QuestionPoint Worldwide Cooperative Reference ICOLC Meeting September 19, 2002 Paul Cappuzzello, West Region Manager

Reference Challenges You’re Facing Increase your library’s visibility & web presence Make your library the first choice for high-quality reference service Reach new patrons Serve patrons where they are Expand reference availability

Overview What is QuestionPoint? What does it do for me and my users? How do I use it? Pricing? What’s coming in the future?

The QuestionPoint Solution Collaborative digital reference service Provides professional reference to users Low cost Hosted at OCLC No software to install Began as CDRS project –Library of Congress, OCLC, and library pilots with INCOLSA and METRO library groups –Built by librarians—for librarians

QuestionPoint Vision Help libraries provide professional reference service to users anywhere, anytime, through collaborative, web- based networks of libraries.

Global Your group reference Networks (branches, consortial) Your group reference Networks (branches, consortial) Commercial services (Ask-A Services) Subject Based Networks (law, medical) Subject Based Networks (law, medical) Regional Networks (state, National) Regional Networks (state, National) Your library reference staff Reference Professional Reference Professional Patron A Cooperative Model

QuestionPoint Participants Partners Special Libraries Public Libraries National LibrariesConsortia Ask-A Service Academic Libraries Professional Associations QuestionPoint

QuestionPoint Advantages Management and reporting support –Customize the interface –Create statistical reports –Manage user accounts with Q&A tracking Local & global knowledge bases Expanded access to varied expertise Chat and capability Enhanced communications –Browser sharing –Document sharing –Video or static picture to personalize library –Persistent button –And soon Voice over IP Integrates with other forms of reference

What you can do… with QuestionPoint Provide locally branded & customizable reference service using web forms, , and chat interaction with users Receive, respond to, track & manage users’ questions Route questions to peers locally & worldwide Receive quality answers quickly using peers and local & global knowledge bases

What you can do… with QuestionPoint Link your existing ask-a-librarian services to QuestionPoint Increase your library’s visibility Market to users with “persistent help button” on third-party web sites Complement existing bibliographic instruction program

What your users can do… with QuestionPoint Get quality and reliable information from trusted sources Chat and with you to get immediate information Share applications with you to gain from your experience Track and review their previously asked questions

QuestionPoint Global Component KnowledgeBaseQuestionManagementCommunication Options OptionsProfileInformation QuestionPoint Local/Regional Component KnowledgeBaseQuestionManagementCommunication Options Options The QuestionPoint System ProfileInformation

QuestionPoint Local/Regional Component Your Reference Group Institution Ref Lib LocalKBLocalKB Patron Global KB Profiled Inst 1 Question Assignment: In Your Library Ref Lib Patron-Library Communication Walk in/Phone Web Form Chat Voice* Video Patron-Library Communication Walk in/Phone Web Form Chat Voice* Video Ref Lib Institution Ref Lib

QuestionPoint Global Component Local/Regional Solution Submit question to global component Submit question to global component Question answered Global Knowledge Base Profile Information RefLib RefLib RefLib RefLib RefLib Request Manager Global Administration Q & A Editing Profile Global Solution

QuestionPoint’s Functional Highlights Interact –Work with your users on their terms using the most appropriate technologies & practices Cooperate –Leverage expertise and availability of your peers Build –Create shared resources, experiences & community Profile –Define your form of participation, availability, and expertise within the reference groups Manage –Identify trends by statistics, establish your brand with your patrons, track service metrics

Governance and Contribution LC and OCLC serve as organizing stewards Members on Advisory Board represent variety of library types (libraries, museums, state organizations, reference services…) Sub-committees address areas of –Legal –Membership –Implementation –Best practices Contribution –Answering questions from Global Reference Network –Adding completed Q&A to Global Knowledge Base –Editing Q&A in the Global Knowledge Base

QuestionPoint Pricing Annual subscription model based on “profiles” –A profile = a node on the global network –Reference “consortia” created by associating profiles –Unlimited use –Packages Global Network Access Local/Group Reference Network & Global Network Access Enhanced Communications Starting as low as $1,700 per profile/year –Discounts for contribution & consortia –International pricing available

QuestionPoint Pricing SubscribersGlobal NetworkLocal/Group Network & Global Network Local/Group & Global w/ enhanced comm. Contributing Subscriber $1,700$2,000$4,000 Non- contributing Subscriber $2,000$2,400$4,800 DiscountsGlobal NetworkLocal/Group Network & Global Network Local/Group & Global w/ enhanced comm. 1-5 Profiles 0% 6-10 Profiles10% Profiles15% Profiles30% Profiles40% 40+ ProfilesCustom Quote

The Future… Voice over IP Standards-based communication –Interoperability among reference networks and between local services/global network –NISO Standards Committee AZ for Networked Reference (ongoing) Automated routing at the local level Off hours and supplemental coverage Batch import of FAQs Public access to the global network

Demonstration Interacting With Your Users

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Cooperating With Others

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Defining Your Profile

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Building and Using the Knowledge Base

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Managing Your Reference Service

QuestionPoint Benefits Enables libraries to Take the lead as an information providerincreasing visibility and use of libraries & competing with web-based services Improve service to patronslinking them to subject experts and serving them anytime, anywhere Improve efficiencyrouting questions automatically to experts in libraries across town or around the world Reduce costsproviding affordable subscription pricing to an OCLC-hosted service Reach new usersincreasing visibility and use of libraries