Library Research Round Table

ALA Annual Conference Anaheim, CA

June 26-July 2, 2008

“I Find What I Need” Behaviors and Information-Seeking Preferences of Non-

Users of Virtual Reference

“I Find What I Need” Behaviors and Information-Seeking Preferences of Non-

Users of Virtual Reference

Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D.Senior Research Scientist, OCLC

Marie L. Radford, Ph.D.Associate Professor,Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Jocelyn A. DeAngelis WilliamsPh.D. Candidate,Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Timothy J. Dickey, Ph.D. Post Doctoral Researcher, OCLC

Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, & Librarian Perspectives

Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, & Librarian PerspectivesFunded by IMLS, Rutgers, OCLC

Project duration

• 10/1/2005-3/30/2008

Four phases

I. Focus group interviews*

II. Analysis of 850 QuestionPoint transcripts

III. 496 online surveys*

IV. 283 telephone interviews** Interviews & Surveys with VRS Users, Non-users, & Librarians

Phase I: Focus GroupsPhase I: Focus Groups

4 Focus Groups (40 non-users interviewed):

• 3 with “Screenagers” (rural, suburban,

& urban)

• 1 with college students (graduate)

• 2 with VRS librarians

• 2 with VRS users (college students & adults)

Phases III & IV: Surveys & InterviewsPhases III & IV: Surveys & Interviews

184 Online Surveys:

• Majority female & Caucasian

• Public library users outnumber school & academic library users

• More suburban than urban or rural

• Most 12-28 years old

107 Telephone Interviews:

• Majority female & Caucasian

• Public library users outnumber school & academic library users

• More suburban than urban or rural

• Most 19-28 years old

Two Theoretical PerspectivesTwo Theoretical Perspectives

Goffman (1959, 1967)

• Impression Management

• Ritual nature of human interaction

• Facework & Facethreat

Watzlawick, Beavin, & Jackson (1967)

• Every message has dual dimensions

• Content = Information (What)

• Relational = Interpersonal aspects (How to interpret)

Libraries TodayLibraries Today

Meet the information needs of differing groups

Largest groups:

• Baby boomers (1945-1964)

• Cohort #1 (Born 1946 – 1954)

• Cohort #2 (Born 1955 – 1964)

• Millennials (1979 – 1994)

• Screenagers (Born 1988 -1994)

Non-user Behaviors and Information-Seeking Preferences

Non-user Behaviors and Information-Seeking Preferences

Research Questions:

• How do non-users of VRS meet information needs?

• Why do they choose resources other than VRS?

• What features attract them to these other resources?

• What might influence them to try VRS?

Major FindingsMajor Findings

Non-user Behaviors and Information-Seeking

Preferences

How Do Non-users of VRS Meet Information Needs?How Do Non-users of VRS Meet Information Needs?

The Internet

•Google

•Wikipedia

How Do Non-users of VRS Meet Information Needs? How Do Non-users of VRS Meet Information Needs?

People

•(Phone to) Family members

•Friends

•Teachers/Professors

•Experts in field/subject area

How Do Non-users of VRS Meet Information Needs? How Do Non-users of VRS Meet Information Needs?

Librarians

•Value of FtF interaction

•Librarians’ expertise

Why do Non-users Choose Resources Other than VRS?Why do Non-users Choose Resources Other than VRS?

Privacy/Security Concerns

•Prefer a known librarian

•Not “some psycho serial killer”

Why do Non-users Choose Resources Other than VRS? Why do Non-users Choose Resources Other than VRS?

Trustworthiness & Accuracy

•Librarian might...

•be chatting with too many people

•not be a specialist

•withhold information knowingly

Why do Non-users Choose Resources Other than VRS? Why do Non-users Choose Resources Other than VRS?

Independence

•Prefer to do own search

•Use the Internet

•No librarian necessary

What Features Attract VRS Non-users to Other Resources?What Features Attract VRS Non-users to Other Resources?

Convenience, convenience, convenience

•Working from home

•At night or on weekends

•Millennials especially value convenience

What Features Attract VRS Non-users to Other Resources? What Features Attract VRS Non-users to Other Resources?

Convenience & staying home

•“To be honest with you, I don’t like to walk to the library.” (NTI-109)

What Features Attract VRS Non-users to Other Resources? What Features Attract VRS Non-users to Other Resources?

Convenience & impatience

• Work under deadlines

• Cannot wait

Reasons for Non-use of VRSReasons for Non-use of VRS

Boomers & Millennials

Do not know

•Service availability (the single greatest factor!)

•Librarian can help

•24/7 availability

Satisfied with other information sources

Reasons for Non-use of VRSReasons for Non-use of VRS

Boomer concerns…

•Their own

•Computer literacy &

•Typing speed

•Complexity of chat environment

What is Important for VRS Success?What is Important for VRS Success?

•Accuracy of answers/information

•Especially value specific information requested

•Librarian’s

•Knowledge of sources & systems

•Positive attitude

•Good communication skills

Some Concerns with VRSSome Concerns with VRS

•Can VRS blend convenience & quality?

•Quality of interaction

•Librarian’s willingness to market & help

•Personalized help

What Might Influence Non-users

to try VRS?

What Might Influence Non-users

to try VRS?

The Library can be Inconvenient

•Limited hours

•Limited collection

•Depth

•Breadth

•Resources hard to use

What Might Influence Non-users

to try VRS?

What Might Influence Non-users

to try VRS?

Libraries are associated with BOOKS

•Books aren’t convenient to retrieve from the library

Libraries are QUIET

•For studying

What Might Influence Non-users

to Try VRS?

What Might Influence Non-users

to Try VRS?

•Creative marketing

• Promote full range of reference options

• Reassure that chat is safe

•Build positive relationships 1 person at a time

• Regardless of format

• FtF

• Phone

• Online

Future Directions for StudyFuture Directions for Study

Data collection completed

Analyses nearly completed

•Studying critical factors by participant’s age & other demographics

• Increasing, merging, & crossing-over from one mode to another (FtF, Phone, Chat, E-mail, etc.)

End NotesEnd Notes

This is one outcome from the project, Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives, Marie L. Radford & Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Co-Principal Investigators.

Funded by IMLS, Rutgers University and OCLC.

Special thanks to Patrick Confer, Heather Lea Moulaison, Andrea Simzak, Jannica Heinstrom, Lisa Rose-Wiles, and David M. Dragos.

These slides available at project website: http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/synchronicity/

Questions & CommentsQuestions & Comments

Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D.

• Email: connawal@oclc.org

• www.oclc.org/research/staff/connaway.htm

Marie L. Radford, Ph.D.

• Email: mradford@scils.rutgers.edu

• www.scils.rutgers.edu/~mradford