# Presentation: 880518

## Everglades Online Help Desk

**Everglades**** **Online Help Desk

**A Virtual Reference Service for an Evolving Digital Library**

*Gail Clement, Sherry Mosley, Megan Waters*
- Everglades Information Network,
- Florida International University Libraries
- _[http://everglades.fiu.edu](http://everglades.fiu.edu/)_
- _[glades@fiu.edu](mailto:glades@fiu.edu)_

## A collaborative effort of agencies dedicated to providing comprehensive, reliable information in support of research, education and decision-making 
FIU Libraries, Everglades National Park, US Geological Survey, South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Taskforce, Univ. Miami Libraries, Historical Museum of Southern Florida, FCLA
Key services
Everglades Digital Library (collections)
Everglades Online database (index/catalog)
Ask An Everglades Librarian (email/chat) 

- FIU Libraries, Everglades National Park, US Geological Survey, South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Taskforce, Univ. Miami Libraries, Historical Museum of Southern Florida, FCLA
- Key services
- Everglades Digital Library (collections)
- Everglades Online database (index/catalog)
- Ask An Everglades Librarian (email/chat)

**Everglades **Information Network

## Everglades Digital Library

- Digital Collections from FIU Libraries and partner agencies
- Directory of ‘Other Internet Resources’
*Reclaiming the Everglades*, an LC/Ameritech Award Winner, is part of the National Digital Library (LC American Memory Program)
- _[http://everglades.fiu.edu/reclaim](http://everglades.fiu.edu/reclaim/index.htm)_

## Everglades Online Database

- “Catalog” of the Everglades Digital Library
- WebLuis database with MARC records
- Covers EDL content + journal articles, web sites, technical reports, published books, etc.
- Subjects to be assigned from forthcoming *Everglades Thesaurus*

## Email An Everglades Librarian

- people always asked us questions
- put email/feedback links on every page
- online contact form use
- extra staffing became necessary
- staff develop email reference techniques

- Subject: collections at Daniel Beard Research Center
- Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 10:23:50 –
- To: glades@fiu.edu
- I am in the process of writing a manuscript on the introduced herpetofauna of southern Florida . . .
- Subject: Information
- Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2000 18:54:11 -0500 (EST)
- To: glades@solix.fiu.edu
- Hello!...I am home-schooling my children and would like to know if you could send me some information on the Everglades.
- Date:Mon, 27 Nov 2000 13:24:11
- To: <glades@fiu.edu>
- To whom it may concern,
-     I am a Mississippi State University student. I am studying Landscape Architecture.  I will be living in Miami this summer.  I was wondering if you
- might know of any internships available in my field of study. I grew up in Miami and would love to help fix the everglades.

## Chat with An Everglades Librarian

- patrons asked to “chat” with us often
- 2001:  received LSTA funding to improve patron use of technology in searching for south Florida environmental information via “high-tech” communication applications combined with “high-touch” professional reference services.
- ability to browse sites w/patrons essential

## Real-Time Software Considerations

- design/implement in-house
- single vendor
- bi-lingual
- collaborative/cooperative
- pricing
- ability to network with other professionals, set meetings, forward questions etc.

## Special Circumstances

- NOT a reference dept. service yet . . .
- Timeline of grant (1 year)
- Systems support limitations
- recording transcripts for analysis

## Our Choice: 24/7 Reference

## 24/7 Chat Pricing

- $1,000 one-time training fee
- $4,000 flat fee per seat
- $3,600 maintenance/annually, each seat
- 1 seat/1 yr. = $8,600
- $7,600 each additional seat
- After first year:  $3,600 per seat, per year

## Why we like it

- modern, hip look & feel
- tested by large library consortium, MCLS, located in southern California
- regular upgrades
- co-browsing, file-sharing capabilities
- bi-lingual Spanish/English software
- collaborative reference helps staffing
- web meetings (up to 20 people)
- session transcript analysis

## How it works . . .

- Chat Reference service is accessed through the Web, using Java applets.  Librarians need high-powered PC w/Windows 98, NT, or 2000, and a direct Internet connection.  No client-side downloads necessary.  Library databases are accessible via proxy server.  Patrons must login in themselves using id number or a librarian may log in.

## Librarian Interface

## Co-Browsing: Patron Interface

## Co-Browsing: Librarian Interface 

## Librarian reactions

- they hate being in cyberspace alone
- fear of the question you can’t answer (and that all of this is being recorded!)
- fear of Internet impatience
- they need time to learn online chat personality cues, slang, abbreviations etc.
- Becoming an “Infobot”

## Staffing Issues

- Small Gov. Docs. Dept., Big Questions!
- Cooperation with FIU Libraries Reference Departments becomes essential
- Big Reference Dept., Little Docs. Training
- Inter-departmental fear of science
- Cross-campus, cross-dept. scheduling

## Staffing Solutions

- Training: Everglades resources + reference
- Share transcripts, email interaction
- Double staffing @ virtual desk
- Well-developed collections (digital and print) to support service
- Solicit partners from other institutions and agencies with professional reference librarians

## Quality Control

- Follow standards for exemplary reference service promoted by VRD
- Generally emphasize information literacy over answers, but adjust service depending on needs and resources of users
- Juvenile users, international users, users with low-speed connections

## Results to date

## Slide 21

## Slide 22

## Slide 23

## Slide 24

## Changes in Library Services

- User-driven collection development for EDL
- In-depth resources
- Youth-oriented resources
- Spurs establishment of digital reference for the “rest” of the FIU Libraries
- Connection to community intensifies, more project partners evolve

## Thanks

- Download this ppt!
- _[http://everglades.fiu.edu/dlc](http://everglades.fiu.edu/dlcu)_
- Everglades Information Network
- Florida International University Libraries
- Miami, FL
- Email us: _[glades@fiu.edu](mailto:glades@fiu.edu)_
- Ask An Everglades Librarian
- _[http://everglades.fiu.edu/help](http://everglades.fiu.edu/help)_