Dear Colleagues
On January 4th we posted a survey on to LIS-LINK regarding Virtual
Reference Software and obtained 5 replies. 6 other libraries expressed
an interest in the results of this survey.
These were the questions
A Evaluation
1.Have you evaluated any virtual reference software packages or are you
about to?
2.If so which one(s)
B Use of virtual reference software
If you have implemented virtual reference software in your library:
3. For which categories of library user is the software helping you to
provide services?
4. What sort of enquiries do you answer using this software?
5. Do you use
5.1 co-browsing features
5.2 chat facilities
5.3 other features (please specify)
6. Does the use of virtual reference software complement or replace
other existing enquiry services such as face to face enquiries, e-mail
and telephone enquiries?
7. Has the number of enquiries that you receive been affected by
implementation of virtual reference software? If so, how?
C Reasons for not using virtual reference software
8. If you evaluated virtual reference software but decided not to
implement it, could you say why this type of software does not meet your
library's needs?
These are the results of the survey
Using and/or evaluating virtual reference software
5 libraries are using virtual reference software.
2 libraries have evaluated a software package which they are not using
having selected another one
Categories of user - replies
Mainly distance learners, some full time students off campus. On campus
use discouraged
All library users
Remote users and external users
Library users on campus referred from a basic library help desk to a PC
(2 libraries gave this response)
1 Library was using co-browsing facilities
2 Libraries using chat facilities
Main use effectively as traditional e-mail for most others
Effects on other services
In 3 libraries VRS complements other services
In 2 libraries it is used to replace face to face Information Desk
interviews
Not intended to replace traditional e-mail enquiries but in practice
this may have happened
Type of enquiries
In 2 cases IT and password enquiries
In 3 cases - detailed reference enquiries passed to subject librarians
Have no of enquiries increased?
Only in one case is this definite.
Reasons for not using/considering VRS
Would take up too much time and money both in evaluating and using. Chat
facilities considered especially time consuming.
Barbara Humphries (LSE Library)
|