[collaborative-vr] Caring about a library's online presence

[Cathay Keough]

Hi Carla,

I wanted to chime in to offer my support for what you just went through.  I’m so glad you reached out this way; this is a great team and I’ve found that the ideas and challenges that we share are oftentimes valuable to all.

How we market and communicate virtual reference services is definitely tied in with how well and actively it is used.  When library staff promote it, providers take shifts and are quick to answer, and it’s present above the fold on webpages and in other areas, the frequency has a direct affect.  I also see a connection with how it is being promoted – do people talk about it to customers as a homework help service, for research, a way to get books renewed or an ILL requested, or to get ebook help?  I wish there was some research about this; perhaps someone on this list may know of something out there.

-Cathay

From: collaborative-vr [mailto:collaborative-vr-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Carla Steinberg Pfahl
Sent: Thursday, February 7, 2019 2:02 PM
To: collaborative-vr <collaborative-vr at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>
Subject: Re: [collaborative-vr] Caring about a library's online presence

Can I redact this? I just heard from the librarian and he gave me some information that the direction of this is coming from his (misguided) director. He has asked for the info from me for the past 3 years to use as evidence of why they need the changes that I suggest but it has gotten no where. Now I feel bad.

Carla

On Thu, Feb 7, 2019 at 12:13 PM Carla Steinberg Pfahl <pfahl001 at umn.edu<mailto:pfahl001 at umn.edu>> wrote:
Hi All,

I know you are all busy and I do not want to distract you from your work. I would like to vent and I think this is the best place for me to do this. If you do not have the time or energy for this I completely understand. Go ahead and delete!

Issue at hand: I coordinate for Minnesota and we use QuestionPoint. QP may have something to do with not understanding about chat or how it operates but it certainly doesn't have anything to do with caring about your library's online presence and how you offer/present online help to your community.

I am currently trying to communicate in the most diplomatic and pedagogic way I can to one of my academic libraries how they present their service matters. This library uses LibraryHelp during business hours (they pay for this) and point students to AskMN for after hours help. However, it's not as simple as that. The after hours help is buried under layers and pages and they are pointing to the wrong service! They are pointing to askmn.org<http://askmn.org> which is our statewide service instead of pointing them to their QP account for service. Those who work with QP will understand what I'm talking about (if you've read this far!). I know I have had this conversation with this one particular library not once but twice before. This is the third time I am trying to explain to them they don't have stats for after hours chats because they are hidden in my large statewide account and I can't pull out numbers just for their library.

Is my explanation too confusing? Are they understanding their subscription and options they have? I've finally decided no. They just don't care. I am baffled at how some of my academic libraries in my statewide group just don't care about their chat service or their online presence.

End of rant. Go back to work.

Carla

--
--
Carla Steinberg Pfahl, Librarian
Reference Outreach & Instruction / AskMN.org Coordinator
Minitex<http://www.minitex.umn.edu/> / University of Minnesota
60 Wilson Library
309 19th Ave So
Minneapolis, MN 55455
pfahl001 at umn.edu<mailto:pfahl001 at umn.edu>
<mailto:pfahl001 at umn.edu>
612-626-6845
1-800-462-5348

elm4you.org<http://elm4you.org>
askmn.org<http://askmn.org>
ebooksmn.org<http://ebooksmn.org>


--
--
Carla Steinberg Pfahl, Librarian
Reference Outreach & Instruction / AskMN.org Coordinator
Minitex<http://www.minitex.umn.edu/> / University of Minnesota
60 Wilson Library
309 19th Ave So
Minneapolis, MN 55455
pfahl001 at umn.edu<mailto:pfahl001 at umn.edu>
<mailto:pfahl001 at umn.edu>
612-626-6845
1-800-462-5348

elm4you.org<http://elm4you.org>
askmn.org<http://askmn.org>
ebooksmn.org<http://ebooksmn.org>
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