Chasing the Sun : an international virtual reference service between health libraries

Chasing the Sun: an international virtual reference service between health libraries

Mary Peterson (RAH/IMVS, Adelaide, Australia)

John Loy (Bristol, UK)

Internet Librarian International 2007

What is Chasing the Sun? History, setup, problems Recent developments within CTS Future goals

co-operative free virtual reference service between health libraries

Takes advantage of time differences

5am in the UK

1pm in Perth 3pm in Sydney

10pm in Vancouver

Midnight in Montreal

To put health/medical practitioners in contact with a Librarian for after-hours reference queries related to a clinical question.

Risk management – supporting use of clinical decision-making support tools for EBP

Provides help with database searching or information retrieval

Must relate to patient care Cannot wait until the library is open in the

morning Target group

◦ junior doctors, nurses working after-hours

General IT problems or computer connectivity - i.e. database crashes.

Password difficulties Queries not relating to patient care (i.e.

assignments or research) Material unique to the other institutions’

intranets.

share common subject themes are of equal professional standards use similar information resources

Initial contact by NHS late 2001 service parameters agreed during 2002 logo developed 2002 - UK evaluation of VR softwares 2002-3 - AUS detailed evaluation of QP 2003 - AUS Project proposal delivered to UK Dec 2003 UK agreed to fund QP for one year Soft launch November 2004 Expansion in UK and Aus 2004 – 2007 New Zealand trialling 2006 Canada joins 2007

Swets Professional Envoy Award (Aus) 2004 International Information Industry Awards,

London 2004 - Best Team in the Public Sector

Three types of Virtual Reference Software◦ Remote Control software◦ Web Contact Centre Software◦ Chat / Instant Messenger

CTS based on live chat – immediate response

Affordable Reliable and quick response times Easy to use interface Able to brand web pages with our logo Able to gather statistics and generate

reports automatically Does not require special software or

hardware for user or librarian Able to have tailored standard messages

Able to provide link from “Chat” to “Web form” when library is closed

Allows librarian to use other applications at the same time and to move/float chat window

Provides a cue for incoming request Web forms can be customised Able to time/date stamp both the request

and the response given to the request

Allows discrete groups (BMEs) in different countries

Individual SPUs for internal VR Multiple librarians can be logged on All CTS questions seen by all librarians Most appropriately skilled librarian able to

take question Transfer of questions easy No rostering is required

Each CTS country BME has an administrator to represent their group of librarians.

The CTS administrator liaises with the other administrators from other countries

The administrator’s duties include:◦ ensure Chat sessions are taken up and that

Librarians are logged on each day ◦ schedule training for librarians◦ activate accounts and manage MOUs ◦ customise country’s global scripted messages◦ organise branding (Logo) of group◦ generate usage reports (statistics)◦ assist with set-up of new member libraries◦ Liaise with OCLC on technical developments etc

Unreliable internet / response times Blocking of download sites by IT depts Reliable source of recurrent funding

◦ UK – NHS ◦ Aus – sponsorship◦ Canada – already QP users◦ NZ – funding source barrier to participation

Time and energy levels

How best to promote the service to medical and health staff◦ emails, promotions on intranet web sites,

promotion at regional medical conferences System administrators – workload

Launch of new Flash version of QP 22nd October 2007

Canada joining as full member Increased librarian training Promotion to health librarians

◦ CHLA June 2007◦ AGMB Sept 2007◦ HLG July 2008

Promotion to clinicians

Intensify promotion to clients Broaden CTS participant group – NZ / USA. Explore sources for longer term funding

Improved opportunity for good evidence based clinical decision making in patient care by medical / health staff.

Overcome issues of having to have physical after hours access to the library.

Platform for co-operative ventures established

Good political mileage for librarians Interesting new side to our work.

Health Libraries to be part of the way of the virtual future.

Virtual reference goes with virtual diagnosis, virtual surgery, virtual teaching, telemedicine, Robotics

Virtual world imposes no distance or size restrictions.

Rockliff S, Peterson M, Martin K, Curtis D. Chasing the Sun: a virtual reference service between SAHSLC (SA) and SWICE (UK). Health Information and Libraries Journal 2005; 22: 117–123.

Website: http://www.salus.sa.gov.au/cts/ctsmain.htm

Tonight at about 5.30 – live chat with Canada. Come and help us welcome Canada to CTS!

Chasing the Sun: an international virtual reference service between health libraries

Mary Peterson (Adelaide, Australia)

John Loy (Bristol, UK)

Internet Librarian International 2007