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Reinventing Libraries in the Digital Age: QuestionPoint's Transformation Guide

Explore how libraries adapt to changing user needs and new technologies with QuestionPoint. Learn about the global reference network, real-time interactions, and best practices for librarians in an internet-driven world.

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Reinventing Libraries in the Digital Age: QuestionPoint's Transformation Guide

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  1. QuestionPoint: Making It Work For You April 2002 Diane Nester Kresh

  2. The Knowledge Challenge • Exponential growth of resources • New researchers with new needs and expectations • New opportunities • Going where the users are

  3. Multiple Communications Options Telephone Walk-in Patrons Surface Mail/Fax Chat Ask-A Web forms

  4. While The Tools Have Changed, The Work Has Not • Fundamental nature of librarianship has not changed • New technology tools to enhance delivery of information • Skill set evolution is necessary to adapt to new environment

  5. The Challenge for Librarians • Use traditional strengths to build new programs • Leverage the community of librarians and libraries worldwide • Acquire new skills • Redefine the role of librarians and libraries in the Internet age

  6. QuestionPoint is a Web-based LC-OCLC co-branded service that: • enables Internet user to ask questions of his/her local library • allows local library to escalate unanswered questions to other libraries within its cooperative • allows reference librarian to submit a question to global network

  7. QuestionPoint Components • Local/Regional Interface • Profile Database • Global Reference Network • Routing Manager • Access to hundreds of institutions • Knowledge Base • Administrative Interface • Usage Statistics and Reports • Patron Question Form (Templates)

  8. Members National Libraries Consortia Academic Libraries Professional Assn. Public Libraries QuestionPoint Unaffiliated Experts Partners ASK-A Services Special Libraries

  9. QuestionPoint Advisory Board • LC and OCLC co-chair • QuestionPoint members on board represent variety of library types • Committees to address: • Legal • Membership • Implementation • Best practices

  10. QuestionPoint Terminology • Patron: person who asks a question • Institution: L2L • Service Level Agreement: describes the scope of a member’s services • Local Network: Consortia + tools • Global Reference Network: formerly CDRS

  11. HowDoes ItWork?

  12. Real Time Local Interaction Librarian Chat window Patron Chat window Library web page Librarian Chat Monitor Web sites & databases Call others Look up In references Own knowledge Inst 1 Patron Local KB Ref Lib Ref Lib

  13. Offline Local Interaction Inst 2 Ref Lib Inst 3 Ref Lib Ref Lib Web sites & databases Call others Look up In references Own knowledge example Consortium Inst 1 Patron Ref Lib/ editor Ref Lib Local KB Library web page Ref Lib/ editor Ref Lib/ editor Patron email

  14. QuestionPoint Process Patron access via institution web pages Library Local/Regional Library Consortium A Library Local KB Individual Library Global KB Global Only Library Library Global Only Library Consortium B Library Global Only Library Library Library Global

  15. Member Profiling

  16. Best Fit • Step One - Exclusionary Elements: • Education Level Served • Weekly Quota Filled • Step Two - Best Fit Matching: • Subject 30% • Geographic Area 20% • Load Balancing 20% • Availability 20% • Format Expertise 10%

  17. Sample Q & A Set

  18. Knowledge Base • Editorial Board • Guidelines: • Copyediting, link checking • Add subjects and keywords for enhanced searching • Removal of patron • Identify need for later review • Volunteer editors from membership • 2,100 + records edited since December

  19. QuestionPoint Member Benefits • Extend traditional reference services • 24x7 service • Access to virtual collections • Access to subject/language specialists worldwide • Web-based (no software) • Reporting and tracking tools • Forge collaborative partnerships with other libraries and librarians • Develop digital reference best practices

  20. Before You Sign Up… • Consider staff buy-in • Daily workflow • Reference service policies • Identify patron needs • Patron access to reference librarians? • Questions submitted after hours? • Think about being a part of subject or type-based group/consortium

  21. Global Expansion: Issues • Language, literacy, and context • Accessibility and infrastructure • Cultural & political sensitivities • Digital divide • Intellectual property and service constraints • Trade agreements

  22. What’s Next?

  23. Timeline • Where we’ve been . . . • LC pilot & start up (98-00) • LC-OCLC initial partnership (01) • Where we’re going . . . • LC-OCLC phase 2 partnership • Version 1.0 Beta (March-May 02) • Version 1.0 release (June 02) • NISO Standards Committee AZ (ongoing)

  24. Pricing Model • Annual subscription model • Unlimited use • Packages = global only or local + global • Based on “profiles” • A profile = a sector on the global network • Reference “consortia” can be created by associating profiles • Begins at ~$2,000 per year per profile • Discounts for contribution and consortia

  25. QuestionPoint Futures . . • Standards-based communication • Interoperability among reference networks and between local services/global network • Automated routing at the local level • Off-hours and supplemental coverage • Batch import of local KBs (recon) • Public access to global network

  26. http://www.loc.gov/cdrs/ http://www.oclc.org/strategy/reference/cdrs/

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