QuestionPoint began a new series of Virtual User Group (VUG) meetings this past week (April 14-16). The meetings will be held quarterly and will be scheduled at three different times, to accommodate users in different parts of the world. The next round of VUG meetings will be held in July.
Each VUG will feature an update from a QP product manager on the QuestionPoint software and community, and on the 24/7 Cooperative. The update will be followed by a special topic discussion, selected by you. Topics may include marketing challenges and successes, best practices for cooperative services, tips and tricks for e-mail and chat forms, Qwidget implementations at your library, and so forth. To suggest a topic for our next VUG sessions, please fill out this form .
The April 2009 VUG meetings provided an update on QuestionPoint and the 24/7 Cooperative. Click here to see the slides. Here are the highlights:
- Community
- 24 countries
- 2300 libraries
- 1500 libraries in the 24/7 Cooperative
- 20,000+ records in the Global Knowledge Base
- Review of 2008 software installs (March and November)
- Introduction of the Qwidget and the Forms Manager
- Secure connection through https://
- Reports simplification
- Under consideration/investigation for 2009
- Qwidget evolution, including links and application for social sites such as Facebook
- Mobile device development, including forms optimization, texting, and applications
- Review of helpful QuestionPoint features
- WorldCat.org presence for QuestionPoint libraries
- Knowledge Base access by end users
- Referral options to expand information resources
- Send Message to Librarian to communicate with referral partners
- 24/7 Cooperative Update
- Recent members in New York City, the UK, Univ. of California libraries
- Spanish Cooperative now has about 120 hours coverage; provide Spanish language staffing to join (no $$)
- Answering percentages in the high-50s to mid-60s
- Wait time averages mostly between 1 – 1-1/2 minutes
Here are some of the questions you asked us:
1. What are some of the different ways libraries have implemented the Qwidget to best serve the needs of their patrons?
Tips on Qwidget usage and implementations are posted in the QuestionPoint wiki, at http://wiki.questionpoint.org/Qwidget+Tips. Add your suggestions as well!
2. Qwidget roll up to the 24/7 Cooperative
Development work is needed to enable Qwidget roll up. Not all libraries with the Qwidget want those sessions seen by the Cooperative, so a “one size fits all” approach will not work. We are also watching the statistics for percentage of traffic increase attributable to Qwidget sessions to judge the overall effect this could have on the Cooperative and considering different models. We are cognizant that the quality of the service must be maintained without increasing cost.
3. How do Cooperative members calculate their answering percentage?
Divide the number of chat sessions your librarians accepted by the number of chat sessions your library’s patrons requested
4. Where is the best way to get the necessary numbers?
Go to Reports >> Institution >> Institution Report. Select the time period and Chat Service from the drop-down menu. Use the numbers found in the Number (Total) of Chat Sessions Accepted row and the Number of Chat Sessions Requested row. Group administrators should go to Reports >> Group >> Report by Single Subscription Group.
5. Does Cooperative answering percentage include times when a library is monitoring only its own local queue?
Yes. All sessions you pick up, regardless of where the patron comes from (ie local or Coop) is included in the “total of chat sessions answered”.
6. What is the difference between QuestionPoint and the 24/7 Cooperative?
QuestionPoint is the reference management “platform” or software used by the 24/7 Cooperative. The Cooperative is the group of libraries that agree to provide live coverage for one another via QuestionPoint’s chat software; they agree to a certain service level to ensure coverage and quality. Not all QuestionPoint subscribers are members of the 24/7 Cooperative.
If you have additional questions, please send them to us. We also hope you’ll send us your ideas for future VUGs. Is there a QuestionPoint feature you need to understand better? Are you concerned that you are not where your patrons need you to be on the Internet? Is your funding shrinking while your workload is expanding? Do you have good ideas about marketing to share with others? Does your library have challenges that don’t seem to be like those faced by other libraries? Are you interested in joining the 24/7 Cooperative but want to hear from member librarians about their experiences? Please enter your thoughts or questions on the form at https://www3.oclc.org/app/questionpoint/usercouncil/.
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