Teaching and User Satisfaction in an Academic Chat Reference Consortium

Barrett, Kathryn; Logan, Judith; Pagotto, Sabina; Greenberg, Amy

doi:10.15760/comminfolit.2020.14.2.2

Cited by 6 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Local institutional knowledge should hopefully provide them with more accurate answers more quickly than the ticket referral service of the co-op. In an examination of “the relationship between user satisfaction and teaching” in a regional university library consortial chat service, Barrett et al concluded that “consortial chats that included teaching led to higher user satisfaction” (2020, p. 194). Might teaching be more likely to occur when the users' institution's librarians answer the chat?…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual reference amid COVID-19 campus closure: a case study and assessment

Garvey

2021

RSR

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PurposeThis case study was conducted to assess and make changes to the consortial virtual reference service for the remainder of the period of fully virtual reference (campus closure); a second objective was to consider implications for service design and delivery upon the eventual return to the physical campus.Design/methodology/approachThis paper begins by introducing the institution, reference practices prior to the pandemic and the changes to reference service necessitated by the campus closure. After a literature review of material related to reference and the pandemic, several years of virtual reference service data are analyzed.FindingsThe use of consortial virtual reference service has significantly increased in the pandemic, as demonstrated by questions asked by users and questions answered by librarians. Changes to work practices based on these data have been made.Originality/valueThis work is original in that it relates to the physical closure of the campus due to the pandemic, about which, to date, little has been published specifically concerning the design and delivery of reference services.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual reference amid COVID-19 campus closure: a case study and assessment

Garvey

2021

RSR

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“…In 2017, a joint research team at Scholars Portal and University of Toronto Libraries began a major research project assessing the Ask a Librarian service. This major transcript analysis project covered a wide range of questions, including factors that are associated with dissatisfaction in chat interactions (Logan, Barrett, & Pagotto, 2019), the appropriateness of Ask a Librarian's policies and service model , and the relationship between teaching behaviours and satisfaction (Barrett, Logan, Pagotto, & Greenberg, 2020). During the course of this research, the authors were intrigued by the finding that users were not more likely to be dissatisfied when served by chat operators from another library-unless they were made aware of this institutional mismatch.…”

Section: Context/backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pay (No) Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain: The Effects of Revealing Institutional Affiliation in a Consortial Chat Service

Barrett

Pagotto

2022

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This study aims to understand how users within a library consortium perceive chat service provided by staff members who are unaffiliated with the user’s home library. The researchers examined 293 chat interactions from Ask a Librarian, a consortial virtual reference service provided to university libraries across Ontario, Canada. Chi-square tests of independence were performed to explore the relationship between user dissatisfaction and instances where the chat operator revealed a mismatch in institutional affiliation between the operator and the user. Moderating variables in the relationship were investigated, including user type, question type, and operator behaviors like transferring the chat, making a referral, revealing a lack of expertise, and saying no to the patron. The researchers found that when an operator revealed that they work at a different institution than the user, patrons are more likely to be dissatisfied if they are graduate students, if their question is research-related, if the operator does not offer to transfer the chat, and if the operator does not state that they lack expertise on the chat topic. These findings suggest that chat operators should be mindful of context and relationships when revealing information about their affiliation. Users may perceive operators from other institutions as lacking knowledge about their local library, or they may be confused or alienated when receiving “behind the scenes” information about staffing that they perceive as unnecessary. The researchers recommend emphasizing and strengthening the user’s relationship with their home library and local library staff.

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“…In contrast, Hervieux and Tummon (2018) discovered that 51% of chat interactions at their institutions were of a transactional nature and included questions about circulation, policies, and technological issues. Although results vary, several studies have shown that reference interactions account for about half the questions asked via virtual reference services (Barrett et al , 2020; Dempsey, 2016, 2017; Hervieux and Tummon, 2018). The remaining interactions typically include questions about circulation, library accounts, policies, and issues with electronic resources (Armann-Keown et al , 2015; Côté et al , 2016; Matteson et al , 2011; McKewan and Richmond, 2017).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is interesting to note that the results from different studies related to instruction in virtual reference vary greatly. Barrett et al (2020) found that 33% of interactions led to instruction. While these chat conversations were often longer than the ones that did not provide instruction, the authors discovered that patrons were more satisfied with the interactions where they did receive information literacy instruction (Barrett et al , 2020).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Barrett et al (2020) found that 33% of interactions led to instruction. While these chat conversations were often longer than the ones that did not provide instruction, the authors discovered that patrons were more satisfied with the interactions where they did receive information literacy instruction (Barrett et al , 2020). Similarly, Dempsey (2017) argued that interactions with instruction require more time than sharing links or providing the answers without explanation.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Is the library open? How the pandemic has changed the provision of virtual reference services

Hervieux

2021

RSR

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the questions received via chat reference at a Canadian university library.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative analysis using coding of chat transcripts and a quantitative analysis of the length of chat interactions were used in this study.FindingsThe author determined that the types of questions received changed slightly during the pandemic due to the new library services offered. The complexity level of questions did not change significantly nor did the presence of instruction. The length of individual chat interactions and the total amount of time spent on chat increased, most likely due to the extended hours of the service and the number of patron questions present in one interaction.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate the potential impact of the pandemic on virtual reference services at a university library. The findings could lead to practical implications for libraries who need to close their in-person reference desk or need to respond to building closures.

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Teaching and User Satisfaction in an Academic Chat Reference Consortium

Cited by 6 publications

References 20 publications

Virtual reference amid COVID-19 campus closure: a case study and assessment

Virtual reference amid COVID-19 campus closure: a case study and assessment

Pay (No) Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain: The Effects of Revealing Institutional Affiliation in a Consortial Chat Service

Is the library open? How the pandemic has changed the provision of virtual reference services

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