1. What are they asking?
An analysis of questions asked at in-person and virtual service points.

2. Questions about Questioning
What are the different categories of patron inquiry?
Are there differences in the types of patron inquiry at different service points?
In-person
Telephone
Chat

3. Defining categories of inquiry
Current data collection models at the Information Desk and Reference Desks
Create categories based on current questions – free from preconceived “librarian” categories.
Not sources used to answer question
Not subject of inquiry (another study?)
What did patron want?

4. Data collection Date/time Mode of communication Essence of question
Does UIUC own x journal?
I need help finding articles on imagery in Led Zepplin songs
How do I find book reviews?
Can I renew my books?
How do I log into Web of Science?

5. Creating the categories
Initial week of data collection at the Reference Desk + chat and
Researcher and unit head separately examined questions
Determined categories
Compared notes
Discussed and defined a single set of categories
Several iterations as we collected more data

6. Categories – final take
Catalog/Database functionality
Database Access
Gateway Navigation
Interlibrary Loan (could be considered part of Known Item)
Known Item
Library Policies
Miscellaneous
Research Assistance
Specific Information (ala ready reference)

7. Defining Service points
Two Desks – Reference and Information
For this study, looked at the two desks combined.
Four modes of communication – Chat, , In-person, Telephone
Undergraduate Library also answers chat; since patrons see chat as a single service, we did not divide out questions answered by different desks

8. Data Collection Week One Fall 2001 11/26-12/2
Questions collected by staff for in-person and via telephone
Chat and harvested from software
Week Two
Spring /31-4/6
Questions collected by staff for all modes of interaction

9. Just the facts – mode of communication
1109 questions examined
Week 1 – 548
Week 2 – 525
Chat 19.6% of total (19.3% of week 2)
7.2% (5%)
In-person 51.3% (49.5%)
Telephone 21.8% (26.1%)

12. Comparison – question type as percent of communication mode
Chat
In Person
Telephone
Catalog/Database Functionality
8.7
3.8
5.4
5.8
Database Access
5.5
5.0
.07
2.5
Interlibrary Loan
3.7
13.8
4.6
2.1
Known Item
20.2
23.8
37.3
26.9
Library Policies
12.8
8.8
6.2
13.2
Miscellaneous
4.1
7.5
7.2
10.3
Navigation of Gateway
8.3
33.7
Research Assistance
29.8
30.9
11.2
Specific Information
6.9
10.0
5.6
24.4

13. Comparison – question types by mode of communication (all weeks)

14. Conclusions and Questions
High percent of Known Item questions across all modes of communication. Highest for in-person – why?
Does the choice of mode of communication reflect a pattern of use? Hypothesis: Patrons research from their homes/offices and come into the library for known items. (How to test?)

15. Conclusions and Questions
Virtual questions for online functions (database access, catalog functionality, gateway navigation).
Research Assistance highest for chat, even though we do not consider this an effective use of chat. How do we respond to this demand?
Overall low percent for Specific Information Implications for training/collections?

16. Thank you M. Kathleen Kern
What Are They Asking? An analysis of questions asked at in-person and virtual service points.
9th Annual Reference Research Forum
June 22, 2003