1. Virtual Reference Is it making a difference? Librarian Wallenius Leddy Library, University of Windsor

2. Basics about our Virtual Reference • Software • Staffing • Hours of access • Level of service provided

3. Structure of HumanClick How the system can work: Chat 1 - library personnel 1 Chat 2 - library personnel 1 Chat 3 - library personnel 2 Chat 4 - library personnel 3

15. Chat texts

16. Chats continued

18. Chats (continued) • Librarian: Hi, You are now chatting with a librarian. How can I help you? • Visitor: I am in Management Information Systems and I was wondering if it is possible to sign-out a copy of the course textbook or if there is a copy at the library to begin with • Librarian: You need to search the library online catalogue to determine if we have the textbook. • Visitor: can i do that from my home computer or do i need to search it from the library? • Librarian: Then come with the call number to retrieve the book from either circulation or course reserves. • Librarian: Yes you can search from there. • Librarian: It is on our webpage at the upper right side under the Chat with a librarian logo. • Librarian: You msut come to borrow it however. • Librarian: must • Visitor: ok thank you very much • Librarian: your welcome • Librarian: bye

19. Types if questions asked • Majority of questions were reference • Access to online materials • Access problems were very common, but less often than reference • Interlibrary loans • Refworks or citation style questions • University question • Others

20. Types of questions continued • Location in library of materials • Renewals or fines • High school students • Printers or software

21. Conclusions • Continue to offer VR • Actually begin a marketing plan for VR • Formalize staffing at least for parts of the day • Consider how to expand to weekends • Possibly expand evening hours • Formal evaluation of services

22. Questions