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What is QandANJ.org?
Whom do I contact?
What would your library and librarians get out of
participating in QandANJ.org?
What does it take to participate in QandANJ.org? A
lot less than you think!
What are the responsibilities of the library's
Project Manager?
What are the next steps to participate?
Quotes from participating librarians!
Questions?
Ready to join?
What is QandANJ.org?
QandANJ.org is a 24/7 live online interactive service.
It uses the expertise of librarians to provide answers to questions,
research guidance, and help navigating the Internet. QandANJ.org responds to
customers’ growing use of online resources and internet access.
QandANJ.org serves the information needs of New Jersey residents and
students of academic institutions through a partnership of New Jersey
public, academic, and special libraries.
Whom do I contact?
Any questions about the service may be directed to:
Beth Cackowski
Project Coordinator: QandANJ.org
South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative
Gibbsboro, NJ 08026
856-346-1222 (phone)
856-346-2839 (fax)
cackowski@sjrlc.org (e-mail)
What would your library and
librarians get out of participating in QandANJ.org?
What has commonly become known as "virtual reference" has been embraced
by an increasing number of libraries around the world in recent years.
These are some of the reasons why libraries have chosen to provide this
kind of collaborative real-time online reference service:
- The opportunity to offer live, online,
real-time reference service to your patrons at no cost for software,
training, and services.
- Expanded service hours (24/7).
- Personalized service from trained staff.
- Meeting customers in a format they like:
Chat/Instant Messaging.
- The benefit of a participating group of
dynamic libraries for shared staffing of the service to your users,
as well as shared troubleshooting, and coaching.
- An incredible public relations
opportunity with high potential for local, regional, and national
publicity for your library.
- Opportunity for staff to develop their
online search skills.
- A showcase for the expertise of your
library staff and a chance to be in the forefront of development of
reference service in New Jersey and nationally.
- A huge boost in service to your users
and potential users, many of who are on the Web right now.
- None of us could offer this service 24
hours a day, 7 days a week alone!
QandANJ.org launched in October 2001 and has since
received just under 250,000 questions (as of December 2006)! Sample
feedback includes:
- "My mom and I looked everywhere and couldn't find this information
until we came to you."
- "I love the personal touch…a live person to answer my question."
- "I'm still at home in my pajamas and using this service. This was
really fun."
- “I’m handicapped and, for the first time in years, I’m really
using the library again.”
Additional
selected feedback from QandANJ.org customers is located here.
Current QandANJ.org Participating Libraries:
http://www.qandanj.org/email.htm
What does it take to
participate in QandANJ.org? A lot less than you think!
There is no fee to participate. Libraries contribute to the QandANJ.org
by staffing designated hours of live service. The standard
contribution is 6 hours from one library each week and your
library-assigned Project Manager's attendance at quarterly half-day
meetings. Librarians staff the virtual reference desk off public
reference desk time.
The SJRLC will pay all costs for QuestionPoint software, training,
and services and for SJRLC staff to administer the project. An
individual library doing this on their own would need to pay $20,000
for installation, training and support, as well as providing all of
the staffing. A shared approach is a real value!
QandANJ.org participating libraries sign a
project commitment form which
promises at least one full year of active participation and
provision of service. This letter is signed by the library director
and sent to the QandANJ.org Project Coordinator. Continued participation
is assumed beyond the first year unless other arrangements are
communicated to the Project Coordinator.
By participating in this project, QandANJ.org libraries:
- Appoint a Project Manager to represent the library
- Provide coverage of a service schedule, based on what
your particular library can reasonably contribute
- Identify staff to provide service and have them participate in
necessary training, including a one-day training session provided by
the project coordinator
- Use software and hardware that will meet the minimum requirements
needed to accomplish the assigned service schedule
- Add a standardized branded link to QandANJ.org on the library's home
page
What are the
responsibilities of the library's Project Manager?
- Represents the partner library system at quarterly meetings and
joins the LiveRef and LiveRefPM e-mail listservs
- Reports local training and scheduling needs to the QandANJ.org project
coordinator
- Maintains service quality by monitoring local performance data,
including session transcripts and referrals
- Maintains scheduling and arranges for substitutes as necessary
- Maintains the currency of local library information used by the
cooperative
- Contributes enthusiasm and energy to make the project a success!
What are the next steps to
participate?
Contact the
QandANJ.org Project Coordinator with any questions. You will
have the opportunity to discuss the following:
- The project's history
- How QandANJ.org relates to the national QuestionPoint 24/7
Reference cooperative
- Technical requirements
- Possible schedule
- A date and location for the QandANJ.org project coordinator to provide
training for your staff
Quotes from participating
librarians!
Not only do New Jersey residents love this service, librarians love
staffing it! Here’s what some of them said:
I love taking my QandANJ.org shift. Learning the technology was easy,
and now I get to help people in new ways. The public is excited
about trusted professionals delivering information with a virtual
smile on a 24/7 basis. Even as we send materials and teach our
customers how to gain optimal benefits from their library research,
we receive all kinds of insights from our interactions about
solidifying our relationships with diverse people in our
communities. Times are when I actually think, "I can't believe I'm
getting paid for having so much fun!"
--Leslie Kahn, Newark Public Library
I love staffing QandANJ.org because as an academic librarian I have to
admit I get a little tired every once in a while of hearing "I'm
writing a research paper on X topic and need to find peer-reviewed
articles." Now, I love helping college students, but before I
switched to academia I was a public librarian. Staffing QandANJ.org
allows me to relive those wonderful days when I never know what was
coming next. The variety of questions and questioners on QandANJ.org is
really just thrilling, there's no other word to describe it. I also
love the fact that I can interact with New Jersey residents of all
ages, ethnicities and abilities. I also find that our users are very
appreciative of being able to get help online and that makes me feel
like we're providing a worthwhile service that meets library users
where they are... I accepted my position because it gave me the
opportunity to work for QandANJ.org. I can't say enough good things
about the service, and I can't imagine my job without it. In fact, I
can't imagine New Jersey without it, and several hundred thousand
residents would agree!
--Laura Kortz, New Jersey City University
I am doing solid reference on QandANJ.org. Instead of wading through
questions about computer availability or how to find the bathroom, I
can focus completely on information and research.
--Ranjna Das, Burlington County Library System
I enjoy being a virtual reference librarian. On many occasions I
have assisted people with finding information that was difficult for
them to locate. They are so appreciative when they have it sent to
them online! It really gives you a boost and makes you feel great
when you have helped someone and can deliver the information very
quickly.
--Karen Sharp, Wayne Public Library
[QandANJ.org is] pure reference with no distractions…This type of
service encourages me to be more creative and gracious….Generally, I
have found that online patrons are more inclined to be grateful and
courteous (I've gotten more "Pleases" and "Thank yous" from QandANJ.org
patrons …as a final bonus, I get to work my evening shift at home,
in relaxed clothes or pajamas, with my two dogs curled up under my
desk. QandANJ.org rules!
--Linda Esler, Bloomfield Public Library
QandANJ.org is a valuable PR tool for academic libraries. It’s a
great venue for promoting both online and onsite library services to
current as well as prospective students. Linked throughout our WebCT
courses, QandANJ.org connects our Distance Ed students to professional
librarians 24/7.
--Ellen Parker, Atlantic Cape Community College
QandANJ.org, now more than ever before, is such an enjoyable experience,
partially as a result of the new software and added features. It is
simple to use, there are plenty of resources available for reference
searches, and the new authentication procedure is a time saver. I
really enjoy helping people from the comfort of their home or office
and providing quick, knowledgeable service to people who have
information needs that we can fulfill relatively easily. Most of
all, the public is very grateful for the service and there is a
sense of accomplishment when you are able assist thankful people.
--Monica St. Clair, Burlington County Library System
I look forward to my QandANJ.org shifts each week. The majority of
customers are great to work with, and I've learned about lots of
topics that I wouldn't have by helping just “local” customers. It's
been an enjoyable five years!
--Cheryl Rheiner, West Deptford Free Public Library
Questions?
Please contact QandANJ.org Project Coordinator, Beth Cackowski, at
856-346-1222 or cackowski@sjrlc.org with any questions!
Ready to join?
Please fill out the
project commitment form and fax it back to the
SJRLC office.
To find out more…
Check out the QandANJ.org Customer Web Site at
http://www.qandanj.org
and the Project Description FAQ Web Site at
http://www.qandanj.org/description
QandANJ is supported by the New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of
Thomas Edison State College, managed by the
South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative, staffed by member libraries
in the New Jersey Library Network and funded by
the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal
agency whose mission is to create strong libraries and museums that
connect people to information and ideas. |
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