Reflections of Reference Practice: Analyzing Virtual Reference Transcripts
This presentation by Marie L. Radford and Lynn Silipigni Connaway at the 2007 ALISE Conference outlines findings from the project "Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services." Analyzing over 750 transcripts, they highlight user experiences, wait times, session durations, and interaction barriers and facilitators. Funded by IMLS and conducted over two years, the study offers vital insights into virtual reference services, providing a comparative analysis of librarian and user perspectives, which will guide future improvements in library services.
Reflections of Reference Practice: Analyzing Virtual Reference Transcripts
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Presentation Transcript
Reflections of Reference Practice: Analyzing Virtual Reference Transcripts Presented by Marie L. Radford and Lynn Silipigni Connaway 2007 ALISE Conference Seattle, WA, January 15-18, 2007
Presenters • Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. • Associate Professor, • Rutgers University, SCILS • Email:mradford@scils.rutgers.edu • www.scils.rutgers.edu/~mradford • Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D. • Consulting Research Scientist • Email: connawal@oclc.org • www.oclc.org/research/staff/connaway.htm
Seeking Synchronicity:Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives • $1,103,572 project funded by: • Institute of Museum and Library Services $684,996 grant • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and OCLC, Online Computer Library Center, Inc. $405,076 in kind contributions
Seeking Synchronicity:Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives • Project duration • 10/1/2005-9/30/2007 • Four phases: • Focus group interviews* • Analysis of 1,000+ QuestionPoint transcripts • 600 online surveys* • 300 telephone interviews* *Interviews & surveys with VRS users, non-users, & librarians
24/7-QuestionPoint Transcript Analysis • Previous sample: 24/7 • July 7, 2004 through June 27, 2005 • 263,673 sessions • 25 transcripts/month = 300 total • New sample: QuestionPoint • December 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006 • 298,237 sessions • 50 transcripts/month= 450 total • Total transcripts analyzed: 750
6 Analyses • Geographical Distribution • Originating library • Librarian respondent • Type of Library • Wait Time & Session Time • Type of Questions • Katz/Kaske Classification • Subject of Questions • Dewey Decimal Classification • Interpersonal Communication • Radford Classification
VRS Session Times • Wait time • Mean – 1.87 Minutes • Median – 1 Minute • Minimum – 1 Second • Maximum – 67 Minutes • Session time • Mean – 12.42 Minutes • Median – 12 Minutes • Minimum – 12 Seconds • Maximum – 71 Minutes
Results Interpersonal Communication Analysis 2 Major Themes • Relational Facilitators • Aspects with positive impact on interaction that enhance communication. • Relational Barriers • Aspects with negative impact on interaction that impede communication.
Transcript Reading • Positive Transcript Example • Question Type: Ready Reference • Subject Type: Economics • Duration: 19 min., 21 sec. • Negative Transcript Example • Question Type: Subject Search • Subject Type: Parapsychology & Occultism • Duration: 7 min., 29 sec.
End Notes • This is one outcome from the project Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, & Librarian Perspectives, Marie L. Radford & Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Co-Principal Investigators. • Funded by IMLS, Rutgers University and OCLC, Online Computer Library Center, Inc. • Special thanks to Jocelyn DeAngelis Williams, Patrick Confer, Julie Strange, Susanna Sabolcsi-Boros, & Timothy Dickey. • These slides available at project website: http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/synchronicity/
