• Present national statistics definitions.
• Examples of reference and directional questions presented for discussion. 

Committee members present: Jean Callihan, Virginia Cole, Beth Katzoff (minutes), Ida Martinez (moderator), Pat Schafer (PSEC liaison)

Guests: 28, including representatives from Vet, ILR, Geneva, Olin/Uris, Kroch Asia, Physical Science, Kroch RMC, Law, and PSEC (Anne Kenney, Eli Brown, Pat Schafer)…and very special guest Suzy Szasz Palmer.

Goals for Sampling:

• To collect consistent and accurate data across the CUL libraries. 
• To determine if we are accurately reflecting both the number & type of questions we’re receiving and whether or not we are providing a more accurate picture of what is happening at Public Services Desks. 

To do:

• Create an effective form that we can use for recording and reporting reference statistics both for ARL and for PSEC.

• Devise general guidelines for how to take statistics that can be used for training staff at Public Services Desks (suggested by Michael Engle at Forum 1 on this issue)

The Charge from PSEC: (Ida presented what we have in writing from PSEC)

1. Statistics will be collected at all service desks, including circulation desks, and also from reference queries coming in through libgateway-l and libit-l.
2. The same core set of statistics will be collected at each library, including date, time of day, amount of time spent, the type of contact (in person, email, chat, phone), and whether the inquiry is technology-related or not.    
3. Each unit will collect these statistics through sampling undertaken during the same 12 weeks/year, the exact weeks chosen by a random process.
4. A standard form is to be used in each unit. 
5. Each unit will then enter the information into an Excel file (a standard template will be created and should be used in each unit) and will send the completed information to Linda Miller for use in compiling the annual stats and responding to ARL.
6. We would like there to be one week/year in which all questions received are recorded so that they can be analyzed in terms of necessary skills, coverage, the development of FAQs, etc.

Also to consider (do we ask PSEC these questions?):

·       Do we also want (non-reference) selectors to take statistics?

·       Do we also want to record off-desk statistics?

Two handouts were distributed:

1. Reference Transaction Definitions (click here)
2. Rough draft “Guide” (reference vs. directional questions) (click here)

Discussion:

·       Two key parts of the national definitions were reviewed: the core definition for a reference transaction and the definitions for directional questions (ARL, NISO, and NCES).

·       Ida & Linda also pointed out that there was a column for “Future CUL Definition?”

·       Ida & Linda reminded the group that if we choose to define/categorize our questions in a way that does not seem to meet the national definitions, we need to explain and defend why we made that decision.

·       Ida & Linda explained that how we arrive at any such “CUL definition” should include a dialog between reference staff, PSEC, and ARL when necessary.

·       Ida explained that the Guide (handout) listed examples of reference and directional questions that the Reference & Outreach Committee agreed on.  She then introduced some sets of questions/issues where there was not consensus.  Forum members were asked for feedback, thoughts, and discussion on the following:

First topic: Library policies & procedures questions (Reference or Directional?)

• How do I request an item through ILL?
• How do I find readings on E-reserve?
• How do I request an item from the Annex?

Discussion:

·       All three questions are REFERENCE questions because a good response involves teaching.

·       All present felt INSTRUCTION is key factor in determining if a question is a reference question.

·       Another indication that these are reference questions is that all three questions start with “How.”

·       If you just show someone the screen for ILL, or E-Reserve, or the Annex is that simply a directional question?  Maybe, but the likelihood is that we will also show the patron how to use Borrow Direct (for the ILL question), and we will make sure we don’t already have the book in our catalog, etc.  Thus, still reference.

·       The level of knowledge needed for the staff to answer these questions also indicates reference rather than simple directional.

·       Summary: The guideline should be that these types of questions are reference questions.

Second topic: Questions that may require referral to a non-library produced information source (Reference or Directional?)

1. Where is the closest visitor parking lot?
2. Can you find me the phone number for the English Department?
3. How do I get to the Plant Science Building?

Discussion:

·       These are DIRECTIONAL, not reference (instructional).

·       Just looking at a campus map/phone book does not make a question reference.

·       However sometimes these are not as cut and dried as they first appear.

·       These questions signal the beginning of an interaction that may have a series of questions (thus, reference).

·       Instruction concerning these questions has to do with staff instructing themselves, not the patron.

·       General consensus that if these types of questions are Cornell-related (maps, phone numbers, etc.) then they are directional.

·       This information is commonly available anywhere on campus.  Patrons don’t need to come in to the library to find out (thus, directional).

·       Summary: The guideline should be that these types of questions are directional.  

Third topic: One patron, multiple questions

·       ARL says “Report the number of reference transactions.”

·       Question posed to forum: What if one patron asks several reference questions?  Is that ONE reference transaction? Or several?

·       Linda Miller offered that if one person asks three distinct questions, we should count them as three.  There was general agreement with this approach.

·       Problem with semantics: ARL also says “If a contact includes both reference and directional services, it should be reported as one reference transaction.”

·       So the term “contact” means “patron”?

·       Should there be a clarification that each reference question a “contact” asks should be counted separately?

·      Summary: The guideline should be that a “contact” means “patron,” and that if one patron asks multiple reference questions, then they should be marked separately on the form.

Sidebar discussion to third topic:

·       Keep in mind that the form we plan to use only records # of reference questions and duration

·       If we work with one patron for 45 minutes, but they ask three questions that took 15 minutes each, what do we want reflected? Three questions at 15 minutes each, or one transaction at 45 minutes?

·       Would it help to mark down the # of questions (three) and amount of time spent with the one individual (45 minutes)?

·       This may get too complicated. As for the time element, what are we trying to answer? 

·       Also suggested: take a “gate count” of the # of people who come to the reference desks? (again, we don’t know if they will ask directional or reference questions)

·       There seem to be two ways of counting reference – based on the # of transactions, and based on the # of questions

Fourth topic: Virtual Reference Transactions

• According to ARL: “A virtual reference transaction must include a question either received electronically or responded to electronically.”
• The following example was posed: A patron asks a question at the desk but we reply to them via e-mail.  According to ARL, we should count this as a virtual reference transaction (because we replied electronically).  Is that what we agree to? 
• Overwhelming majority say, “NO!”
• How the question comes in is what is important.
• We should record the transaction by the way in which it comes to us. If you reply by e-mail to a question that came to the Public Services Desk in person, we record it as in-person.
• Forum members were asked, “Then are you prepared to have our virtual reference transactions be lower than national averages because we decide NOT to adhere to their definition?”
• Forum members asked if we could receive some clarification from ARL about their reasoning behind defining virtual reference transactions this way. Linda Miller will ask ARL for an explanation.
• There was also some agreement that a question received in person might be answered in person as well as answered/followed up through email.  In those cases, one question could and should have more than one transaction hatch mark in order to capture a fuller picture of Reference for PSEC.

Fifth topic: “Technical reference question” concerns

• How do I add a Net-print printer on my personal computer?
• Can you help me configure my laptop for the wireless network?
• How do I export this data I found on this [Geolytics] CD into an Excel Spreadsheet?
• How do I transfer citations from this database into my RefWorks account?
• How do I use the digital microfilm reader?
• My Word document suddenly started typing everything in red and underlined.  Do you know how to undo that?
• The document I’m trying to print comes out as gibberish.  Can you help me?

Discussion:

• We need to check with PSEC, for what purpose do we need to record technical reference? For staffing purposes, training purposes, or both?  What exactly do they want to measure, count, determine, etc?
• Even how to use microfilm is much more complicated than it was 20 years ago.
• Competencies and guidelines for new reference staff now include such items as proficiency in Word, Excel, and other software programs which are not strictly library resources.
• Perhaps there should be a third category for technical reference (directional, reference, technical reference). Such a question would be, can you help me configure my laptop for the wireless network?

Next meeting of the PSEC Reference & Outreach Committee:
Monday, May 8, 10:30am, Olin 106

Next open forum: TBD