Reference Renaissance Conference: Vendor Track

I am a volunteer here at Reference Renaissance; I will be hanging out in the vendor presentation room (track F) all Monday afternoon. Here's what went on:

H.W. Wilson
Bruce Preslan reported that H.W. Wilson employs over 100 MLS-degreed librarians; all of their articles are indexed by a humans; they use controlled vocabulary; their abstract writers have advanced degrees in the subject they are abstracting. Free trials of H.W. Wilson's databases are available on their website. Bruce showcased a few of his favorite features on Wilson Web:

• Have an ongoing interest in a topic? You can get relevant article alerts using RSS.
• H.W. Wilson's Art Museum Image Gallery offers an abundance of copyright-cleared images for educational purposes. The database features artworks from major museums from across the globe.
• No habla ingles? H.W Wilson features a translation service for their articles.
• The current issues database is a jumping point for full-text, unbiased articles about current events and hot issues. It also offers links to a host of websites H.W. Wilson has screened for quality and authority.
• Not sure if you should purchase that graphic novel? Check out Wilson's Graphic Novel Core Collection.
• Everyone loves full text... Search Reader's Guide Retro to find the articles you want, and then click on the link to the H.W. Wilson index to get the full-text article.

Tutor.com
Mary Elizabeth Gano, Melissa Harter and Erin McCaffrey shared details about how their mentoring process increases the quality of their virtual reference (Librarians by Request). Tutor.com currently employs approximately 30 librarians, and 6 mentors. The mentors essentially ascertain that Tutor's virtual librarians are doing a bang-up job. Their evaluation criteria is based on the RUSA guidelines, client/library feedback, and most especially, reference session transcript review and feedback.

OCLC's QuestionPoint 24/7 Reference
Lauri McIntosh presented info about OCLC's QuestionPoint service, it offers:

1. Chat
2. Email
3. Phone
   
4. Reports & admin functions- surveys, quality measures, transcript reviews, and patron satisfaction
   
5. Knowledge Base- previous searches that might prove useful in answering the question at hand.
   
6. Global Reference Network- tough questions are sent out to a collection of global libraries, so it gets the expert treatment.
   
7. 24/7 live reference- another opportunity to join up with a reference collective, so you don't have to man your virtual reference desk at 3 am.
   

By popular demand, QuestionPoint now features Qwidget. This is a customizable chat widget that can be offered on your website and database pages, in case your patrons need reference help as they navigate your library's offerings. Qwidget is fast; the patron can type in their question and avoid the time-consuming process of entering their account information. Patrons who provide an email address will get a transcript of the reference session.

QuestionPoint does not require patrons to download anything. No plug-ins either. Co-browsing does require Internet Explorer. Otherwise, patrons can start up the browser of their choice to use QuestionPoint. Librarians do need to use IE when they are answering online reference questions.

OCLC's QuestionPoint 24/7 reference cooperative includes 1400+ libraries in the U.S. and U.K. 14 states have signed on to use QuestionPoint for their state-wide 24/7 reference service. The coop employs 24/7 reference policies, standards and best practices.

Like Tutor.com (above), QuestionPoint incorporates quality control and mentoring, to make sure virtual librarians are following best practices.

QuestionPoint offers ongoing training, online classes (which are archived, in case you miss the live class), web-based tutorials and a QuestionPoint wiki and blog.

The Ovid and Greenwood Press presentations were canceled.

Reference Renaissance: Keynote w/ David W. Lewis

Are we witnessing the death of reference? Lewis doesn't think so (for now, anyhow), but he does think the times are a changin', making it high time to adapt and specialize if reference is to survive. And don't plan on things remaining the same; the profession is most definitely in flux.
Lewis shared a variety of resources you might want to check out:

• Clay Shirky's Here Comes Everybody
• Chris Anderson's Free!
• Kevin Kelley's Better than Free
• Clayton Christensen's Innovator books
  

Reference Renaissance Conference: Staff Training in the 21st Century

This session featured Michael Whitchurch (Brigham Young University, Utah), Leslie M. Hass (Loyola University, Chicago), Beth Jones (Jefferson County Public Library, Colorado) and Flora Shrode (Merril-Cazier Library, Utah State University).

A brief & incomplete recap:
Beth presented remotely using dimdim (the same virtual reference and web meeting tool the reference librarians use at JeffCo). JeffCo uses online learning modules to train their staff. Beth recommends Adobe Captivate, but also likes Adobe Presenter. Jeffco provides staff with training in downloadables and database use. They use Wet Paint wiki to collect, track and find tacit knowledge, and lessons staff have already learned about using the library district's e-resources. The future of online learning at JeffCo: resource sharing (libraries across the Front Range are sharing resources; visit CLiC for more info) video, and simulations, branching, game theory. Are you interested in training librarians to design eLearning simulation games? Beth recommends Engaging Learning by Clark Quinn.

Leslie hails from the Clark Information Commons at Loyola University (check it out; I appreciate their focus on collaboration, connectivity and community). Their model is so new, they find that their training must be flexible and responsive to the novel challenges and changes the Information Commons format presents. Administrators and organization theory buffs take note: they are finding they need to change policies on the fly. Everyone is logged in to IM while they are on the clock. Like JeffCo, they are using wikis to share information and findings. They are also creating a blog. They wish they had access to Blackboard, as they have found it is an effective training tool that many students already know how to use. They are also earning how to use webcams throughout the building, so students don't have to visit other desks in the building.

Flora's university library also features an Information Commons. They are trying to train all staff to answer question efficiently, so they can avoid bouncing library users from desk to desk throughout the building. The library employs IT student workers to help answer IT questions; Flora really likes this arrangement, and she encourages library staff to make friends with the "computer kids." They also employ student "peer mentors" who focus more on library and reference service. They use libstats to track reference questions. They are implementing an observation system this fall, to monitor reference staff performance. Training is face-to-face, and mostly on the spot. They subscribe to Lynda, an online software learning system. They use LibQual to track patron satisfaction. Flora also suggested that shelvers could use tablet PCs (if good WiFi is available), to answer stray reference questions in the disconnected stacks.

Michael's university trains students to answer basic reference questions. Their staff doesn't work on the desk, but they are available to answer the tougher reference questions student workers can't field. His advice about training student reference workers: train the student worker as best you can, and trust them to do the right thing. An audience member piped up and added: "It's also o.k. to train staff to say 'I don't know, but we'll find you the answer.'"

Many of the audience questions and comments focused on the differences between, and appropriate training for para-pros and MLS degreed reference librarians. This is a big issue at a lot of libraries, including my own. Do you agree? Is it time to revisit the core competencies for reference librarians and para-pros? Do we train everyone the same, or create separate learning platforms? Does your library have a single-point info desk, or the two traditional circ. and reference desks?

What new technologies does your library use to train reference staff?

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