virtual reference services: survey results terri miller, michigan state u. for the ad hoc committee...
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Virtual Reference Services: Survey Results
Terri Miller, Michigan State U. for the Ad hoc Committee to Survey Virtual Reference Services
Survey Background
• Survey created using Google Forms• Administered August-September 2013• Sent out to RUSA listserv• 91 respondents total
Type of Institution Respondents
Large college/university (>=10,000 students) 50
Large Public (>=50,000 residents) 7
Other 6
Small college/university (<10,000 students) 24
Small Public (<50,000 residents) 4
Grand Total 91
Who responded?
Social Media Chat Text/SMS Email
25
9
31
17
1
22
6
35
2
13 1418
1
30
1
16
Institutions reporting frequency of question source
100 or less 101-500 501-1000 1000+
How many questions do you receive via Virtual Reference each year?
Large college/university (>=10,000 students)
Large Public (>=50,000 residents)
Small college/university (<10,000 students)
Small Public (<50,000 residents)
0 10 20 30 40
YesNo; we are looking to change the software we are usingNo; but we have no plans to change the software we are using
Are you happy with your Chat software?
0123456789
10
cost of software
lack of staff
other reason
If you don’t have chat, why?
If you don’t have text/sms, why?
0123456789
10
cost of softwarelack of stafflow useother reason
In the past 3 years, have your chat questions increased or decreased?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
decreasedincreasedincreased signif-icantlystayed about the same
In the past 3 years, have your Social Media questions increased or decreased?
0
5
10
15
20
25
decreaseddecreased signif-icantlyincreasedincreased signif-icantlystayed about the same
In the past three years, have your Email transactions increased or decreased?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
decreaseddecreased signif-icantlyincreasedincreased significantlystayed about the same
In the past 3 years, have your Text questions increased or decreased?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
decreaseddecreased signif-icantlyincreasedincreased signif-icantlystayed about the same
Is your chat service successful?
Large college/university (>=10,000 students)
Large Public (>=50,000 residents)
Small college/university (<10,000 students)
Small Public (<50,000 residents)
0 10 20 30 40
Very successfulSomewhat SuccessfulNot successful
But how’s that Text Service?
Large college/university (>=10,000 students)
Large Public (>=50,000 residents)
Small college/university (<10,000 students)
Small Public (<50,000 residents)
0 4 8 12 16 20
Very successfulSomewhat SuccessfulNot successful
How do you staff your virtual reference service?
0
10
20
30
How many are trained to do VR?
Librarians Staff Students/Interns
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Only 1Between 2-5Between 5-10More than 10
Recommendations
• Survey becomes a regular part of a RSS committee’s work instead of an ad hoc committee
• Survey released in September of every other year
• Keep many questions the same to track trends; tweak others