Digital Reference: Issues, Implications,

1
Digital Reference Issues, Implications,
Impressions

• Roy Tennant
• California Digital Library

2
An Explanation...

• I support digital, global, 24x7 reference
  efforts
  
• I will focus on issues and possible problems so
  that we are better prepared to avoid or deal with
  them
  
• Got it?

3
Outline

• Email Reference Issues
• Real-Time Digital Reference Issues
• 24x7 Reference Issues
• Global Reference Issues
• General Issues
• Winning Strategies
• Risks of Failure
• Implications of Success

4
Email Reference Issues

• No visual cues
• Time delay
• Difficulty in conducting a reference interview

5
Real-Time Digital Reference Issues

• No visual cues
• Not everyone is articulate (or fast) at a
  keyboard
  
• It is difficult to say look at this for print
  materials
  
• It may be more difficult to keep the patron happy
  (busy) while we try to find the answer to the
  question (remember, no visual cues)

6
24x7 Reference Issues

• If in the same time zone, who wants to work the
  graveyard shift?
  
• If not the same time zone, good coordination,
  planning and management across state and country
  boundaries is essential, and
  
• Equity issues will arise will we answer more
  questions than they do? does it cost more in
  Australian to answer a question than in US ?
  Will our local users suffer?

7
Global Reference Issues

• Different cultural backgrounds
• Language differences
• Reference tool differences
• Mundane but frustrating issues paper sizes,
  etc.
  
• Patron/Librarian disconnect patron assuming
  proximity of the librarian

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Global Reference Issues contd

• We know less about other countries than they know
  about us (and television is only partly to
  blame)
  
• A little test what office holds executive power
  in Australia?
  
• So how are we to help their patrons?
• The U.S. is idiosyncratic (does metric system
  ring any bells?) and myopic and wed better
  figure out how to deal with it

9
General Issues

• Not all reference is created equal
• Butsome is better than none

10
Winning Strategies

• Establish protocols (what to answer, when and how
  to refer, etc.)
  
• Create a common digital ready reference
  collection for digital reference librarians
  
• Create a fail-over methodology
• Train all participants offer cross-training/fell
  owships
  
• Academic libraries may be most successful with
  subject-based reference networks

11
Winning Strategies contd

• Create or use an existing directory of reference
  network member library web sites and catalogs
  (e.g., http//www.libdex.com/)
  
• Create cheat sheets for searching catalog systems
  of member sites, common databases, etc.
  
• Set up librarian workstations to scan and share
  pages from print materials
  
• Create instant consoles

12
The Instant Console

• Patron is linked to home library by entering
  patron number or some other identifier when
  asking a question
  
• When the request comes in, the librarian
  automatically sees the console for that library
  (created by local staff)
  
• The console includes search boxes for the
  librarys catalog and web (or links) and links to
  key resources

13
Risks of Failure

• It will be more difficult to try again
• Others now in the online question-answering space
  will have more time to solidify their hold
  
• Our users needs will continue to go unfulfilled
• Well look stupid! (just kidding)

14
Implications of Success

• Patron expectations will exceed our ability to
  deliver (so what else is new?)
  
• Any book, any time, anywhere, at little or no
  cost
  
• There will be no going back