virtual reference realities current research and customer feedback karen hyman & peter bromberg...
TRANSCRIPT
Virtual Reference Realities
Current Research and Customer Feedback
Karen Hyman & Peter Bromberg South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative
Public Library Association ConferenceFebruary 26, 2004
QandANJ … what is it?
An LSTA-funded project staffed by 37 libraries of
all types in the NJ Library Network. Free, interactive, search assistance on the Web. Available 24/7.
Live since October 1, 2001.
1500 live answers weekly and growing.
Libraries currently staffing QandANJ include:
Mount Laurel LibraryNew Brunswick Free PLNew Jersey City UniversityNew Jersey State LibraryNewark Public LibraryOcean County LibraryOld Bridge Public LibraryPiscataway Public LibraryPrinceton Public LibrarySomerset County LibrarySouth Brunswick Public LibraryUMDNJ – StratfordUMDNJ - NewarkVineland Public LibraryWayne Public LibraryWest Deptford Public LibraryWest Orange Public LibraryWilliam Paterson UniversityWoodbridge Public Library
Atlantic City Free Public LibraryBurlington County College LibraryBurlington County LibraryCamden County LibraryCentenary CollegeCherry Hill Free Public LibraryCumberland County LibraryDrew University LibraryEast Brunswick Public LibraryGloucester County College LibraryGloucester County LibraryHunterdon County LibraryLivingston Public LibraryMercer County LibraryMiddlesex County CollegeMiddletown Public LibraryMillburn Public LibraryMonmouth County LibraryMontclair Public Library
QandANJ…Why are we doing it? Market libraries and library services Meet needs and expectations of 21st
century customer Immediacy Shock value Go where the people are
QandANJ use
QandANJ…LSTA Funding history
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
$300,000
$350,000
FY2002 FY2003 FY2004(14 mo.)
Funding
QandANJ… Sessions 2002/2003
Collecting Customer Feedback
We used two surveys:
1. Pop-up survey captured immediate reaction
2. Follow-up survey filled out demographic picture, quality of experience and user behavior.
Collecting Customer Feedback
High response rate to feedback form (15-33%)
Quantity and Quality of data• 8500+ responses to pop-up, “reaction” survey• 250+ responses to follow-up survey• We have satisfaction and demographic
information AND thousands of free-text comments.
Keeping it simple!
• Radio buttons for quick answers
• Comment boxes for more detail
4 point, color-coded, scale.
Optional email for follow- up survey
Privacy statement
Results from “pop-up” customer feedback form, June 2002 – Oct 2003.
Total responses: 8745
What are they telling us?
What are they telling us?
Gender Percent
Female 65.1%
Male 34.9%
What are they telling us?
Age Percent
18 and under 45.8%
19 – 35 17.5%
36 – 59 27.4%
60 and up 9.3%
What are they telling us?
Grade Percent
College 17.2%
High School 20.7%
Middle School 23.5%
Elem. School 5.2%
Professional 33.4%
What are they telling us?
Was your question answered in a reasonable amount of time?
Yes 73.7%
No 14.0%
Could be quicker 12.4%
What are they telling us?
Have you used QandANJ before?
Yes 53.9%
No 46.1%
What are they telling us?
Would you use QandANJ again?
Yes 89.8%
No 10.2%
What are they telling us?
Was your question completely answered?
Yes 60.1%
No 25.3%
Referred 14.6%
What are they telling us?
Overall Satisfaction
Very Satisfied 58.4%
Fairly Satisfied 21.8%
Fairly Unsatisfied 6.4%
Very Unsatisfied 13.4%
Combined:
80.2%Satisfied
Approximate “grade” equiv: 3.25
Our pop-up survey respondents were...
Often students More female Younger Satisfied with service Likely to use again
Follow-up Survey
We wanted more detail on customer demographics and satisfaction.
And to correlate with:• Library behaviors: past and future• Opinion of libraries• Demographics
691 Customers provided emails 251 Responded
Rating of Service: a solid B+
Overall Service: 3.62Quality of Help: 3.69
Consistency: 3.55
Courteousness: 3.82
Convenience: 3.84
Ease of Use: 3.79
No tech. problems: 3.56
Accuracy: 3.46
Follow-up Survey
Demographics
Female/male ratio (67/33)
Respondents tended to be older (only 13% under 18)
Ethnically diverse by heritage and languages spoken in the home (just like N.J.)
Follow-up Survey
Fairly educated (41% had attained more than a 4 year degree)
Computer literate.• 97% have a pc in their home• 88% use for word processing• 41% use for banking• 67% use for shopping• 43% used other chat-based services
Follow-up Survey
Mostly Library Users, but not all...
12% visit library yearly or less often
4.2% NEVER seek help from a library when they have an information need.
Follow-up Survey
Why do they visit the library? 75%: Check out materials 73 %: Research/Find Information 59%: Browse 40%: Get assistance from librarian 25%: Study 23%: Use library computers 18%: Attend library programs 10%: Attend non-library programs
Follow-up Survey
QandANJ : Why do customers use us?
Expertise of librarian was cited as often as convenience and speed as reasons for using Q and A NJ. (66%)
“Like having a transcript” rated fairly low. (23.8%)
Follow-up Survey
QandANJ Usage: Devoted Users!
16% used service more than 10 times. 27% used service more than 6 times. 67% were repeat users.
We must be doing something right!
Follow-up Survey
QandANJ : How do customers find us?
35%: Link on library webpage
27%: Word of Mouth (friends, family,
teacher)
13%: Article in paper or magazine
13%: Search Engine
9%: Posters/Bookmarks
7%: Link on non-library webpage
2%: Television
"How has your experience with QandANJ affected your opinion of libraries?
Improved: 66%
Not affected: 32.5%
Worsened: 1.5%
Our follow-up survey respondents were...
Educated Female Older Computer savvy Library card holders Satisfied
QandANJ … Real feedback from real users
QandANJ… Real feedback from real users
Interaction with a live person: “I was talking to a real person not a computer!”
Interaction with a nice person: “I liked that someone came on and didn’t make fun of me or anything about my question.”
Expertise of the librarian: “The librarian found information that my Mom and I had been looking for and could not find no matter where we looked.”
Always open: “I got the answers I needed, especially when the library was closed.” “[My] first contact was at 2 am Sunday morning.”
QandANJ… Real feedback from real users
The library came to me: “I am house-bound …this opportunity is greatly appreciated.” “I didn’t have to go out in the rain.”
Fast: “I like the fact that you get an immediate answer to your question instead of having to click on a hundred different links and still not find the information you need.”
Awesome: “I am continually astounded by this service and it’s results never cease to please.”
In other words…
“The speed of getting precise information. The fact that it was free. The polite professionalism of the librarian. The fact that it is valuable information. The fact that you can access it 24 hours a day. The fact that libraries are keeping up with the future of accessing information and sharing that with the public. It is quite a wonderful, helpful thing.”
Conclusions and surprises
Our follow up survey people -- middle aged, educated, computer savvy, library users -- exist!
Many QandANJ users may be library users or more likely to try us out.
People still need help finding answers. Taking live reference service to the web 24/7
makes this much difference!
Contact Information:
Karen Hyman, Executive Director
Peter Bromberg, Program Coordinator
South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative
10 Foster Avenue, Suite F-3
Gibbsboro, NJ 08026
856 346-1222
FAX: 856 346-2839
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
is administered by the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative (SJRLC), a state tax-funded service of the New Jersey Library Network, and supported by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds administered by the New Jersey State Library.
Headquartered in Gibbsboro, SJRLC is an organization of over 600 academic, public, school and special libraries in the southern seven counties and is one of four library cooperatives in New Jersey.
A copy of this presentation and supporting materials can be found at: www.sjrlc.org/pla