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ALAO Annual, Oct. 26, 2001 1

Virtual Reference Service: Virtual Reference Service: Our Real-Time ExperienceOur Real-Time Experience

Leela Balraj and Tom KlinglerKent State University


AbstractAbstract

Today's college students are conducting much of their academic research outside the physical confines of the traditional library building, using networked connections in labs, residence halls, apartments, and homes. This convenience has its drawbacks, particularly in terms of obtaining traditional reference assistance. Students anywhere can still benefit from the guidance that reference librarians are able to provide in retrieving relevant, accurate, and authoritative information. One new initiative at Kent State University is to provide virtual reference service to students at remote locations using real-time videoconferencing. This session will discuss the practical as well as the technical aspects of our experiences.


Our setting: Desktop H 323Our setting: Desktop H 323


Shared windows…Shared windows…


More shared windows…More shared windows…


Underway…Underway…


Background…Background…

Student Retention Initiative grant proposal

1. Director, Information Services; Coordinator, Reference Services; Dean, Honors College

2. Promote reference service



Reaching out to off-site users…

"Reference work includes the direct, personal aid within a library to persons in search of information for whatever purpose, and also various library activities especially aimed at making information as easily available as possible." -Margaret Hutchins, Introduction to Reference Work (1944)

1. Traditional off-site reference service: Telephone; Email 2. Recent off-site reference service: Chat; Video/Audio

real-time conferencing; 24/7



Pilot target group: Honors College students

1. Good working relationships2. Attractive environment - library

resource room; computer lab; dorms3. Appropriate networking4. Meet information needs - individual

honors work; senior honors thesis/project


Our service…RefLINKOur service…RefLINK

Spring 2001: Introduction of service & staff training

1. Introduce service – Open House2. 'Name The Service' survey - RefLINK3. Training - team teaching; observation;

group instruction


Our service…RefLINK…Our service…RefLINK…

Summer 2001: Pilot project with McNair Scholars students

1. Propose support for new service2. Establish working relationship with

students3. Demonstrate service4. Get feedback – formal & informal5. Keep lines of communication open


Our service…RefLINK…Our service…RefLINK…

Fall 2001: Honors College students

1. 'Food For Thought' lecture series2. Advertise service - Daily Kent Stater;

flyers 3. Promote service - Student reporter


An incoming call…An incoming call…


Would you answer this one?!Would you answer this one?!


Shared whiteboard…Shared whiteboard…


E-boredom…E-boredom…


Two-way whiteboard…Two-way whiteboard…


Danger! Video zoom….Danger! Video zoom….


Service issues…Service issues…

Training

1. Team teaching2. Group instruction3. Observation



Staffing

1. Librarians2. Graduate Reference Assistants

(library science students)3. Library Associates (future)



Real-time experiences

1. Types of interactions - in-depth research topics; ready reference; citation verification

2. Problems encountered - technical glitches

3. Lessons learned - learning curve; user acceptance



Promotion

1. Daily Kent Stater campus newspaper articles

2. Flyers in Honors College bulletin board and computer lab


Future…Future…

1. Expand to other locations on campus - computer labs; dorms; branch libraries; campus help desk; regional campuses; distance education

2. Expand hours of service - meet needs of students

3. Technology advancements


The technology…The technology…

1. Supports high-quality video and audio2. Can be used with collaboration tools:

a. shared whiteboard

b. shared browser

3. Point-to-point or multipoint4. H 323 is the protocol standard for video

conferencing-over-IP


Advantages of H 323…Advantages of H 323…

1. No ISDN line charges2. Informal use by anyone anytime on a

desktop PC3. Less need for expensive special rooms

and advance reservations4. Cheap: a typical PC can be upgraded to

a good quality videoconferencing station for $900.00


H 323 v. H 32x H 323 v. H 32x

1. H 320 – for ISDN2. H 321 – for ATM 3. H 322 – for lans with QoS4. H 323 – for IP


What’s needed…What’s needed…

1. TCP/IP network2. Switched port is nice3. High-end PC4. An H 323 kit5. MCU gateway for multipoint

conferences (and multi-protocol)


What’s in a kit?What’s in a kit?

1. Software2. Specialized video card3. Camera4. Microphone


Some products…Some products…

VCON http://www.vcon.com/


Products…Products…

Teleportec http://www.teleportec.com/



…another VCON product



…a VCON model for small groups



Metropark Supernova http://www.metropark.com/


Our VCON modelOur VCON model

Start up…


Some settings…Some settings…


More settings…More settings…


Tricky technical issues…Tricky technical issues…

1. Shared resolution2. Feedback3. Application sharing


More Products…More Products…

1. Zydacron comCenter Conferencing Room System http://picturephone.com/products/comcenterroomsystem.htm

2. PictureTel 960 & 970 Videoconferencing Systems http://picturephone.com/products/picturetel_960_970.htm

3. Polycom ViewStation H.323 http://picturephone.com/products/polycom_viewstation_h323.htm

http://picturephone.com/products/comcenterroomsystem.htm

http://picturephone.com/products/picturetel_960_970.htm

http://picturephone.com/products/polycom_viewstation_h323.htm


Gateways and gatekeepers…Gateways and gatekeepers…

1. Multi-protocol: Between H323 (IP,) H320(ISDN,)

H321 (ATM)

2. Multi-point: More than two participants

3. MCU = Multipoint Control/Conferencing Unit


Gateway products…Gateway products…

1. First Virtualhttp://www.fvc.com/products/vgate.htm

2. Ciscohttp://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/pcat/vc3500.htm

3. Radvisionhttp://www.radvision.com/f_products/f1_overview.php3?prod=Products%2BOverview

http://www.fvc.com/products/vgate.htm

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/pcat/vc3500.htm

http://www.radvision.com/f_products/f1_overview.php3?prod=Products+Overview


Basics of H 323Basics of H 323

1. University of Illinois at Chicagohttp://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/newsletter/adn30/techtip.html

2. Synetrixhttp://www.synetrix.co.uk/technologies/video/video_conferencing.htm

3. IMTC (International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium )

http://www.imtc.org/h323.htm

http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/newsletter/adn30/techtip.html

http://www.synetrix.co.uk/technologies/video/video_conferencing.htm

http://www.imtc.org/h323.htm


Bibliography…Bibliography…

Broughton, K. M. (2001). Our experiment in online, real-time reference. Computers in Libraries, 21 (4), 26-31.

Janes, J., et.al. (1999). Digital reference services in academic libraries. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 39 (2), 145-150.

Kasowitz, A., et.al. (2000). Quality standards for digital reference consortia. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 39 (4), 355-363.

Kenney, B. J. (2001). Academic libraries test Web-based reference. Library Journal, 126 (12), 25. Lankes, R. D. et. al. (Eds.). (2000). Digital reference service in the new millennium: Planning, management, and evaluation. New York: Neal-Schuman.


Bibliography…continued…Bibliography…continued…

Lipow, A. G. (1998). Reference service in a digital age. Reference & UserServices Quarterly, 38 (1), 47-48.

Meola, M. & Stormont, S. (2000). Real-time reference service for theremote user: From the telephone and electronic mail to Internet chat,instant messaging, and collaborative software. The Reference Librarian,no. 67-68, 29-40. Oder, N. (2001). The shape of e-reference. Library Journal, 126 (2), 46-49.

Schneider, K. G. (2000). The distributed librarian: Live, online, real-timereference. American Libraries, 31 (10), 64.


Bibliography…continued…Bibliography…continued… Sloan, B. (2001). Ready for reference: Academic libraries offer live web-basedreference: Preliminary report. Retrieved October 15, 2001 on the WorldWide Web: http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/~b-sloan/ready4ref.htm Tenopir, C. (2001). Virtual reference services in a real world. LibraryJournal, 126 (12), 38-40. Weissman, S. (2001). Considering a launch? Library Journal, 126 (2), 49. Wolf, L. C. (1999). Multimedia applications in heterogeneousInternet/ATM environments. Internet Research: Electronic NetworkingApplications and Policy, 9 (1), 49-57.


Contact info…Contact info…

Virtual Reference Service: Our Real-time Experience at KentState University

Leela Balraj Tom KlinglerInformation Services Librarian Assistant Dean for SystemsReference Dept. Kent State UniversityKent State University P.O. Box 5190P.O. Box 5190 Kent, OH 44242Kent, OH 44242 Voice: 330-672-1646Voice: 330-672-1657 Fax: 330-672-4811Fax: 330-672-3964 Email: [email protected]: [email protected]


Thanks…Thanks…

http://www.library.kent.edu/~tk/h323.ppt

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