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Volume 4, No. 1

Coordinator's Corner: Searching for Scrap (Metal)

The consolidated subject queue system has been in place for one month now. Those who previously handled only a particular subject are, by and large, doing excellent work responding to their patrons' information needs, and many have seen this as an opportunity to expand their reference skills.

In looking at the transcripts, I did come across one esoteric question on which I'd like to comment. The patron's original question was "Hi, I would like to know the current scrap metal prices from the American Metal Market newspaper." During the session, the patron went so far as to specifically say that he had contacted the Business Department at Cleveland Public Library many times before for quotes like the one for which he was asking. The librarian offered to transfer the patron but then said "Sorry. We have a new system and I cant transfer you. If you leave an email I will have someone get in touch."

In light of this exchange, I decided to do some searching on my own to see how one might find quotes for scrap metal in American Metal Market? Having no previous experience with this kind of question, I had three clues:

  • American Metal Market is a periodical.
  • If it is online, it could be in a subscription database.
  • According to the patron, it is held by Cleveland Public Library (CPL).

Of course, I could have called or emailed CPL's Business Department, but I wanted to see what I could find out on my own first. First, I used CPL's Journal Finder to see what databases had this specific periodical. I found out that it is contained in Business Source Premier which just happens to be one of the statewide databases as well. I went to kin.oplin.org, found the link for Business Source Premier, and searched for american metal by Publication. American Metal Market came up as the first hit (Bibliographic Records: 07/01/1999 to present; Full Text: 07/01/1999 to present). Clicking on the title, I could bring up the June 2010 issue and search that specific periodical for scrap metal. This brings up two charts -- SCRAP IRON AND STEEL PRICING and NONFERROUS SCRAP PRICING -- both in HTML full text.

Since Business Source Premier is available statewide, the patron could have been sent those tables during the session (via kin.oplin.org) and could have been shown how to access them himself (at the Ohio Web Library Resources page).

Even better, the patron could have been shown how to set up an alert for that specific search in Business Source Premier. I personally was unaware of this feature until Cheryl Lubow at the State Library called my attention to it. The steps to this are actually fairly simple. Do a search as normal on the database. In this case, using JN "American Metal Market" and scrap pricing. When the results come up, you'll see a link for Create alert for this search. The patron will be prompted to create an account, and, when he or she does, this will enable an RSS delivery of anything new that would arise as a result of that search.

I'm providing the steps I followed to simply illustrate that one need not be intimidated by questions that appear, at first glance, to fall outside one's comfort zone. Before reading that transcript, I had no idea that there was somewhere that you could find prices for scrap metal. As information professionals, we don't have to know everything; we just have to know how to find it. Telling a patron something to the effect of "I'm not familiar with that, but please wait one moment while I check some resources" is more than acceptable. Asking for clarification during the reference interview is also a tried-and-true tactic.

I encourage every librarian - both in-person and virtually - to be open to the challenge of answering questions of all kinds. Not only will you get the satisfaction of helping your patrons, but you may also be rewarded in discovering new strategies for finding information for other patrons as well.

Don Boozer
KnowItNow24x7 Coordinator

A Sampling of KIN24x7 Patron Survey Comments from June 2010

The following are samples of constructive criticism and kudos from the Patron Surveys from June. KIN24x7 librarians: Remember that you really do make a difference. Keep up the great work! People take the time to sincerely thank you for your efforts, but they are also frank about their experiences. Comments are posted below exactly as they were entered by the patrons:

Constructive Criticism (with editorial comments)

  • that stupid librarian [edited out number] left the conversation when i asked her a question! fire her! that was very rude! some of these people you guys have are very mean and need to learn some manners! i may not visit here anymore! i already have two strikes! ONE MORE AND YOUR OUT AND I WILL TELL EVERYONE NOT TO GO ON YOUR STUPID SITE!
    • Commentary: The patron's question was "what is justin biebers email address?". He or she was referring to the teen pop idol Justin Bieber. The patron wanted to write to Justin since it was his/her birthday. The librarian did find the singer's Facebook page and official website and shared those. Later in the conversation, the librarian said, "I'm sorry, those are your options. is there anything else that I can assist you with?". The patron continued to ask about Bieber's postal address and his phone number. From the transcript, it appears that the librarian then logged off. Customer service considerations would recommend addressing why "those are your options" such as the need for celebrities to protect their privacy, etc. Justin Bieber also has a Twitter account on which he's wished "Happy Birthday" to particular fans in the past. One also finds his Booking Agent's email on the Facebook page, although, once again, fans should be reminded that they will most likely not get a personal reply to any messages.
  • I kind of would of liked it if the librarian asked me questions to see what my nephew liked about the book. The books they suggested may have sounded nice, but it would have been helpful if I could click on something to get more information on the book suggested. Additionally, it would of been nice if they helped me figure out how to access the database they referred me to.
    • Commentary: The patron's question was "My nephew just finished reading the Percy Jackson series. I think the first was called The Lightening Thief. Are there any similar books that would interest him? He?s 12." The librarian used Novelist (which is a great subscription database for readers advisory) but was only able to copy-and-paste descriptions from the database. Providing some web links as well, from a Google search for something like +"the lightning thief" read-alike|alikes site:org, would have allowed the patron to see what other libraries have been suggesting. Instead the librarian closed with "You would need to check with your local library to see if they purchase the subscription. It is a great database." Yes, Novelist is a great database, but only if you have access to it. Just something to keep in mind.

Kudos (Agent who helped the patron is in italics)

  • I find this to be an invaluable service. (ad.tess - AfterDark)
  • KnowItNow is so valuable to me - its a wonderful service and everyone has always been friendly and helpful. Thank you. (eboni - Oberlin College)
  • The librarian was very friendly. They gave me what I needed very quickly. :) (Librarian29 - Columbus Metropolitan Library)
  • This service is priceless! I am so happy to support our library system (Perry County District, Ohio) and often tell others about the services it offers such as this. (Librarian04 - Cleveland Public Library) (NOTE: Perry County District Library is not a KIN24x7 answering library)
  • I choose the online service because it was fast and efficient and I wanted to try it out. Very cool! (mcdl8 - Medina County District Library)
  • I am 70 years old and consider the computer of the biggest challenges of my life. I do get frustrated and have sitting on top of my screen a hammer with the words "computer repair kit", but there is such a wealth of info on it that I am determined to master it, not have it master me. thank you (ad.jeanne - AfterDark)
  • I feel bad, i got my answer and the librarian continued helping even after I had left the conversation. The tab was still up and I noticed later. I don't know if they will read this, BUT AWESOME WORK. It helped SO SO much! Sorry to leave in the middle of a conversation. (ad.oskar - AfterDark)
  • This program saves my life on a daily basis. I especially enjoy the librarians that are extremely personable. When I'm stressed from school, it's great to have someone that can help with your work and make you laugh at the same time. Thank you so much. (Librarian80 - Cleveland Public Library)
  • We LOVE Know it Now. (Librarian48 - Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brecksville Branch)
  • The Libraian that helped me was exceptional hands down! I have been to three different libraries and no one could seem to really help..This service is WONDERFUL! (Librarian03 - Cleveland Public Library)
  • never get rid of this website it rocks i love geting the info i need and getting to talk to people why doing it (ad.chuck - AfterDark)
  • my librarian helped me a lot. my librarian helped me to brainstorm some ideas that i needed and also helped me with other help that i needed. from 1 to 10 scale, i would give this service an 11! :D (Librarian04 - Cleveland Public Library)
  • Ann Marie was great! You should give her a raise. (ann_marie - Shawnee State University)
  • Great work it was the first time using your system GREAT resource!!!!!! (amanda - Defiance College)
  • Librarian 163 was of great service. I do appreciate all the librarians. Thanks again. (Librarian163 - Cleveland Public Library)
  • The librarian was extremely helpful in answering my questions, and gave me much more information than I needed, which was great! Thank you so much for this service. (amyf - Bowling Green State University)
  • This is fantastic for Ohio students. I can hardly wait for school to start to share this with my students. We do a lot of research in fifth grade. (Librarian30 - Columbus Metropolitan Library)
  • always excellent service as well as excellent information. keep up the good work! (Librarian16 - Worthington Libraries)
  • The response time by librarian 122 was outstanding! My question was not an important one but the librarian took the request very seriously and I appreciated it! (Librarian122 - Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library)
  • I did not know that this service was offered thru the library. I am 40 yrs old and my mother who is 72 yrs old gave me the information. I have the site bookmarked now. Thank you! (mcdl2 - Medina County District Library)
  • It was GREAT!!!! Glad I know of this...thank you so much...couldn't get help from my school library...too early in the morning for them....so this was a God-send! Thanks.. (ad.david - AfterDark)

(Remember, if you are a KnowItNow24x7 librarian, you can sign up for an account on the Provider site to access all transcripts and survey comments.)

PECK Update

The Pathfinder Editorial Committee for KnowItNow24x7 (PECK) now has a full roster of six members:

  • Amanda Williams, Chancellor University (Cleveland)
  • Andrea Adkins, Washington County Public Library (Marietta)
  • Ann Marie Smeraldi, Cleveland State University
  • Melissa Groveman, Greene County Public Library (Xenia)
  • Robin Pandya, Cuyahoga County Public Library (Mayfield Heights)
  • Steve Herminghausen, Worthington Libraries (Worthington)

There is both good geographical representation on the committee from central, western, southeastern, and northeastern Ohio as well as a nice mix of academic and public librarians.

The committee met on June 30 and chose Andrea Adkins to serve as Chairperson and Amanda Williams as Secretary. The members also chose specific days of the week to monitor additions, edits, and contributions to the Pathfinder project.

KIN24x7 librarians are encouraged to contribute to the Pathfinder project and are reminded that you must login to the Provider site to view and contribute.

Statistics: June 2010

Summer has officially begun with the traditional KnowItNow24x7 "dip" in activity from June through August. This is a good time to catch your breath, discover some new authoritative online resources, and contribute your knowledge to the Pathfinder project. September rolls around quickly!

Below are the top 25 answering institutions/organizations for June 2010:

 
Institution/Organization Number of Sessions Handled
Total for NEO-RLS 1200
Total for Cleveland Public Library 721
Total for Cuyahoga County Public Library 114
Total for Akron-Summit County Public Library 70
Total for Columbus Metropolitan Library 50
Total for KnowItNow24x7 49
Total for University of Cincinnati 46
Total for Columbus State Community College 44
Total for Bowling Green State University 33
Total for Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County 33
Total for Owens Community College 30
Total for Medina County District Library 27
Total for Oberlin College 27
Total for Sinclair Community College 22
Total for Wright State University 22
Total for Worthington Libraries 21
Total for Lorain Public Library System 20
Total for Mansfield/Richland County Public Library 15
Total for Ohio Wesleyan University 15
Total for Greene County Public Library 14
Total for Muskingum College 14
Total for Defiance College 13
Total for Martins Ferry Public Library 12
Total for Orrville Public Library 12
Total for Shawnee State University 12

Below are the Top 25 asking public libraries (i.e., those libraries whose patrons initiated the most sessions on the service):

 
Library Total Sessions Initiated by Patrons of...
*Cuyahoga County Public Library 398
*Cleveland Public Library 288
*Columbus Metropolitan Library 266
*Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County 145
*Akron-Summit County Public Library 138
*Delaware County District Library 97
*Worthington Libraries 80
*Medina County District Library 58
*Toledo-Lucas County Public Library 42
*Geauga County Public Library 41
*Lane Public Library 39
*Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library 38
*Greene County Public Library 37
*Dayton Metro Library 35
Newark Public Library 34
*Lorain Public Library System 32
*Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County 32
*Washington County Public Library 31
Hudson Library & Historical Society 29
Clark County Public Library 26
Union Township Public Library 23
*Shaker Heights Public Library 21
*Ashtabula County District Library 18
Portage County District Library 18
Stark County District Library 17

The libraries preceded by an * are also KnowItNow24x7 answering libraries. For those libraries not currently serving patrons on KIN24x7, there are a number of options now for participating in Ohio's statewide virtual reference service that bring benefits for librarians and patrons. For more information, feel free to email the KIN24x7 Coordinator at support@knowitnow.org.

Questions

Two librarians asked questions recently, and the answers to those may be helpful for others serving on KIN24x7 as well.

Question: Is there a difference for the patron, other than time lapsed, if we click "reject" as opposed to just letting the time lapse? Does the patron have any idea they are "rejected"? Does it change the rotation as far as coming back to us, or will it just route back to us more quickly if other queues are busy?

Answer: You are correct in your understanding of the "Reject" button. Section 16.3. of the Software Manual online also addresses this feature.

To answer your specific question, the patron does not get any kind of message saying they've been "rejected." The next librarian in the queue will simply get the message quicker, but, as you pointed out, if others reject as well, you'll also see the message show up again quicker at your station. This is one of the reasons it's so important for everyone to take their share in light of the collaborative nature of the service.

We are also working on a way to keep track of "Rejects." If any one KIN24x7 account has a high number of them, we'll work work with those librarians to resolve any issues they might be having that led to that situation.

Question: How should we reach out to other departments for KIN help? Can we forward a customers email to another dept for follow up? Any guidelines that have been worked up yet?

Answer: My suggestion would be to use as many channels as we have available: IM, broadcast, email, phone, etc. If you know of someone who has some specialized knowledge you can certainly reach out to them, but also I wouldn't necessarily just limit yourself to librarians you know personally. We have a statewide network from which to draw.

Two specific recommendations I can offer are:

  1. Try using the SparkRef Broadcast feature to find out who might have the information you need. There is a quick primer on this feature on the Provider site (http://provider.knowitnow.org/KINdocs/broadcast_screencast.swf) and also in the Software Manual in Section 8.3.2. Librarians can then IM the information itself or offer to help with an answer. The Broadcast can be used while you're in a session or after you tell the patron you'll be following up and you end the online session.
  2. Feel free to email other colleagues you know have subject knowledge. If you want to have them reply to the patron, that is acceptable, but you can also ask the other librarian for help and reply from your own email (or your KIN24x7 email account). And, to answer your question, yes, it is fine to forward a customer's email address to another librarian for the reply.

If you are also having problems in any one specific area, I would also encourage you to post that to the Pathfinder Topics? Forum at the Provider site. This will hopefully encourage other librarians to contribute to the Pathfinder project in that subject area.

ONLINE RESOURCES OF THE MONTH: U.S. History

In commemoration of the Fourth of July, this month's resources highlight free online resources for information on American history:

(If you are a KIN24x7 librarian, feel free to post suggested online resources here.)

KIN24x7 Merchandise at Cafe Press

Shirts, hats, and other items with the KnowItNow24x7 logo is available at our Cafe Press site. The KnowItNow24x7 logo was redesigned in December 2009 by Kristin Klatka, a graphic designer at Euclid (Ohio) Public Library. So, celebrate your participation in or support for Ohio's statewide reference service and wear your KnowItNow24x7 merchandise proudly! (Note: All merchandise is sold at cost. Due to a number of reasons, KIN24x7 does not receive proceeds from Cafe Press sales.)

KnowItNow24x7 Staff

Don Boozer, KnowItNow24x7 Statewide Coordinator
Brian Leszcz, KnowItNow24x7 Web Services Coordinator
Noah Himes, AfterDark Virtual Reference Service Coordinator
Morgan Paul, AfterDark Virtual Reference Service Specialist
Megan Mitchell, OhioLINK Liaison and Reference Librarian, Oberlin College
...and supervisors and agents across Ohio at KnowItNow24x7-participating libraries like Valerie Sherman at Akron-Summit County Public Library!

The KnowItNow24x7 Newsletter highlights news, resources, and statistics for providers and fans of Ohio's 24x7 virtual reference service. Email your comments, questions, advice, helpful resources, and other contributions to support@knowitnow.org.