Francisco Public – includes Oxford English Dictionary, useful subject browsing, and WorldCat access. 24/7’s access to WorldCat is through web page tab only during a co-browsing session. Xreferplus includes dictionaries and encyclopedias, with proper citations. <>

Library policy pages – tool for librarian – extremely helpful to click on links provided by participating libraries. Two kinds of questions: (1) general reference, (2) specific library policy. E.g., Obituaries/Local History. Can copy and paste small amounts from policies, or copy and paste link to library web page. <>

If you try a generic library card that doesn’t work, inform Sue or Mary Beth. <>

Live Homework Help is name of service, Tutor.com is vendor. Covers science, math, and English language skills. Now fourth graders through college freshmen. Experts page in the policy manual needs update – service now open until 9pm. Use script – page must be sent in live session – patron must click on link after being disconnected from AskNow. Student can’t get to Live Homework Help outside a session. Mary Beth has PowerPoint presentation that can be customized for your own library. <>

The Law Librarian’s Experience – Colin Hutton, San Francisco Public Law Library. This library monitors 3 hours per week. Pipelines of law categories. Finite range of questions – can’t answer specific legal questions, fill out forms, pay fees, etc. Usually 3 law librarians monitoring at a time. Though his library provides no followup, other public law libraries do. He spends 15-20 minutes with each patron. As soon as you realize it’s a legal question, conference to a law librarian. Also, there is a Law Followup Folder (LAPL uses this). Main purpose of this service is to direct patrons to legal resources that can answer the question – can’t practice law. Fine line between answering question and guiding to answer. Patrons do not understand the ambiguities. <>

24/7 Forum List – nationwide – for any cooperative using 24/7 product. To talk to others who perform service from different perspectives; share tips on publicity, management, resources. Will establish statewide AskNow listserv – can post about swapping shifts – pool for filling holes becomes bigger. <>

Quality control process

Every library should look at quality of work your patrons are getting via REPORTS in INFO, using the local supervisor’s password. Send comments, questions to quality@247ref.org. Sue and Mary Beth review statewide concerns, Susan reviews rest of nation. Send the good stuff, too. To help get started, use survey feedback. When looking at transcripts, check closing, e.g., “Is this enough to get you started?” World of difference in patron satisfaction, if you use the RUSA guidelines – sample scripts in Reference Interview. At least 60% of poor feedback is due to technical difficulties beyond our control. If no patron email, no transcript to patron. If patron gives email mid-session, can remember to copy and paste into pop-up box after session, or go into QRC, or go into library’s transcript.

Publicity/marketing

<> <>Word of mouth still best way – talk it up over desk, encourage patrons to use survey form. About 75% heard through public library, 50% used general AskNow URL. If you or patrons have Windows XP Service Pak 2, automatic pop-up blocker must be turned off before session. Last month, Donna Brown, Mill Valley YA librarian, demonstrated library website, catalog, databases, AskNow icon, and AskNow live; she took questions from the students and pointed out the variations in service among librarians and during the busy times. Advice to put link to service in as many places on web page as possible, i.e. home, catalog, homework, databases.

Other discussion

<>
Live reference via Instant Messenger in addition to AskNow – for after-school kids in particular. Can’t co-browse but can send URLs that they’ll click on. Marin County has debuted this. <>

Plug for DIG_REF listserv – great tool for keeping current. If interested in subscribing, go to http://www.vrd.org/Dig_Ref/dig_ref.shtml <>

Portal page – link to Instructions on configuring personal firewalls to allow live online reference sessions using 24/7 software. <>

Please don’t hesitate to contact Sue or Mary Beth!

Sue Barb: sue@247ref.org

<>Mary Beth Train: marybeth@247ref.org
(You may get a reply from qandacafe2001@yahoo.com)

Note taker: R. Nemer Editor: Mary Beth Train