Virtual Reference Realities

1. Virtual Reference Realities Current Research and Customer Feedback Karen Hyman & Peter Bromberg South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative Public Library Association Conference February 26, 2004

2. QandANJ…what is it? • An LSTA-funded project staffed by 37 libraries of all types in the NJ Library Network. • Free, interactive, search assistance on the Web. • Available 24/7. • Live since October 1, 2001. • 1500 live answers weekly and growing.

4. Libraries currently staffing QandANJ include: • Atlantic City Free Public Library • Burlington County College Library • Burlington County Library • Camden County Library • Centenary College • Cherry Hill Free Public Library • Cumberland County Library • Drew University Library • East Brunswick Public Library • Gloucester County College Library • Gloucester County Library • Hunterdon County Library • Livingston Public Library • Mercer County Library • Middlesex County College • Middletown Public Library • Millburn Public Library • Monmouth County Library • Montclair Public Library • Mount Laurel Library • New Brunswick Free PL • New Jersey City University • New Jersey State Library • Newark Public Library • Ocean County Library • Old Bridge Public Library • Piscataway Public Library • Princeton Public Library • Somerset County Library • South Brunswick Public Library • UMDNJ – Stratford • UMDNJ - Newark • Vineland Public Library • Wayne Public Library • West Deptford Public Library • West Orange Public Library • William Paterson University • Woodbridge Public Library

5. QandANJ…Why are we doing it? • Market libraries and library services • Meet needs and expectations of 21st century customer • Immediacy • Shock value • Go where the people are

8. QandANJuse

9. QandANJ…LSTA Funding history

10. QandANJ… Sessions 2002/2003

11. Collecting Customer Feedback • We used two surveys: • Pop-up survey captured immediate reaction • Follow-up survey filled out demographic picture, quality of experience and user behavior.

12. Collecting Customer Feedback • High response rate to feedback form (15-33%) • Quantity and Quality of data • 8500+ responses to pop-up, “reaction” survey • 250+ responses to follow-up survey • We have satisfaction and demographic information AND thousands of free-text comments.

13. Keeping it simple! • Radio buttons for quick answers • Comment boxes for more detail

14. 4 point, color-coded, scale. Optional email for follow- up survey Privacy statement

15. What are they telling us? • Results from “pop-up” customer feedback form, June 2002 – Oct 2003. • Total responses: 8745

16. What are they telling us?

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21. What are they telling us?

22. What are they telling us?

23. What are they telling us? Combined: 80.2%Satisfied Approximate “grade” equiv: 3.25

24. Our pop-up survey respondents were... • Often students • More female • Younger • Satisfied with service • Likely to use again

25. Follow-up Survey • We wanted more detail on customer demographics and satisfaction. • And to correlate with: • Library behaviors: past and future • Opinion of libraries • Demographics • 691 Customers provided emails • 251 Responded

26. Rating of Service: a solid B+ Overall Service: 3.62 Quality of Help: 3.69 Consistency: 3.55 Courteousness: 3.82 Convenience: 3.84 Ease of Use: 3.79 No tech. problems: 3.56 Accuracy: 3.46

27. Follow-up Survey Demographics • Female/male ratio (67/33) • Respondents tended to be older (only 13% under 18) • Ethnically diverse by heritage and languages spoken in the home (just like N.J.)

28. Follow-up Survey • Fairly educated (41% had attained more than a 4 year degree) • Computer literate. • 97%have a pc in their home • 88%use for word processing • 41%use for banking • 67%use for shopping • 43%used other chat-based services

29. Follow-up Survey Mostly Library Users, but not all... • 12% visit library yearly or less often • 4.2% NEVER seek help from a library when they have an information need.

30. Follow-up Survey Why do they visit the library? • 75%: Check out materials • 73 %: Research/Find Information • 59%: Browse • 40%: Get assistance from librarian • 25%: Study • 23%: Use library computers • 18%: Attend library programs • 10%: Attend non-library programs

31. Follow-up Survey QandANJ: Why do customers use us? • Expertise of librarian was cited as often as convenience and speed as reasons for using Q and A NJ. (66%) • “Like having a transcript” rated fairly low. (23.8%)

32. Follow-up Survey QandANJ Usage: Devoted Users! • 16% used service more than 10 times. • 27% used service more than 6 times. • 67% were repeat users. We must be doing something right!

33. Follow-up Survey QandANJ : How do customers find us? 35%: Link on library webpage 27%: Word of Mouth (friends, family, teacher) 13%: Article in paper or magazine 13%: Search Engine 9%: Posters/Bookmarks 7%: Link on non-library webpage 2%: Television

34. "How has your experience with QandANJaffected your opinion of libraries? Improved: 66% Not affected: 32.5% Worsened: 1.5%

35. Our follow-up survey respondents were... • Educated • Female • Older • Computer savvy • Library card holders • Satisfied

36. QandANJ… Real feedback from real users

37. QandANJ… Real feedback from real users • Interaction with a live person:“I was talking to a real person not a computer!” • Interaction with a nice person:“I liked that someone came on and didn’t make fun of me or anything about my question.” • Expertise of the librarian:“The librarian found information that my Mom and I had been looking for and could not find no matter where we looked.” • Always open:“I got the answers I needed, especially when the library was closed.” “[My] first contact was at 2 am Sunday morning.”

38. QandANJ… Real feedback from real users • The library came to me: “I am house-bound …this opportunity is greatly appreciated.” “I didn’t have to go out in the rain.” • Fast:“I like the fact that you get an immediate answer to your question instead of having to click on a hundred different links and still not find the information you need.” • Awesome: “I am continually astounded by this service and it’s results never cease to please.”

39. In other words… “The speed of getting precise information. The fact that it was free. The polite professionalism of the librarian. The fact that it is valuable information. The fact that you can access it 24 hours a day. The fact that libraries are keeping up with the future of accessing information and sharing that with the public. It is quite a wonderful, helpful thing.”

40. Conclusions and surprises • Our follow up survey people -- middle aged, educated, computer savvy, library users -- exist! • Many QandANJusers may be library users or more likely to try us out. • People still need help finding answers. • Taking live reference service to the web 24/7 makes this much difference!

41. Contact Information: Karen Hyman, Executive Director Peter Bromberg, Program Coordinator South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative 10 Foster Avenue, Suite F-3 Gibbsboro, NJ 08026 856 346-1222 FAX: 856 346-2839 Email: hyman@sjrlc.org and bromberg@sjrlc.org

42. is administered by the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative (SJRLC), a state tax-funded service of the New Jersey Library Network, and supported by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds administered by the New Jersey State Library. Headquartered in Gibbsboro, SJRLC is an organization of over 600 academic, public, school and special libraries in the southern seven counties and is one of four library cooperatives in New Jersey. A copy of this presentation and supporting materials can be found at: www.sjrlc.org/pla