No map, no compass, no hope for survival? Repurposing our online reference collection Wendy Rodgers :: University of Guelph Deborah Wills :: Wilfrid Laurier University OLA Super Conference :: Toronto :: Feb. 2, 2006

What is an e-reference collection? A page or set of pages with links to free web resources, or to a mix of free and subscription resources.

Changing environment More subscription tools available Campus portals, Web CT/Blackboard User behaviour Start at search engine, not library Often choose search over navigation Want/expect to be self-sufficient

What are libraries doing now? Examined 200 academic library web sites Nearly 80% have e-ref; 90% Canadian Over 60% link from home page Most names include Reference Variety rules Signs of neglect...

Benefits Browsable, vetted resources Highlight hidden subscription resources Content tailored to local needs Can be presented at point-of-need

Challenges Time-consuming Hard to package and label Hard to control Is anyone using it?

A word about Google... It may have the right answer, but you have to ask the right question Maintain list of sources, or teach them how to search Google better, or both?

Survey 121 libraries Canada/U.S. response rate: 57% Summertime in Australia: 13% response

How old is your collection? 7 years or older – 37% 4 to 6 years – 33% 4 years or younger – 25%

Have you done usability testing? Yes – 12% Examples: Finding encyclopedia article Nebraska Memorial Rochester on usability

Do you keep use statistics? Yes – 41% Just over half of 41% have analyzed them Use increased – 25% Use stayed same – 2% Use decreased – 0% Example: Washington

Do you have a marketing strategy? Yes – 25% Examples: User groups Reference staff: Purdue Administrators: Minnesota Alumni: Purdue Faculty: St. Ambrose Students: various

How has your collection changed? Content increased – 71% Content decreased – 6% Collection more prominent – 41% Collection less prominent – 8% Listings moved/copied: Subject/course guides – 31% Library catalogue – 12%

What s in a name? Name has changed – 31% Virtual reference has new meaning Reference Desks changing names Usability studies and reference

Do you use a database? Yes – 16%

Approaches Back to the catalogue (Kansas) Vendor (Pittsburgh) Subject/course integration (Ohio, Sask.) Blogging (Kansas City Public) Social tagging (Pennsylvania)

Audience We have created and organized our ready reference pages in our own image... - Theresa Mudrock

Front-end recommendations Avoid jargon (Reference?) Annotate listings Diversify access points Add search box/metadata Contextualize Highlight

Back-end recommendations Use a database Use the database: Catalogue Keep and analyze use statistics Weed as well as add: Quick reference Run link-checking software Use staff Intranet

Marketing Spotlight resources/categories Package/position for audiences Make it new Make it relevant Advertise, advertise, advertise

American thanksgiving Barbara Alvarez, U. Rochester Tara Baillargeon, Kansas State U. Mary Barton, U. Nebraska, Kearney Tom Diamond, Louisiana State U. Vicki Glasgow, U. Minnesota Stella Herzig, St. Ambrose U. John Hubbard, U. Wisconsin, Milwaukee Erik Kraft, U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Gretchen Stephens, Purdue U. Sarah Wenzel, Columbia U.

Canadian thanksgiving Susan Beatty, U. Calgary Gillian Byrne, Memorial U. Newfoundland Valerie Gibbons, Lakehead U. Genevieve Gore, McGill U. Rae Hazelwood, U. Lethbridge Charlotte Innerd, Nipissing U. Kay Johnson, Athabasca U. Heather Sanderson, St. Marys U Judy Senecal, Carleton U. Doug Suarez, Brock U. Australia: Chris Taylor, U of Queensland

No map, no compass, no hope for survival? Repurposing our online reference collection Wendy Rodgers :: University of Guelph Deborah Wills :: Wilfrid Laurier University OLA Super Conference :: Toronto :: Feb. 2, 2006