LibrarianInBlack

New QuestionPoint Flash Interface: LiB's Review

Over a week ago, I took a look at the new QuestionPoint Flash interface for their web-based chat product.  This is supposedly rolling out in February to all of us using the QuestionPoint 24/7 software for our web-based chat reference services.  I sent my responses to the new interface, at QuestionPoint's request.  I also asked for a response, and never got one.  I wanted to wait for one before I posted my thoughts on the new interface, but I think that 10 days is ample time to expect at least a "hallo, we got your message" response.  So, without further ado, here's what's wrong with the new QuestionPoint Flash interface:

Librarian-side
1. Lettering throughout the librarian-side interface is cut off at the bottom (the librarian’s user name, patron's last message, time, text).
2. There was a huge delay between when I send in the patron question and when it appeared on the librarian’s queue (2 minutes).
3. When first picking up a patron, there is a long delay (30 seconds) between the time I pick the patron up and the time I see the patron’s question in the chat window.
5. There is a noticeable delay between the time I type and when those letters appear on the screen.
6. The tab where all your current sessions are taking place (My Active) needs to in some way be highlighted—perhaps with a different font color.  This is where we’ll be doing most of our work, so it needs to be obvious that this is the important part of the screen.
7. You cannot use “Enter” to send a message.  This absolutely must be fixed.
8. I was sending messages and they took about 2 minutes before they showed up in the librarian-side "live" transcript.  They seemed to appear in the user’s live transcript faster.
9. No IP address showed up for me as a patron.  Is that a problem that is going to be fixed before launch?
10. When I clicked on Console (the co-browse feature), nothing happened.

Patron side
1. If there is no one available for chat, the message window the patron gets has a broken image in the upper left.
2. You cannot use “Enter” to send a message.  This absolutely must be fixed.
3. The time codes next to each chat message are not only useless, it’s distracting and potentially confusing to the user.
4. The name for our library is abbreviated to “MARIN CNTY FREE LIBR” in what the user sees.  Is there a character limit?  Is this why it’s so abbreviated?  If this can be changed, I think it should be.  Very bad form to mangle your customers’ names.
5. I have some serious problems with the message the user receives via e-mail.   QuestionPoint automatically creates a brand new user account for the patron.  I didn't see anything on the patron intake form that would indicate this would happen.  Our patrons will not be happy if a new account is just created willy nilly for them without their consent.  This would be a major customer service issue.  Why does an account have to be created?  That has never been the case before.  Also, the message began with junk characters ().  Why?  Furthermore, this message said my chat transcript had been sent to the e-mail address, but it had not.  Only this "new account" e-mail.

Other
1. Transcripts now kept for 90 days—used to be 30 (when we were using 24/7 software).  I don't want to keep patron data for 90 days.
2. Problems like “you can’t use the back button on the browser” have not been fixed.

I also attended a QuestionPoint user forum today using LiveMeeting, and here are some interesting things that came out of that:
1.  They're testing it for browser & OS compatability.  The speaker didn't know for sure, but it sounds like they're only testing for Mac, Unix, and Windows (not Palm or Linux) and for IE, Firefox, and Mozilla (not Safari, Opera, or any other browser).
2. It was said that they "working toward" accessibilitly and ADA compliance.  I asked which standards they're using (508, W3C) and didn't get a response.
3. Co-browsing can still only be done in Internet Explorer.

So, what was right with the new interface?
1.  The new librarian-to-librarian IM is integrated into the chat console
2.  It's unicode compliant
3.  Simplified queue selection (right now I'm  picking and choosing from a list of 15 different queues).

All in all though, I'm really disappointed.  I know they're still working on it, but these are huge massive problems and if it launches as-is, there's no way I'm using it as a librarian or promoting it to our patrons.  No way in Hades.

OPAL podcasting seminar

On Thursday, December 8 at 2:00 p.m. EST, Greg Schwartz of Open Stacks will host an online seminar about podcasting for OPAL.  From the website:

Podcasting, an exciting new model for distributing audio content, is generating buzz across the Internet. But what is it exactly? And why should librarians care? We'll discuss the hows and whys of podcasting, including how to tune in, how to find interesting content and how your organization can take advantage of this powerful technology to reach more people in your community.

See the OPAL website for more information.

Free Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts

The Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database from EBSCO is now available free online at http://www.libraryresearch.com. 

This is a good thing and can help those of us in public libraries, without access to LibLit, at least get the citations and abstracts for relevant articles in our fields.  There's no explanation for why this was done, but I'm guessing that subscriptions for it were dropping off as they are for other abstract-only databases.  Still, good work EBSCO.

Coffee table bookshelves

Okay, it looks cool, and would make a great conversation piece at dinner parties, but...it appears to work by sliding a rod through the middle of a book and holding it up by the spine.  My preservation teacher from library school would have a kitten if she saw this.  I like my books...I don't want to damage them.

found on Boing Boing

An alternative to Trillian and Gaim

The Distant Librarian posts about Wavago, an IM account aggregator much like Gaim and Trillian.  I tested it a bit, and agree that the interface is a bit confusing...not as simple or intuitive as Gaim or Trillian.  It works with Gmail Talk, so that's a big plus.  Check it out, if only for informational purposes.

NetLibrary hits 100,000 titles

NetLibrary now offers 100,000 titles.  That's quite a few.  I just wish they were available on a more accessible and usable platform.  Though, I must admit, it's improved quite a bit in the last couple of years.

Library graffiti

Some coolio graffiti in Barcelona:

OUT OF THE
CLUBS AND
//iNTO THE
LIBRARIES

OCLC to study VR sustainability

OCLC and Rutgers University have received an IMLS grant of $684,996 to study virtual reference services.  The goals are to create a model for a user-centered service, to determine what needs and preferences our users have in this virtual environment, and to examine the sustainability of such services.  I sincerely hope that something good comes out of this study, because what we have now is A) not sustainable and B) not user centered at all.

Thanks to Rush Brandis for forwarding this story on :)

Our Customers Deserve a Functional ILS

Check out John Blyberg's ILS Customer's Bill of Rights and the response on panlibus. 

And for any ILS vendors out there (yes, Sirsi Dynix, Innovative Interfaces, and the rest of y'all, that means you): READ THESE PLEASE.  We in the library world are frustrated with the substandard nature of our ILSs, and I guarantee that some of us (a growing number each year) will begin to revolt--to turn to open source solutions, to stop giving our money to you and start spending it on in-house development of a good product.  If you want to understand why we're frustrated and what we need from you, read these two posts as a start.  Then talk to your users--and not the people on your advisory boards or the systems administrators, but the line staff at the libraries you serve.  They know what's what and often don't get listened to by their in-house support.  Listen to them.  Learn from them.  Make a better product.

She turned me into a newt!

I laughed out loud at RickLibrarian's IM Shorthand for Monty Python fans.  And the comments are priceless--a dozen other MP fans adding their own shorthand suggestions.  Ah, blessed British humor.

World Digital Library Project gets Google funding

The Library of Congress has accepted a $3-million gift from Google to build the World Digital Library, a project to digitize and make web-accessible "significant primary materials" (feel free to define that however you wish) big-name worldwide libraries.  The good ol' LoC will need more funding to complete the project.  Apparently 3 mill is a drop in the bucket.

Cites & Insights, December Issue

The latest issue of Cites & Insights (5:14, December) has been released.  In this issue, Walt discusses eBooks, the Open Content Alliance, Google Library Project, the Sony DRM bungle, and an extensive review of the SciFi Classics 50 Movie Pack.

Homestar Runner Papercraft

I like Homestar Runner (okay, I really like Strong Bad, but don't split hairs here).  Always good for giggles when my workday is going downhill.  And I also like papercrafts.  Oh happy day!  The Homestar Runner folks have put together four different free printable/assemblable papercraft playsets.  Look for these in LiB's workspace someday soon.

found on Boing Boing

Technology for the rest of us

Walt points to this new book, Technology for the Rest of Us: A Primer on Computer Technologies for the Low-Tech Librarian.  Walt contributed a chapter, as did others like Bill Drew, Frank Cervone, and Darlene Fichter.  It was based on the Ohio State University “Technology for the Rest of Us” seminar in May of last year.  This would be a great addition to a library's professional development collection because we all work with low-tech librarians.  Perhaps we even are low-tech librarians, and don't want to admit it.  It's okay...just read this book and start reading some LIS blogs, and you'll be allright.

Taggytastic

Davey P has created a tag cloud for his library's ILS, showing parent-level subject headings with more than 100 bibs in their catalog.  The bigger the word, the more entries in the catalog there are for that subject.  Electronic books and Great Britain are bigger than all the others (odd, that).  He based it on a mock-up that Jenny Levine created.  Very, very cool.

Authority Control in Library Thing

I love this.  Library Thing is offering authority control at the user level--users can combine multiple listings for the same author, basically putting this aspect of cataloging into the users' hands. 

In fact, the computer guesses pretty well, presenting a list of likely aliases for in the "Also known as…" section. You can check these authors out by clicking on their names. If they're really the same, and you're feeling generous, go ahead and click "combine." The authors will be smoothed together, with the more common name winning. I've gone through some of the better-known authors—the rest are up to you.

Be bold! The system is self-correcting. If you screw up and combine two authors who aren't really the same—eg., Thomas Wolfe and Tom Wolfe—someone will notice. Clicking "separate" will break them apart again.

See?  Users care about authority control.  Why?  Because it's a pain in the butt to have to click on 7 slightly differing entries for Gabriel Garcia Marquez to find all the relevant items in the catalog.  The same thing happens with title authority control.  I can't wait for FRBR to take hold in our catalogs...either that, or this user-level authority control.  Anything would be better than the messes we have to deal with now.

How many IT staff does your library need?

Do you feel like your library is under-IT-staffed?  Probably.  Most of the rest of us do too, so you're not alone.  If you're writing a technology plan or want to advocate for more IT staff, check out Lori Bowen Ayre's IT Staff Calculator.  It considers factors like public computer use, IT help provided by other entities, printers, different ILS modules, and the numbers of servers, LANs, branches, and more.

One important note: it doesn't include webmasters (like me).  I tried it for our library, and it worked pretty accurately, recommending 3 IT staff (which we'll have sometime next month).  Of course I'd like 5, but I think 3 is probably about right.

Thomas website makeover

The Library of Congress's Thomas website (no, not those poorly bound green volumes) has been redesigned.  This Thomas website is a center for legislative information; it allows you to search for congressional activity and bill information. There's a great post on ResourceShelf that outlines all the new additions.

Check it out, and add it to your library's reference links.  We have it, do you?

Get it here--the LiB trading card!

I'm a bit late to the game on this one, but check out my Librarian Trading Card.  You can make one of your own too and post it to the ever-growing Flickr group!

$100 laptop a little closer to reality

At a World Summit on the Information Society press conference, Kofi Annan (Mr. UN Secretary General) presented the first working prototype $100 laptop.  Update: Apparently it's going to run Redhat (open source goodness).  Apple offered free versions of its OS, but the MIT folks rejected it on the basis of Apple's proprietary systems.  Open source better.  Hurrah!

More on Library 2.0

Read "Do Libraries Matter? The Rise of Library 2.0" by Paul Miller and Ken Chad.  Then go read Michael Stephens' post on the subject over at ALA TechSource. 

Print these two things out, including the comments on Michael's post, and hand them to your managers (or otherwise ensure that they are exposed to them through e-mail or RSS).  It's very important that library top level management understand the new direction libraries are moving in with our websites, and why.  The "why" part is crucial, and both of these articles do a good job of explaining it.

AIMbots stink

AOL has released a series of AIMbots, automatic bot-buddies that it adds to your AIM buddy list.  They're automatic inquiry bots, answering questions (or trying to) much like am automated telephone tree system does.  Sherri talks about their implications for libraries as a possible automatic service point. 

If they're bothering you with their very presence, just right-click and choose "Delete" or "Remove," depending on your IM client.  It's probably a good idea just to delete them right-off from your library's IM reference account.

Barenaked Ladies album released on USB drive

The Barenaked Ladies are releasing their new album and extras (28 songs, video and audio clips, and some live recordings), on a 128 megabyte flash drive.  Although on the BNL website, they say it's a "128mg" flash drive.  Is that milligrams or megagig, then?  ;) 

The albums-on-chips days are here.  Still...I'd rather have the liner notes and all that extra goodness, unless that comes on the flash drive too.  The lack of liner notes is why I refrain from iTunes mania.

Books Online: The Fee versus Free Battle Begins

Check out this thoughtful article by Barbara Quint on the Information Today site: "Books Online: The Fee versus Free Battle Begins."  Quint discusses the Google/Amazon/Microsoft-ization of online books, open access, Open WorldCat, and libraries' roles in all of this.

LC Prints and Photographs posts one millionth image

The Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division has digitized and posted an amazing one million images from its collections.  The one millionth image is a photograph from 1911 of Washington Senators baseball player Herman A. "Germany" Schaefer.

A librarian's blog post becomes a social gathering place

A very strange thing has happened.  A post I made on February 19th of 2004, entitled "Eragon gets a script-writer", has become much more than a simple blog post.  I have unintentionally built a little community gathering place for people interested in Eragon, the Inheritance Trilogy, Christopher Paolini, and the upcoming movie. 

The post has received 184 comments.  New ones seem to come in every couple of days, usually in a flurry as regular commenters to this post discuss back and forth.  Flaming happens, challenges to claims, and disagreements over which hottie actor will play Murtagh.  But more than that, there's resource sharing taking place, discussion, relationship-building, and lots of other good social networking stuff.  I don't think any of these posters read my current blog posts, care much about libraries or technology, or know who I am.  But that's okay.  They've created their own little community space in the comments section to a post I wrote almost two years ago.

Obviously, this was not my original intention with the post.  But I am thrilled that for some weird reason (probably visibility in search engines for some Eragon-related search phrase), my little blog has become a place for people interested in a particular topic to exchange ideas and communicate with one another.  To me, this is an example of Library 2.0, an example of the social networking that libraries can be a part of--if only we'll put ourselves out there.

Test your public use computers for usability

Aaron makes a good point about the need for libraries to check our public use computer mice for usability (testing the pointer speed).  I would also add:

• Mouse double-click required speed (go to Control Panel, then Mouse)
• Keyboard repeat delay (go to Control Panel, then Keyboard)
• Font size in browser windows too...most people don't realize you can change that.
• There are a lot of other options under Control Panel-->Accessibility Options (e.g., Filter Keys and High Contrast Display). 
• And changing screen resolution to increase the size of things...again, a lot of people don't realize this can be changed.

These are simple things to check and to know that you can change if your user needs it, as long as your computers aren't so locked down as to prevent it.  If they are, this is another issue altogether that we need to discuss.

Know these things.  Use them with users whose motor skills or eyesight is anything less than perfect.  These are great options to show seniors during basic computer classes too. 

Citywide wireless in Google's hometown

Free wireless in Mountain View, CA (home of Google) is the company's newest announcement (well, the newest one I care about anyway).  I like Walt's take on the announcement, especially that he gives them credit for mentioning the city librarian and the bookmobile driver.  I'll be very interested to see what Mountain View residents (and the local library) does in light of the free wireless when it actually arrives. 

Radical Reference

Have you read the Associated Press article about Radical Reference yet?  Why not?  Ah, you hadn't heard about it.  Well, now you have.  No excuse.  Get reading.

"There's always been a group of progressive librarians, committed to free access, but it used to be harder for them to organize," said [Jessamyn] West. "The Internet has really helped to get the message out."

found on Tinfoil + Raccoon

Gale starts podcasting

Thomson Gale announced earlier this month that they're adding podcast feeds to several of their databases (including InfoTrac PowerSearch, Student Resource Center, Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center, and History Resource Center). They started by podcasting Bush's weekly presidential radio addresses.  Good for Gale to have chosen to delve into the podcast arena.  Innovation is good.

Tag clouds

Tag clouds are all the rage.  Here's one for LiB...not a lot of repeat themes.  I'm so diverse ;)

5 Factors for Library Web Site Redesign

Michael has a list of five things to consider when beginning a library website redesign, and I know some of you out there are doing just that.  His list is a good place to start.

An eventual tagging structure?

Just because I know you have nothing better to do this fine week of Thanksgiving (like spend time with family or gorge yourself on fattening foods), I suggest you read "Metadata for the Masses."  This article by Peter Merholz discusses tagging and its pitfalls as a completely uncontrolled vocabulary.  As he points out though, one can treat tagging like well-worn footpaths:

Once you have a preliminary system in place, you can use the most common tags to develop a controlled vocabulary that truly speaks the users’ language.

So, instead of (or in addition to) imposing our librarian-ese on everything in the form of subject headings, let the public tag away, then examine what's been tagged and how, and build structured metadata that way.  I like the idea.

found on Tame the Web

Open Access library publication

College and Research Library Journal is planning on going with the Open Access model, making articles available online six months after print publication.  I agree with Dave that this is a good move, and I hope to see more ALA publications follow suit.

A heartening story for your pocket

I try to post links to encouraging library stories from time to time--to remind me (and you) of why we do what we do.  Today, I'd like to point you to a post by Tim Rogers on InfoCommons about how a librarian helped steer a patron toward print and web resources to help her deal with her husband's Alzheimer's. 

The Blog Software Smackdown

Thinking of starting a blog for your library and hosting it yourself?  Check out "The Blog Software Smackdown: The Big 3 Reviewed".  Vinnie Garcia looks at the pros and cons of Movable Type, WordPress, and TypeTextPattern.  It's a good comparison on the basis of features and usability--definitely worth a read if you're delving into the self-hosted blogosphere.

Discovering Sherlock Holmes

Stanford University is offering a complete run of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's tales of Sherlock Holmes, as they were originally published in The Strand Magazine, with their Discovering Sherlock Holmes project.  You can get downloadable copies of each issue, or have newsprint issues sent to you via postal mail.  Oh yes, and it's free :)  Issues should start arriving once per week around January 9th.

I got the newsprint issues for the Discovering Dickens project.  Very fun to read through and to bind together when you're done (big librarian dork that I am).

Talking to IT

Meredith, Karen, and Michael are all talking about libraries talking to IT Departments. 

We need to be more assertive in what we want.  I can't tell you how many of my conference sessions are followed by a gaggle of librarians approaching me to lament that they'd love to do these things, but their IT Departments won't let them. 

I don't think that IT folks are intentionally prohibitive or limiting.  It's their job to protect equipment and networks.  Sometimes they just do it too well.  What I suggest to people is:

A) Be knowledgeable about the technology you're requesting, including any security holes of problems that IT might bring up as a roadblock.  Research ahead of time, and bring in information to back your position up, including discussion on library listservs, blogs, or conference notes.

B) Be enthusiastic.  They're more likely to say yes if you take the "wow this is so cool, I'd love you to help us do this" attitude than the "I know you're going to say no" attitude.

C) Keep fighting.  If they say no the first time, take it to your boss.  Then take it to their boss(es).  Everyone has a boss of one kind or another, and bosses talking to bosses is often the only way big things happen.

RSS to the nth level

If you want to take your RSS reading to the next level, follow the advice offered by Library Clips and pay attention to OPML, allowing you (among other things) to plop one feed into multiple folders.  Me?  I don't use folders for anything--RSS, e-mail, nuttin'.  I got one big Inbox, and work from there.  I know that's unusual for a librarian, but it works for me.

A Library Website Redesign to Envy

Aaron Schmidt redesigned the Thomas Ford Memorial Library's website, and the new site is amazing!  Aaron has posted about the redesign elements and process on his blog, walking paper.  He also created a Flickr category for the redesign with some annotations about the various elements.  And, he did this in three work days.  Gah, we should all bow before the greatness that is Aaron. 

So, why is this site so spectacular?  Here's what I like about it (can also be read as "things I wish I could do on our page, but can't due to being stuck in a county frame"):

1. The wording: active patron-driven language, no library-ese spoken here
2. The navigation is laid out according to category: audiences on the top (adults, teens, kids), popular tasks on the left, info and "about" stuff on the right
3. Visible variable font sizes: click on the little "A" pages over on the left to resize the text
4. Obvious contact info: front and center
5. Simplicity: no useless bells and whistles, just plain simple usable content and navigation
6. Liquid layout: automatic resizing for screen resolutions and sizes (800x600 sweetness)
7. Quick Search: quick catalog search box right on the homepage (ok, we have this too, but it's awesome)

Good stuff, and an inspiration to those of us looking to better our own library websites!

Google Analytics and Google Base

Google is full of new projects (as usual). 

Google Analytics will track your website traffic for you and show you just about anything you want to know about your site's visitors.  It also integrates with AdWords.  Beware: why does Google offer this usually expensive service for free?  They're getting something out of it: data about your users, and you.

Google Base launched much earlier than most of us expected.  This is the oh-so-scary Google project that hosts anything you want it to host for free and indexes it for you.

So, now Google is basically offering free web hosting and statistics-keeping for said web content.  And they own it....all.

Frappr Blogging Librarians Group

You may have noticed the nifty new blue button over on the right.  Scott Pfitzinger on BiblioTech Web created a group for blogging librarians on Frappr.  There are 121 members right now.  If you have a librarian blog, go ahead and add yourself.  It's very cool to zoom in on the map and see who's where.

Rent-a-Book

Everything today is moving from a purchase model to a subscription model: take NetFlix and library databases as examples.  And now: Google's reported rent-a-book program.  All of this is speculation, but for 10% of the list price for a new book, users can get online access for a week.  I agree with the ars technica post that guesses this is a reponse to the Amazon Pages project (allowing users to purchase online portions of titles).

So, aren't libraries doing this now?  "Renting" out books, physical and e-versions, but for free?  Even so, my guess is that people will use the Google service, and quick-fast try to read the newest bestseller on their screens within a week...and then come to the library when they can't finish it in time and want to read the last few chapters.  Ah, we come to the rescue again.  *droll laugh*

Connect with Users online...for free

Jenny and Michael are posting some really good stuff over on the ALA TechSource Blog. 

Jenny has a great post: Libraries as Social Machines, that explains how libraries can participate in the social software revolution by utilizing del.icio.us and Flickr. 

Michael's post, Social Software for the Rest of Us (or Librarian 2.0) discusses why social software (including blogs and podcasting) is so important for libraries: to connect us with our users and our communities.

Two of my goals for the upcoming year are to begin sharing our reference website bookmarks on del.icio.us and to start a community photo sharing site using Flickr (in the same vein as Picture Ann Arbor).  Wish me luck.

Google Local for Mobile

Okay, I'm not a true dork.  My cell phone is very simple: no text messaging, no camera, no web surfing.  It's really just a phone.  I admit my lack of gadget dorkitude fully and freely.  If someone wants to buy me a Treo, I'll gladly switch ;)

Buuuuut, if you are a mobile-head, check out Google Local for Mobile: contact info, maps, and satellite images for US locations.  Chris Sherman has a great article about it at SearchEngineWatch.

Lynch podcast (Cliff, not David)

Do you like Cliff Lynch and Joan Lippincott?  I do, I do!  You can listen to both Lynch and Lippincott podcasted interviews from the EDUCASE annual conference.  I'm glad to see more and more conferences podcasting their content.

Widgets: they're pretty cool

I've seen widgets all over the place.  In fact, our Technical Support Department demoed Konfabulator at our library's tech users group.  And I like what Chad and Jenny have said about library widgets: searching the catalog, live online reference, and other library-related information. 

If you haven't seen widgets yet (and if it's okay if you haven't--I ignored many original "widgets" posts because I didn't know it was a new thing) you should check out Konfabulator (recently bought by Yahoo) if you have Windows and the original Widgets if you have a superior Apple product.

So, who out there has the expert coding knowledge to create some funky widgets for we folk in library land?  Any libraries producing widgets yet?

Google Print is now Google Book Search

The somewhat oddly named Google Print has been dubbed Google Book Search.  Makes sense to me.

Offering web-based IM on your public computers

We've talked about this before, but Jenny reminded me that adding desktop shortcuts to web-based versions of popular IM clients (like AIM, Yahoo, or MSN) or Meebo is a great way to allow your public-use computer users to interact via IM without risking installations and all the security concerns that go along with that. 

You know your users are IMing.  You might even offer IM Reference.  But can your users utilize your public computers to contact you that way?  If not, why not?  With this simple a fix, it makes sense to me to make it available.

Wikipedia NPR Program

Speaking of Wikipedia, for your lunchtime listening pleasure, check out NPR's program: "Wikipedia, Open Source, and the Future of the Web."  Chris Anderson (Wired editor), Jimmy Wales (Mr. Wikipedia to you, buster), and Nicholas Carr (business and technology author) discuss the future of collaborative resources on the web.

Wikipedia in Print?

Wikipedia may be going to a printed edition (in addition to the online version, don't worry).  I think this would be cool for the sake of both novelty and legitimacy (if it's printed, it's gospel right?).  Because Wikipedia is such a living breathing organism, it would merely serve as a snapshot in time, which is in its own right pretty interesting.  I've been asked by several people if the online version will become pay-only when the print edition comes out.  Of course I can't answer that, but only give my own opinion, which is "no."

LITA Blogger Cocktail Night

LITA Forum 2005 Bloggers (including the LiB) gathered in San Jose at a very swanky restaurant for cocktails.  I swear that a wedding reception was just ending as we arrived.  We then went to Johnny Rockets for some darn good greasy diner food.  Michelle Boule posted photos on the LITA Blog.  You even get to see the LiB in blue jeans (a rare occurrance except when she's hiking).

Library 2.0: what's next for library websites

If you're interested in some of the new things that libraries are doing with web services for their patrons, read "Library 2.0 Movement Sees Benefits in Collaboration with Patrons."  The idea of Library 2.0 came out of a lot of the ideas being discussed at the Internet Librarian Conference last month.  These are things that are on my wish list to do for the upcoming year.  Sadly, there are still things on my wish list from last year's IL conference.  Just keeping up with the day-to-day, as many (or all) of you know, takes 99% of one's time.

found via librarian.net

Closing Session: Virtual Reference Desk Conference (aka will there be a conference next year?)

Closing Session: Virtual Reference Desk Conference
R. David Lankes

Trends from the conference: IM and SMS, open source, evaluation of program success with real data, a desire to integrate these into existing services, a commitment to being where the users are, international, ethnic, and generational issues, privacy concerns, blogging’s role in reference, the need to talk more to our users, the need for libraries to not take for granted our position as informational authorities, and the customer service slant.

He mentioned the International Virtual Reference Registry, a project of a RUSA Committee, which would allow users to look up libraries with various virtual reference services by location, library type, etc.  Another idea discussed was using AJAX to make it simple to integrate distributed VRD into any application (map services with “AskALibrarian” locations or features marked).

He announced that they still don’t know if there will be a VRD conference next year.  The Virtual Reference Desk Project was dissolved by the federal government this past year.  As such, there is no structure or funding to run this conference.  Attendee response has been positive to continuing the conference, though.  Continuing the conference will take a host, organizers, and involvement on the part of attendees.  They will be holding a December debriefing conference call and anyone who is interested can contact R. David Lankes or George Needham.

However, he ended on a positive note, telling us that we’re innovators for libraries, and what we’ve done has changed the face of library services forever.  Even if we don’t all meet in one place once a year, we’re still connected and what we do still affects library service internationally.  That’s our motivation, that’s what we’re here for.

Adoption of Instant Messaging for Chat at a Research Library in Conjunction with the Formal Chat Software Used: Virtual Reference Desk Conference

Adoption of Instant Messaging for Chat at a Research Library in Conjunction with the Formal Chat Software Used: Virtual Reference Desk Conference
Leslie Behm

Behm discussed how her university library (Michigan State University) added a Trillian-based instant messaging reference service to their existing web-based chat service.

There are benefits to offering both web-based chat and IM.  Some people prefer not to IM.  Chat software doesn’t need to have any additional software installed.  Some people already IM, so it’s convenient for them.  Most IM clients do offer web-form options.

They found some new problems with IM that they didn’t see with web-based chat: computer bots that take up time and energy and offensive patrons. [LiB agrees with the computer bots issue (though I don’t think it’s that big a problem—it’s only happened a handful of times to us, and you just close the window or ignore the screen name).]

In dealing with inappropriate behavior, they warn patrons that their behavior or language is inappropriate.  If they don’t stop, tell them you will no longer interact with them.  IF the behavior continues, they are then blocked. 

She noted IM behaviors to be aware of: people are often multitasking when they’re IMing, they’ll talk in shorthand with emoticons and acronyms, grammar and spelling are much looser, and they’ll have more than one conversation at a time (other IM, phone, chat rooms). 

She showed some screenshots from the free version of Trillian, including the buddy list window, the chat window, their icon (the library’s logo) and how to see blocked users.  They are currently archiving transcripts.  The pro version is $25 per seat.

Instant Messaging: An Alternative Virtual Reference Solution?: Virtual Reference Desk Conference

Instant Messaging: An Alternative Virtual Reference Solution?: Virtual Reference Desk Conference
Jeff Penka from OCLC

OCLC held a forum for conference attendees to discuss the possibility of using instant messaging for virtual reference.  About forty people showed up for the discussion.  I thought it was a very productive discussion, and I was pleasantly surprised by Jeff’s lack of OCLC-bias.  It was an open discussion and criticisms of web-based chat clients were heard and responded to.  Thank you for doing that Jeff.

Highlights from the discussion:

1. Jeff said that instant messaging integration is key to virtual reference’s continued relevance.
2. A number of the participants use instant messaging for personal or intra-office communications.  Very few were using IM for reference.
3. Some concerns about using IM for reference included getting IT to let you use IM, students at local schools only having access to school computers that have disabled IM installations, administrative bans of IM as “frivolous communication.”  Concerns from parents have also been expressed about the cost of text messaging or IMing on cell phones.  One library’s colleagues were concerned about users needing to create a new account to use IM reference services.
4. Jeff proposes an environmental scan of IM integration opportunities and to examine what our expectations are for IM services.
5. Why do commercial providers offer free IM?  Suggestions included revenue-generating ads, for-pay add-ons, brand loyalty, brand exposure, targeted ads based on keywords from your messages, and possible integration into other existing projects (like MSN Messenger integrating into Outlook and Office).
6. Why does IM seem like a good fit for virtual reference?  It serves the millennials and it serves the users at their point of need—being right there where they are already (especially if you’re on their buddy list).  Users often have IM open during other online tasks, so we’re not a specific destination—we’re just there.  People also spoke about relationship-building through online chat (IM or web-based chat).
7. There is also a concern about web-based chat service becoming financially unsustainable over time and ceasing to be an option.
8. We talked about audio and video features in IM, and it was agreed that they are nice add-ons and possible new areas for exploration, but right now what’s key for us is the utter simplicity and speed of the text part of IM.
9. We talked about IM bots a bit, auto-answering bots and advertising bots.  Someone suggested that we could use bots for auto-sending follow-up surveys to patrons or discerning who else is online monitoring the IM service.
10. Jeff suggested that the Open WorldCat “Ask a Librarian” button could go to a list of IMing libraries, web-based chat libraries, e-mail, etc.
11. Legal issues discussed included privacy concerns, commercial services’ terms and conditions, and data storage.
12. Technical issues discussed included the vulnerabilities resulting from rootkits installed through IM (DO ROOTKITS ACTUALLY COME FROM IM?????), the technology not existing right now to allow multiple librarians to monitor multiple queues in a cooperative setting, the requirements that users create an account and (for most services) that the user download software, and a concern that by the library endorsing IM, are we also endorsing security holes?
13. What’s ideal for a library IM reference service/product?  Have complete control over all patron data and be able to maintain patron privacy.  Allow multiple librarians to monitor multiple queues.  Offer a library IM interface to the libraries that will interoperate with all the commercial IM accounts, but also offer a library-IM client for patrons to download or use online through a web form if they don’t already have a commercial client.  Maintain the features in the native interface, if possible.  Maintain simplicity at all costs.

User Satisfaction and Best Practices: Correlation in Live Online Reference: Virtual Reference Desk Conference

User Satisfaction and Best Practices: Correlation in Live Online Reference: Virtual Reference Desk Conference
Christina Peterson, Sarah Giffen West

Peterson and West discussed this very important topic, which seems to often be too often neglected in all library services, digital or otherwise: measuring user satisfaction.

SJSU started a live online reference program in the fall of 2001 as one of two academic libraries in Q&A Café, a now-defunct Northern California multi-library-type cooperative.  [We were part of it too, and it’s evolved into the California statewide AskNow project.]  In the fall of 2002, CSU formed an academic queue cooperative separate from the public library questions in Q&A Café.  They also began to experiment with web-based chat as a platform for virtual office hours.

Peterson began this research to find out how much information literacy instruction was actually taking place in the VR environment.  She wanted to see if there was a correlation of best reference practices to student satisfaction.  Feedback on student satisfaction would also be provided to colleagues in the library.