REF-DELIVERY project plan: electronic reference service

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study is to compare the service levels of in-depth reference and research support services in Chinese university libraries. The samples in this study included three groups: 20 libraries from the top 100 Chinese universities, 20 midwest provincial university libraries in China, and 20 coastal provincial university libraries in China. The in-depth reference and research support services of these libraries were studied through online investigation, case study, and analysis. The results revealed that the reference services of the libraries from the top 100 Chinese universities rated superior to those of the provincial university libraries. The midwest provincial university libraries had fewer reference services than the coastal provincial university libraries. The reference services supplied by the agricultural university library were rated as the most useful, followed by science and technology, engineering, and medical university libraries, respectively. And, WeChat and QQ were useful tools that had Chinese characteristics.

The study focuses on the use of reference sources and services by students in ACE Library, Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria. Reference sources are materials in the reference section while reference services are rendered by reference librarian in meeting the information need of users in the library. The study surveyed 405 students comprising 183 and 222 Degree and NCE students respectively from the five schools in the College. Questionnaire was used to collect data. All the 405 questionnaires that were administered were returned and found valid for analysis. The findings of the study among others show that 246(60.7%) had good understanding of what reference materials are; 222 (54.8%) have good understanding of what reference service entails and 295(72.8%) make use of reference materials in the College Library. The major challenges confronting the students in the use of reference materials include very old materials 82 (20.2%) and time wastage when searching for materials 75 (18.5%). It could be concluded that students make use of reference materials and have understanding of reference sources and services probably because both the Degree and NCE students have compulsory courses in Library Instruction Programme and Introduction to Library Studies respectively. From findings of the study, it could be recommended that new reference materials should be acquired to cover all courses and reference librarian should organise orientation for the students on the use of reference materials in the library. Keywords: Reference, Sources, Services, Students, Education, Ondo, Nigeria.

Summary As electronic reference services become routine in many libraries, it is time to systematically examine how they are being implemented and used. Unfortunately, few libraries have rigorously examined their electronic reference services. We still know very little about who uses electronic reference services or why. We also do not know how satisfied our users are with the new services we are providing. This article provides an overview of the chief methodologies available for conducting assessments of electronic services (e.g., surveys, usability studies, observation, etc.). Existing criteria for evaluating reference services are discussed with suggestions for how they can be applied or adapted to the online service environment.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to highlight some of the apps currently available that can assist library personnel in reference and information services.Design/methodology/approach– Initially, 101 apps were identified as possible options for reference and information services. Through various evaluation methods, the list was reduced to 25 apps. Apps were excluded due to cost, function, reviews, currency and usability. Other apps were merely excluded due to time and length concerns of the publication.Findings– Overall, the apps included could be utilized by library staff in reference and information service, though not all are ideal in all library settings due to the requirement of subscriptions and user audiences.Originality/value– While there have been in recent years quite a few articles and books published on apps for librarians, there is very little published on how exactly librarians can use apps to answer reference questions and assist patrons. This article does not attempt to answer the greater question of app application in reference services, but does attempt to identify and evaluate apps that could be used in those instances. With more research and tablet and app training, librarians can begin to more effectively utilize apps at the service desk.

The University of Illinois Crawford Library of the Health Sciences at Rockford (CLHS-R) has been serving University of Illinois College of Medicine faculty, students, and staff and the area community since 1972. CLHS-R is a regional academic health sciences library for the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The mission of the UIC University Library includes “ensuring that faculty, students and other users have access to a broad and diversified range of scholarly resources” and “engaging in outreach to the community” [1]. In keeping with this mission, CLHS-R welcomes members of the community into the library and provides borrowing privileges to Illinois residents with proper identification. The collection at CLHS-R primarily focuses on the curriculum and research needs of the faculty, students, and staff from the colleges of medicine, nursing, and public health. The secondary focus of the collection is on consumer health. At CLHS-R, the consumer health collection has been pulled from the regular collection and resides in a quiet reading area in the back of the library that offers privacy. Providing health information to consumers is a common practice among academic health sciences libraries [2, 3]. The purpose of this study is to examine the trends in reference services usage provided by CLHS-R from 1990 through 2009. Numerous articles can be found in the literature discussing the most efficient method of staffing the reference desk [4, 5]. Many studies have also asked if the reference desk should be eliminated completely [6–8]. At CLHS-R, the traditional reference desk has been phased out even though patrons still walk in the door and need assistance. Using a triage approach, patrons come to the user services desk to request assistance. The library staff member at the user services desk determines the difficulty of the question and handles the query directly or refers the patron to a reference librarian. Training of the library staff is critical so that the reference questions are handled properly. Over the past two decades, the method of providing reference services has changed dramatically [9–12]. The explosion of the Internet has changed the way libraries provide reference services today [13–16]. Overall traditional reference transactions have declined, while electronic reference questions have increased [17]. The author asked, “Who is really using the reference services at CLHS-R and why?” Knowing who is using reference and why should help reference librarians plan for the future.

A review of:
 
 Bradford, Jane T., Barbara Costello, and Robert Lenholt. “Reference Service in the Digital Age: An Analysis of Sources Used to Answer Reference Questions.” The Journal of Academic Librarianship 31.3 (May 2005): 263-72.
 
 Objective – To test the hypothesis that electronic sources are used by librarians more often than print sources to answer questions at the reference desk.
 
 Design – Use study.
 
 Setting – Small, private university in the United States.
 
 Subjects – Five full-time and two part-time librarians working at the reference desk for four months (two months in the fall of 2002, and two months in the spring of 2003).
 
 Methods – The study recorded every question asked by library patrons during the two study periods, with the exception of non-library related directional questions and hardware problems. For each question recorded, librarians, while working solo at the reference desk, paraphrased the question and recorded the source(s) used to answer each question. Although questions were recorded regardless of source – in person, via email, or by telephone – the medium in which each question was asked and answered was not recorded. For the first half of the study period (fall 2002 semester), librarians kept manual records that were subsequently transcribed into a spreadsheet by a student assistant. In the second half of the study period (spring 2003 semester), the librarians entered data directly into a spreadsheet. The study’s data monitor (who was also a study participant) was responsible for ensuring the integrity of the data and for assigning a category to each source. The source category ‘librarian’ was problematic in that it was unclear whether or not the actual source of the answer was the librarian or a source located by the librarian. After the first half of the study, the procedure was changed to require that a reference librarian was to label a source used to answer a question as ‘librarian’ only if the answer came from a librarian’s own knowledge, and if it did not require consultation of an outside source. Categories were generated on the fly, as the data monitor reviewed the recorded questions and sources. By the end of the study, 23 categories had emerged. While all sources for answers were categorized, questions themselves were not. During the second part of the study, the gender of the patron asking the question at the reference desk was also recorded.
 
 Main results –The results for the fall 2002 and spring 2003 semesters were similar. For the entire study period, librarians used a total of 3,487 sources to answer 2,491 questions. Sources fell into 23 different categories. The top 5 categories used to answer reference questions were databases (23.92%), librarians (23.6%), library catalogue (15.03%), internal Web page (12.27%), and reference books (9.38%). The top five categories accounted for 84.2% of all sources used. For 75% of the questions, librarians referred to a single source for an answer. Almost 60% of the sources used to answer questions were electronic. Of the internal Web pages used to answer questions, the library’s online journal title listings accounted for 76%. Reference books were used to answer questions in less than 10% of cases. Less than 2% of the library’s print reference collection (173 of 9,587 titles) was consulted to answer reference questions during the study period. The approximate 60:40 ratio of questions asked by female to male patrons corresponded to the university’s student body ratio.
 
 Conclusion – The results of this study confirm the researchers’ hypothesis that librarians use electronic sources with greater frequency than they use print sources to answer patrons’ reference questions. The surprising finding in this study is the proportion (approximately one quarter) of reference questions answered by the librarians themselves, without the need to consult an outside source, either print or electronic. The study suggests that a large proportion of the reference collection goes unused in answering patrons’ questions and that librarians often answer a question using only a single a source of information. A reshelving study analyzing use of the reference collection is underway to supplement the results of the current study.

대학도서관의 조직과 인원이 이용자와 서비스를 중심으로 바뀌어 가는 과정에서 나타나기 시작한 주제별 자료실 조직구조는 국내 185개 대학도서관중 56개 도서관(30.2%)이 채택하고 있는 것으로 조사되었으며 지속적으로 그 수가 늘고 있는 것으로 파악되었다. 이에 따라 보다 한국적 상황에 맞게 적용시키고 효과를 극대화하기 위해서는 자관의 현실과 상황을 고려한 체계적인 절차와 과정을 통해 준비되어져야 할 필요가 있다. 또한, 적용모델에 있어서는 국내 대학도서관 현실과 물리적 지원의 한계를 고려할 때 도서관의 전체적인 조직구조에 있어서는 기존의 기능별조직을 유지하고 자료구분 및 참고봉사를 포함한 이용자 서비스 부분만을 주제별조직구조로 유지하는 혼합형 구조가 바람직하며 인적요소와 조건이 충족될 경우 일체형 구조를 지향하는 것이 바람직한 것으로 파악되었다. It is searched that 56 out of 185 university libraries(30.2%) has adopted 'subject specialization' organization. This 'subject specialization' emerged when university libraries began to care about their users and services for them more than other factors in planning and structuring their organization. The number of university libraries which try to adopt that organization has been continuously increasing. To settle 'subject specialization' in the university libraries under Korea's proper condition and to maximize its effect, each library should consider one's own conditions and step the reasonable procedure in adopting that system. Considering the similar condition which the university libraries in Korea face such as shortage of material support, 'Mixed Model of subject specialization" is reasonable, which means in whole structure of library function-oriented organization is adopted and in Reference Service, subject specialization is adopted. However, the ideal and final destination of Korea's university libraries is the adoption of 'Full subject specialized model": it can be reached when they are supported by sufficient human resources and good conditions.

The integrative service of borrowing, reading and reference in university libraries is convenient for teachers and students, because it facilitates their accessing to information resources and improves the information resource utilization. However, it has a number of disadvantages. In order to better implement the integrative service of borrowing, reading and reference, it is necessary to take some measures to correct the deficiencies to conform to the requirements of the development of the times.

Examining differences and similarities between graduate and undergraduate students' user satisfaction with digital libraries

“Good luck on your first day as an assistant professor, Dr. Tanner! Have a great class!” On the wall above my desk, these words scream out from an otherwise encouraging note that is adorned with many exclamation points. This note has hung on my wall since my very first day as an Assistant Professor of Biology. As I was charging off to teach my first class, a senior faculty member who had been on my hiring committee slipped this note under my office door. In moments of pause years later, I still stare up at that note and breathe a sigh of relief that I had much more than luck to guide me on my first day as a college-level teacher. Although I continue to have much to learn—as all of us do no matter the number of years of teaching experience—I did arrive at the university with both formal and informal training in science education. I had had plenty of exposure to innovative pedagogical approaches, questioning strategies, and techniques for engaging diverse audiences in learning science. As a scientist educator, I had had the privilege of many years of collaboration with outstanding K–12 educators as well as a postdoctoral fellowship in science education. However, my training has been, to say the least, unconventional compared with that of my fellow junior faculty and unique in its preparation in regard to the teaching and learning of my discipline. It will not be news to anyone reading this article that university and college teaching is to a large extent a profession with no formal training. It’s startling but true that the majority of faculty members—and lecturers who often teach large numbers of students—have no formal training in the teaching and learning of their discipline. In fact, the hiring process in university science departments is structured primarily to evaluate a faculty candidate’s ability to be a productive researcher, with success measured in number of publications and magnitude of grant funds raised. Depending on the type of institution, for example, research university, state-level university, or liberal arts college, there may be a component of the faculty interview process that probes a candidate’s teaching ability, for example, requesting a statement of teaching philosophy and requiring the candidate to teach a sample lecture class. However, this sample lecture often screens for gross inadequacies, rather than looking for stellar innovations or pedagogical skills. This lack of formal, accredited training for university and college instructors stands in stark contrast to the requirements for a high school teacher who is charged with the education of students only a year junior to college freshmen. High school teachers in the United States must be credentialed as a secondary science teacher, demonstrate subject matter competency in every subject that they will be teaching, and must continually engage in professional development in the teaching and learning of their discipline throughout their career as a science teacher. With the 2002 federal No Child Left Behind legislation, the onus is upon each precollege science teacher to become “highly qualified” in terms of formal university-level training in science education. However, no such required professional training or measurable standards for teaching are required in institutions of higher education. Many policy documents have suggested standards of teaching practice in postsecondary science education (National Research Council, 1996, 1997; Siebert and McIntosh, 2001), but the extent of implementation of these ideals is unclear and has gone relatively unstudied, although national and regional accreditation boards do look at outcomes, asking colleges and universities to assess what their students have gained from four years of study at their institutions. Nonetheless, there is a striking reversal of accountability that happens when one crosses the precollege teaching to college-level teaching boundary (Table 1). During the K–12 school years, society expects K–12 teachers to be responsible for student learning. Salaries of teachers in many states are tied to student test scores, and poor student performance can potentially invoke penalties. At a college or university, several variables in the educational universe shift. Students are the ones responsible for learning. The evaluation and compensation of college-level teachers is not DOI: 10.1187/cbe.05–12–0132 Address correspondence to: Kimberly Tanner (kdtanner@sfsu.edu). CBE—Life Sciences Education Vol. 5, 1–6, Spring 2006

The study examined the extent to which users are satisfied with reference and circulation services provision by agricultural research libraries in Nigeria. Descriptive survey method was used for the study. Through purposive sampling six agricultural research libraries: (three university of agricultural libraries and three agricultural research institute libraries) were selected from three out of six agricultural zones of Nigeria. A total of 701 respondent’s, 241 from agricultural research institute libraries and four hundred and sixty (460) users from university of agricultural libraries were obtained in this study. The study finds out that reference and circulation services were highly provided by the agricultural research libraries in Nigeria. Majority of the users were satisfied with both the reference and circulation services provision by the agricultural research libraries. However, referral service and shelf management of books were rated dissatisfied. Irregular internet services, expensive, internet services, outdated material and staff unresponsiveness were some of the constraints to user satisfaction. The study recommended that there is need for librarian to design system that can facilitate and enhance referral services between the library and users. Adequate shelf management system that would allow proper shelf arrangement of books should also be put in place. Key words: Africa, agricultural research, libraries, shelf management, books.

المستخلص: هدفت الدراسة إلى تحديد متطلبات توظيف المنصـات الـرقمية في التعليم کما يدرکها أعضـاء هيئة التـدريس والطـلابحيثاستخدمت الدراسة المنهج الوصفي التحليلي واعتمدت على أدوات قياس طبقت على مجتمع الدراسة الأول على عينة قوامها (305) من أعضاء هيئة التدريس بجامعة الفيوم ، والثانية على عينة قوامها (380) من طلاب وطالبات جامعة الفيوم . توصلت الدراسة إلى عدد من النتائج تتمثل فيما يلي: أوضحت نتائج الدراسة أسباب عزوف أعضاء هيئة التدريس عن توظيف المنصات في التعليم من وجهة نظرهم أهمها: عدم وجود وعي کافي لدى أعضاء هيئة التدريس بأهمية التعليم الإلکتروني بتوظيف المنصات وفائدتها وبقوة نسبية (76.17%) ونسبة مرجحة (3.88%) وعدم تهيئة الطلاب لاستخدام المنصات الرقمية وبقوة نسبية (93.55%) ونسبة مرجحة (4.76%) وصعوبة تغير فکرة التحول من التعليم التقليدي إلى التعليم الإلکتروني لدي الطالب وعضو هيئة التدريس بقوة نسبية (74.97%) ونسبة مرجحة (3.82%) وعدم توافر الأجهزة اللازمة للطلاب وأعضاء هيئة التدريس لتطبيق التعليم الإلکتروني باستخدام المنصات وبقوة نسبية (90.38%) ونسبة مرجحة (4.6%) وضعف البنية التحتية للاتصالات وشبکة الانترنت وبقوة نسبية (85.3%) ونسبة مرجحة (4.33%). کما أوضحت نتائج الدراسة أسباب عزوف الطلاب عن توظيف المنصات في التعليم والتي جاءت متوفر بدرجة مرتفعة من أهمها: أشعر بالقلق والخوف من الامتحانات عبر هذه المنصات بسبب بطئ شبکة الانترنت بقوة نسبية (93.33%) ونسبة مرجحة (4.42%) .وضعف سرعة الانترنت مما يؤثر على متابعة المحاضرة بقوة نسبية (92.28%) ونسبة مرجحة (4.37%) أضيع نصف المحاضرة بسبب الوقت الذي يتطلبه الإنترنت للانضمام للمحاضرة بقوة نسبية (88.6%) ونسبة مرجحة (4.19%) کما توصلت الدراسة إلى عدد من المتطلبات الضرورية لتوظيف المنصات في التعليم من وجهة نظر أعضاء هيئة التدريس والطلاب منها نشر ثقافة التعليم الإلکتروني وأهمية توظيف المنصات في التعليم والتقنيات التکنولوجية الحديثة وذلک بوضع سياسة موحدة للجامعات على توظيف المنصات في التعليم والاستفادة من تجارب الدول الأخرى ، وتوفير البني الأساسية لتوظيف المنصات لعضو هيئة التدريس والطالب ، وتوفير منصة تعليمية موحدة للجامعة يتفاعل عليها کلا من الطالب وعضو هيئة التدريس ، وتوفير دليل إرشادي لعضو هيئة التدريس والطالب بکيفية توظيف المنصات الرقمية. الکلمات المفتاحية: المتطلبات - المنصات الرقمية The requirements of Using digital platforms in education as recognized by faculty and students (Study applied to Fayoum University) Abstract: The study aimed to determine the requirements for employing digital platforms in education as perceived by faculty members and students. The study used the descriptive and analytical approach and relied on measurement tools applied to the study population on a sample of (305) faculty members at Fayoum University (380) male and female students of Fayoum University. The study found a number of results as follows: The results of the study clarified the reasons for the reluctance of faculty members to employ digital platforms in education, from their point of view, the most important of which are: The lack of sufficient awareness among faculty members of the importance of e-learning by employing digital platforms and their benefit to students. With relative strength (76.17%) and a weighted percentage (3.88%), and the lack of preparation of students to use digital platforms, with relative strength (93.55%) and a weighted percentage (4.76%), the difficulty of changing the idea of ​​shifting from traditional education to e-learning by the student and faculty member “with relative strength (74.97%) and a weighted percentage (3.82%) and the lack of necessary devices for students and faculty to implement e-learning using the platforms “with relative strength (90.38%) and a weighted percentage (4.6%) and weak communication infrastructure and the Internet” with relative strength (85.3%) and the percentage of Weighted (4.33%). The results of the study also clarified the reasons for students ’reluctance to employ digital platforms in education, which were available with a high degree, the most important of which are: I feel anxious and afraid of exams through these platforms because of the slow internet, with relative strength (93.33%) and a weighted rate (4.42%). Which affects the continuation of the lecture “with relative strength (92.28%) and a weighted percentage (4.37%).” I waste half of the lecture because of the time it takes for the Internet to join the lecture, with relative strength (88.6%) and a weighted percentage (4.19%) The study also found a number of requirements necessary for employing digital platforms in education from the point of view of faculty members and students, including spreading the culture of e-learning and the importance of employing digital platforms in education and modern technological technologies by setting a unified policy for universities to employ digital platforms in education and benefit from the experiences of other countries. Providing the basic infrastructure for employing digital platforms for the faculty and student, providing a unified educational platform for the university on which both the student and the faculty member interact, and providing a guide for the faculty and student on how to employ the digital platforms. Keywords: Requirements - Digital Platforms.

At a time when reference services are generally seen as a central function of college libraries, the activities of college reference librarians may indicate otherwise. This study examines reference services in four similar sized college libraries within a greater metropolitan area. Profiles of each library and reference department are developed. Interviews and data collection instruments were used to discover what tasks librarians providing reference services performed and the amount of time devoted to them. Interview data provides a look at some of the issues involved with sharing reference responsibilities among all librarians.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine shifts in the volume and complexity of reference questions received at a small liberal arts college following the implementation of a Web-scale discovery service. Design/methodology/approach Researchers used the Warner model of reference classification to review and classify reference questions from the academic year prior to the implementation of EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) and the academic year following EDS implementation to evaluate the change in volume of questions and complexity. Findings Research findings are significant as they document a 34 per cent decline in overall volume of reference activity following the integration of a Web-scale discovery service into the research process. Notably, the question category rated as the highest level of reference complexity (level IV) registered an 18.5 per cent increase in volume, post-EDS implementation. Question levels I-III all saw declines in volume ranging from 45 to 14 per cent. Research limitations/implications Limitations of the study relate to multiple librarians having recorded questions as they were received by reference services and, as a result, some variation in transaction description should be expected. The concurrent deployment of a Web-scale discovery service and an integrated link resolver made delineation of the respective impact of each tool difficult. Practical implications Libraries contemplating the integration of a Web-scale discovery service into the research process will be able to use the research analysis to contemplate service redesign in advance of discovery implementation. The research results support additional training of reference personnel to service higher levels of in-depth inquiries. A redesign of reference services incorporating a tiered reference model using proactive chat with referrals to library faculty for in-depth research consultations is recommended. Originality/value After a literature review of relevant research, the researchers discovered few similar studies. As a result, this analysis will be of significant value to the library profession.

This article describes the results of a pilot study to determine the relative effectiveness of obtrusive and unobtrusive methods of evaluating library reference service. Reference service in five public libraries was evaluated unobtrusively by using university students from the community served by the libraries as proxy reference clients. The same libraries were evaluated obtrusively by requesting reference staff to provide the answers to a list of fifteen reference questions. Questions asked at one group of libraries unobtrusively were asked obtrusively at another group of libraries to control the influence of a given set of questions. The results indicate that the library staff in the five libraries tend to answer a greater proportion of reference questions completely and correctly when they are aware of being evaluated than when they are unaware of the evaluation process. The difference in the results of the obstrusive and unobtrusive evaluations are small but statistically significant at the .05 level.