2. Electronic Outreach Services for Library Users
HELP from afar:
Electronic Outreach Services for Library Users
Kathrine Montgomery
January 31, 2001

3. The Changing Face of Libraries:
Proliferation of electronic resources
Home/office computers allow for increased remote access
Distance - convenience
Time constraints (age of 24/7 stores, why not 24/7 access to resources)

4. What is outreach?
Extending of services or assistance beyond current or usual limits; the extent of such services or assistance (MW)
Any service or method that provides added access to library resources

5. Why bother with outreach?
Countless new resources
Difficult to know where to search
All online sources are not equal
Web and electronic resources - broad but not deep
Don’t forget the paper!
Librarians have difficulty keeping up with new products and services - so is it any wonder that our patrons are having difficulty
there are so many places to look for information on the same topic - multiple science databases, how to search, where to look
Proquest isn’t enough? Many students are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of places to look for information and many don’t understand that searching the web is not the same as searching FirstSearch. (But my professor said I couldn’t use anything from the web.)
Academic sources vs. web sources
Full text vs. citation only (but it says it’s online)
timed out
while most are internet savvy, some don’t know how to use a browser, which means that many resources are not available to them
Important to help students and faculty determine
what is available
what are different resources used for
how do you use the resource itself

6. Varieties of outreach
Reference
Instruction
Informative
Combination

7. Reference Aid with choosing appropriate sources
Aid with search terms/techniques
Allows contact with a librarian
Way of introducing face-to-face time

8. Reference HOW? Phone reference Email reference Video reference
Chat reference
Combination
Can start to gather FAQs and pathfinders - but these need to be tested as well
phone - synchronous, but only available during library hours
Some non-verbal communication (tone, inflection) but still lacking, if using phone line, they must hang up and log on in order to access resources
- asynchronous, more time to think, formulate response
More work? - might miss question, etc.
Sent directly to one person, subject specialist
assigned, or claimed
Eileen Abels RQ “the reference interview - forms used during interview were most effective
These forms can be used after initial request or for the actual request
Can also be used to collect statistics on use
video? - U of M, UCI
Chat? on line reference at a specific time - chat reference
MOO - multi user object oriented environment
Combination - w/phone, face-to-face
HOW?

9. Form vs. Function Materials sought Clarification of purpose
Form of materials sought
Clarification of purpose
Background information
Sources already used
Use statistics

10. Instruction What resources are available - and when to use them
What kind of information can be found in each resource
How to conduct a search
What to do with the results
There are several ways to affect instruction to outside library users
First - combination with reference - instead of giving answer - teach users about the resource while doing it. IPL example, never just give the answer - explain thought process to come up with the answer - search strategies, etc.
instruction - what resources, when, how, why

11. Instruction In combination with reference services
Guides/pathfinders/help sheets
Test effectiveness of the guides
Are they being used?
Are they written for users or by information scientists?
Diane Nahl Reference Services Review “Creating user-centered instructions for novice end-users”
Language
objective
teach what they need to know
Help pages
guides/FAQs/pathfinders
provide answers to FAQs
survey/focus groups

12. Informative Email notices of interest to groups Web bulletin board
New products
Services - Electronic and on-site
Web bulletin board
Library web site

13. Combination
Work with faculty to integrate reference, instruction, and informational updates with relevant courses
Course web pages
Blackboard

14. Recommendations Survey or other evaluation methods
What do users want?
What do users need?
What is the most effective way to provide products/services?
Start with test programs to gauge effectiveness
Coming from the School of information at the University of Michigan one things was emphasized - user needs and user needs assessments - it is a very user oriented environment
Read lit - try new programs out
start small and consistently re-evaluate

15. Conclusions
Vital to know what your user group wants and needs - especially since it can change
Important to stay abreast of new technology
Be creative - try out new techniques as well as new technology
Be flexible - be willing and able to adapt to the changing environment
Stay abreast of emerging technology - both in the library community as well as in the computer science and Information technology department - often the “techies’ won’t realize what implications newly instituted technology might have for the library community
The most important thing that I have learned is to be flexible - be willing and able to adapt to a changing environment - not only is technology changing, but the knowledge of our user group as well as their expectations are also changing - being willing to adapt and function with these changes is extremely important in order for the library to remain a vital part of the university
repeated surveys, interviews, focus groups - what ever method is the most useful to evaluate present services and to gauge the need for new/additional services

16. Kate Montgomery kmontgo@umich.edu
HELP From Afar
Kate Montgomery

17. Example: IPL

18. Example: IPL

19. IPL Reference Form

20. IPL Reference Form

21. IPL Reference Form