The KnowItNow24x7 Provider site will be unavailable March 10, 2010 from 7:30 am to approximately 9:00 am while we do some system upgrades.

In keeping with the QuACK goal of sharing exemplary work from the KnowItNow24x7 librarians, the following is an email transaction answered by the leave-a-message answering librarians. This month we recognize one of KIN24x7’s interns from Kent State University, Kris.

Kris has done a great job of circumventing the patron’s request for an opinion (“Do you think…”) and providing historical documents and a magazine article that directly address the question posed.

-- Original Question Entered by Guest --

Two new institutions are joining the KnowItNow24x7 team this month. Librarians will be seeing both logged into SparkRef very soon.
Canal Fulton Public Library will be staffing a local queue and also contributing back to the statewide service by answering leave-a-message emails. Cheryl Mullins and Andrew Gunsch were instrumental in setting up the recent KIN24x7 training day at CFPL, and the library's participation is welcomed.

Congratulations this month go to Librarian46 of the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County and MaryC of Shawnee State University.

Librarian46 recommended excellent sources and kept the conversation going while s/he did additional searching and allowed the patron to examine the sites already sent. This patron hit the jackpot with a librarian who brought subject expertise and personal enthusiasm to the transaction.

Volume 3, No. 9

Coordinator's Corner: Spring Is Almost Here!

Finally, March is here, and that means spring is nearby. As we collectively dig ourselves out literally from the snowfall and figuratively from the winter doldrums, the vernal equinox will arrive on March 20 at 17:32 UT (12:32 pm Eastern).

Spring is typically a time of new growth and new promise, and KnowItNow24x7 is looking forward to the same. We continue to encourage new libraries to join the project. With the on-going interest in the local queue, we have several libraries poised to implement this option and will make announcements as they move through the process. We also have other ways of getting involved including monitoring AOL, Yahoo!, and MSN through SparkRef and becoming an official KIN24x7 IM library, as well as staffing the statewide service. We are also looking at ways of enhancing KIN24x7 and providing even more options for patrons to access librarians. It's an exciting time!

A number of libraries in Ohio have chosen to implement their own local live chat service independent of the statewide service. KnowItNow24x7 (KIN24x7) is now providing patrons (based on their ZIP Code) the choice of continuing with their KIN24x7 session or connecting to their local library's stand-alone service from 10am-5pm, Monday through Friday. Outside of those times, KIN24x7 routes patrons to librarians staffing the statewide service. This new feature will empower both patrons (to choose the service they wish to use) and local libraries (to serve their patrons more efficiently).

As mentioned previously, INFOhio has included KnowItNow24x7 as one of the 21 Essential Things for 21st Century Success. This is a reminder to use the INFOhio canned response when the patron identifies themselves as using the learning modules.

Jennifer Schwelik, an Educational Consultant at INFOhio, recently shared some feedback from one of the current 275 INFOhio participants:

Please note that the KnowItNow24x7 subject queues will be closed on President's Day, Monday, February 15. Patrons will be able to choose from General Questions and Reading Recommendations, and libraries staffing those queues should staff the service as normal. If you have any questions, please feel free email support@knowitnow.org.

This is a reminder that there's still time to sign up for the KnowItNow24x7 Training Session to be hosted by Canal Fulton Public Library (154 East Market Street, Canal Fulton, OH) on Monday, Feb. 15, 9:30-12:00. Limited seating (up to 13) is available for libraries who would like to send staff members who need training or would like a refresher on KIN24x7 software and procedures. If you are interested in attending, please contact support@knowitnow.org and include name(s) of attendee(s), library affiliation, and email address(es).

In keeping with the QuACK goal of sharing exemplary work from the KnowItNow24x7 librarians, the following is an email transaction answered by the leave-a-message answering librarians. This month we recognize Kathy Fisher at Ursuline College.