Virtual
Reference, Real Evaluation, by Donna Goda & Corinne Bishop,
This poster describes evaluation of chat in a shared VR service
in which reference assistance is provided by four types of staff with markedly
varying backgrounds:
• Local librarians
• Local paraprofessionals
• Consortial librarians
• Consortial MLIS students
The authors explain how they compile
and evaluate usage statistics, patron information, question content, and service
quality; and how that data gathered is used in planning hours, staffing,
training, and other aspects of managing a VR service.
This is one of four winning posters in the 2007 MARS
Management of Electronic Resources and Services (MERS) Committee virtual poster
session on the evaluation of virtual reference services.