11/6/2003 MPLA/NLA Conference, Incline Village, Nevada1 KANAnswer A Kansas collaborative for virtual reference Eric Hansen Kansas Library Network Board.

11/6/2003 MPLA/NLA Conference, Incline Village, Nevada

1

KANAnswerA Kansas collaborative for

virtual referenceEric Hansen

Kansas Library Network Board

1-800-432-3919

[email protected]

www.skyways.org/KSL/KLNB


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What is the KLNB?

• A division of the KS State Library

• Founded in 1981 to promote resource sharing among Kansas libraries

• Staff of 1 (Executive Director)


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What is the KLNB’s mission?

The Kansas Library Network Board promotes services that provide people with the information they want, when

and where they need it.


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What does the KLNB do?

• Interlibrary Loan Development Program

• Kansas Library Card

• Materials Replacement Fund

• Western Trails Project

AND…


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What Is KANAnswer?

A statewide online information service for Kansas


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Project Need

KLNB: Public and academic library reference statistics are down because

patrons are going to the Internet for their information needs.


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Project Plan

• KLNB directive May 16, 2002 • Statewide task force met twice in July 2002 • KLNB approved plan August 15, 2002


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Project Goals

• To test whether a sustainable, statewide consortium for real-time, online reference service via the Internet can be successfully created among Kansas libraries and other institutions.

• To assess the effectiveness of such a service in meeting the informational needs of online patrons.


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Project Timeline


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September – December 2002

• Select software/service vendor

• Draft policies and procedures document

• Prepare marketing/PR campaign

• Secure project partners

• Staff training

• Prepare assessment tools


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January – March 2003

• Project launch

• Awareness sessions in Kansas

• First assessment and adjustments


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April – June 2003

• Awareness sessions continue

• Tri-Conference exposure

• Second assessment


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July – September 2003

• Determine future of project

• Fund raising

• Draft best practices document


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Service Provider

LivePerson Selected for Price, Ease of Use, and Feature Set


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LivePerson Agreement

• Contract November 2002 – November 2003 • 2 simultaneous operator seats • 1-day statewide training session 12/17/02 • Statewide operator practice account, 50

simultaneous operator seats, through 1/31/03*• KS training account, from 3/24/03*


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KANAnswer Operators Manual

• Operator Requirements • Operator Guidelines • Referral Policy and Procedure • Additional information


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KANAnswer Web site

• Project logo

• Domain names

• Project Hours

• Participating Libraries

• E-mail info. Providers

• Expertise Directory

• Pilot project plan and assessment

www.kananswer.info


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KANANSWER-L

• E-mail discussion list open to operators

• Resident on KU server

• Co-owned by Project Coordinator

• Subscriptions by Project Coordinator

• Not moderated

• 104 subscribers


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KANAnswer numbers

• 97 operators and 1 administrator

• 24 libraries

• 56 hours per week


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KANAnswer pilot project usage(Jan. 31-July 31, 2003)

• Total user-to-operator chats = 908• Total nonresident chats = 223• Total nonresident chats about Kansas = 147• Total requests for transcripts = 134


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KANAnswer pilot project usage, by Kansas county


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Pilot Project user responses


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“Did we completely answer your question?”

• Yes = 465

• No = 107


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“Was KANAnswer easy to use?”

• Yes = 521

• No = 6

• Somewhat = 13


26

“What hours would KANAnswer be of

most use to you? (Check all that apply)” • 8:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. = 414

• 5:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m. = 202

• 9:00 p.m.—12:00 a.m. = 65

• 12:00 a.m.—8:00 a.m. = 29


27

“Where are you when you access

KANAnswer? (Check all that apply)” • School/campus = 116

• Home = 207

• Library = 156

• Elsewhere = 140


28

“How did you hear about KANAnswer?”

• AccessKansas = 108

• Internet search = 81

• Other = 50

• Library Web site = 43

• Library worker/workshop = 39

• “Library” = 23


29

KANAnswer usage, September 2003

• Total user-to-operator chats = 208

• Total nonresident chats = 40

• Total nonresident chats about Kansas = 45

• Total requests for transcripts = 17


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KANAnswer user responses,September 2003


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“Did we completely answer your question?”

• Yes = 64

• No = 14


32

“Was KANAnswer easy to use?”

• Yes = 72

• No = 0

• Somewhat = 3


33

“What hours would KANAnswer be of most use to you? (Check all that apply)”

• 8 am-5pm = 60

• 5pm-9pm = 38

• 9pm-12am = 9

• 12am-8am = 4


34

“Where are you when you access KANAnswer? (Check all that apply)”

• School/campus = 24

• Home = 35

• Library = 21

• Elsewhere = 25


35

“How did you hear about KANAnswer?”

• AccessKansas = 13

• Web search = 14

• Library Web site = 13

• Library/library worker = 17


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How does KANAnswer work?

User’s perspective


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How does KANAnswer work?

Operator’s perspective


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Operational adjustments

• Operator login and logoff

• Canned responses & Web pages

• Hours of operation

• Operator Steering Committee


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Bridging institutional missions

• Different user populations

• Length of chat sessions

• e-mail follow-up

• Library closed days


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Demonstration


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Questions?


66

Thanks for your attention!

Eric Hansen

Kansas Library Network Board

11/6/2003 MPLA/NLA Conference, Incline Village, Nevada1 KANAnswer A Kansas collaborative for virtual reference Eric Hansen Kansas Library Network Board.

Documents

mplanla conference

incline village

kansas slide

assessment slide

nevada5 slide

week slide

kansas county slide

assessment tools slide