SLA Information Technology Division Blog

Proactive Chat: Ensuring client satisfaction

With increased use for e-tailing, chat has helped businesses increase online sales and customer satisfaction by providing an efficient solution that facilitates effective interaction with site visitors.  If the technology works so well for the marketing side of business, why don't we as librarians use it to increase our own clients' satisfaction? 

Imagine if librarians started utilizing proactive chat with digital library patrons.  For example, once a client closes out of the library portal, a chat window would pop up to ask "Have you found all that you needed?  Is there anything else I can help you with?"  In this case, there would be two chat strategies:

1. The library could utilize a chat bot/live agent combo.  Mundane library questions would be answered by chat bots that would rely on a conversational database.  Programming the bot to confirm the client's satisfaction with the answer, it could then forward those clients looking for extra help to a chat staffed by a librarian. 

2.  Forget the bot and have your library's information professionals take turns interacting with your digital clients over chat.  Since it might be impossible to interact with all of the researchers who access your digital information portal, randomly pick a few clients to throughout the day to chat with.  It would be a great way to engage your client base. 

Interested in learning more about chat bots in libraries?  The University of Hamburg library provided an excellent presentation at the 2006 Access Conference.  You can click here to get it in PDF.

If you would like to try the technology out for yourself, I've included a link to the Artificial Intelligence Foundation where you can interact with their chat bot, A.L.I.C.E.  Just to let you know, the site makes use of an animated Flash avatar - so make sure you have Flash installed on your computer.

Pocket Library

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the Apple store that just opened in my local mall.  I was eager to check out the new iPod touch, which is essentially the iPhone without the phone.  As I was trying it out I began to think, "This would be a really cool tool to use for libraries."  Just think, you can provide off-site users with access to your digital library with technology that fits right into their pocket.  Not only could you provide clients with quick access to research, you could elevate your library's visibility by providing audio books for that long drive away from the office.  As I understand, there are no chat clients installed on the itouch, but a good workaround would be to use web-based chat (think Meebo) to provide real-time reference assistance to your clients. 

I think that this "pocket library" idea could really transform the way information professionals connect with their clients.  What are your thoughts on this?

We're the "business travelers" on the Information Highway

I travel frequently and often in casual clothes. However, in June, I traveled in full business regalia and was immediate seen by other business travelers as one-of-them.  Obviously, I understood how to use the kiosks in the airport, how to get through security efficiently, and what the informal travels rules were.  Because I was in business attire, I was not one of the tourists (infrequent travelers) who didn't-have-a-clue.  Indeed if you want to know how to travel safely, efficiently and with minimal frustrations, talk to a business traveler.  They have learned much that others should learn.

As I think about the Information Super Highway, I think we -- librarians and information professionals -- are like business travelers.  We're the ones that are on the "highway" more than anyone else.  We know the rules.  We know how to get from "here to there" safely and efficiently.  We know what detours are worth making and which "roads" are best. 

Business travelers are efficient travelers because they travel so much.  We're efficient users of the Information Super Highway because we use it so much.  But we can't just go to the normal "hubs" (e.g., Chicago's O'Hare Airport), we must also spent time at other destinations so that we can tell others about them.  Therefore, we must travel to smaller destinations occasionally, learn about them, and then be willing to tell others what's there.  In Internet terms, let's not just use Google, for example, but also use other (smaller) search engines occasionally so we have an informed opinion and can tell others about them.  Let's try "new" technologies -- podcasting, graphical search engines, social networking tools, etc. -- so that we have an idea of how to navigate them, how they should be used, and why others should use them.  In travel terms, let's understand different technologies so we know why someone should travel through a specific hub (Charlotte) and avoid others (you can decide which airport to place here). 

You don't like to travel?  Everyone likes some form of travel (car, train, airplane, ship).  And it is likely that there are some types of travel on the Internet that interest you.  Figure out what types of travel you enjoy on the Information Super Highway and go out and explore!

And as you explore, don't worry...we'll leave a light on for you, so you can find you're way back home!

Wikis in Libraries

Matthew Bejune's article "Wikis in Libraries" in the September 2007 issue of Information Technology and Libraries takes a look at the use of wiki technology within the library world.  Matthew identified 33 library wikis and placed them in 4 categories (see examples of all four wiki types at LibraryWikis):

1. Collaboration among libraries (45.7%)
2. Collaboration among library staff (31.4%)
3. Collaboration among library staff and patrons (14.3%)
4. Collaboration among patrons (8.6%)

So, why are wikis used predominantly for collaboration within libraries? 
Matthew provides several explanations that include the personal characteristics of information professionals.  Librarianship attracts service-minded individuals who are interested in helping others,  whether they are patrons or colleagues.  Another explanation is the role of library associations such as the SLA and the work that is done through these associations throughout the year.  According to the author, "Libraries use wikis to collaborate intraorganizationally and extraorganizationally because collaboration is what they do most naturally."

How many of you make use of a wiki and how is it utilized?  Which category does it fit into? 

Wikipedia: Academia's Friend or Foe?

Eastern Michigan University is hosting a four-part series called, "Wikipedia: The Democratization of Knowledge or the Triumph of Amateurs".  I attended the inaugural lecture given by Marshall Poe.  Poe is a Russian history scholar at the University of Iowa and is the founder and editor of the Memory Archive.  In his lecture, Poe discussed the evolution of Wikipedia and its role within Internet life and academia. He described Wikipedia as a project that will achieve its goal by getting people to collaborate to create the greatest repository of knowledge ever known.    

With students being some of the largest users of the site, Poe cautioned attendees to use the site carefully.  In his opinion, the site should be used as a tool to focus one's research but it shouldn't be used as an exclusive research source.  Since the material can be edited anonymously, Poe stressed the importance of using the library in finding authoritative resources.  He also made an important distinction during the lecture comparing Wikipedia and Google.  According to him, "Google will give you any information.  Wikipedia will give you information you can use." 

Do you agree with that comparison?  What are your thoughts?

Google Suggest

If you've used Google lately, you'll see that they have a neat search aid that suggests terms for your search.  As you type, you'll see a drop down list of suggested terms as well as the number of results available.  If you haven't seen it yet but want to check it out, click here. 

I think this would be a cool feature to add to research databases.  As a user types in their search, the database could suggest terms utilized within the product's thesaurus, thereby increasing search efficiency.   

2007 WSJ Technology Innovation Awards: NComputing

I took a peek at the winners of the Wall Street Journal's Technology Innovation Awards and I came across a very interesting start-up whose goal is to provide a low-cost method of computer sharing.  NComputing, who won WSJ's computing award, provides organizations with the opportunity to harness the unused power of their PC's.  According to their site, one main computer can be used to host up to ten users, thereby cutting technology-related costs drastically. 

This might be a useful solution for information center managers looking to cut costs from their ever-shrinking budgets. 

Have you heard about FON?

According to the site, FON's vision is to make free WiFi available everywhere made possible by members of the FON community ("Foneros").  An article in Ars Technica sheds some light on the company's growth in Europe and more recently, the U.S.  Allowing users to split their connection into two secured WiFI signals, Foneros can use their private signal to access their computer and files while providing another for public FON use.  By giving access to other Foneros, users can gain access to a worldwide network of free WiFi spots.

I think this is a really interesting concept.  I did a quick to check to see if FON service would be available near the Seattle convention site.  It looks like there is, but it's limited to one spot.  If FON gains traction in the US as quickly as it has in Europe, we'll hopefully see a few more sites added by the time the annual convention rolls around.

Personalize your news experience with DailyMe

DailyMe is an aggregator that offers users a personalized news experience.  Offering full access to content from over 3,000 resources, users can designate the automatic printing of news on the days and times they have preselected.

ROI for the special library user community

The Creating Passionate Users blog has an interesting post with tips to improve the return on investment for a software user community.  I decided to refocus these tips for the special library environment.  After reading them, I'm sure you'll find the concepts valuable enough to implement within your own library.

• Start an official user group.  Teach these users, in detail, about all of the products and services the library provides.  They in turn will encourage their colleagues to turn to the library's resources first for any research questions they may have.  Members can serve as a focus group for new products, services, or policies that the library is interested in implementing. Hold monthly meetings with these members and treat them to lunch. 
• Host a discussion forum for your users.  Either with face-to-face meetings, blogs, or wikis, create opportunities for your clients to contribute their valuable input.  Be aware of other unofficial forums where your users may be discussing problems with your library's products and services.
• Give away promotional gifts to your most active clients to reward them for their loyal use of your library.  When they set that swag on their desks, it'll be a great conversational piece that can help spread positive news about the library.

 

What is OpenID?

You may have come across a few news articles and blog posts mentioning the term "OpenID".  What does that mean and how does that affect you?  In a nutshell, it eliminates the need for multiple user names and passwords and allows the user to create an identity online that can be used anywhere OpenID is supported.  Want to learn more about how this technology works?  An informative article is available on the OpenID website. 

UC Berkeley posts full lectures to YouTube

A post on the CNET news blog reports on UC Berkeley's use of YouTube as an educational tool.  The school announced on Wednesday that it had launched a YouTube channel to provide viewers with more than 300 hours of videotaped courses and events.  According to UC Berkeley's vice provost of undergraduate education, the free content will "provide a public window into university life - academics, events and athletics - which will build on our rich tradition of open educational content for the larger community".

I think this is a great way to use YouTube!  I wonder how many other universities will follow suit. 

Making the most of your travel time

I stumbled upon a Wall Street Journal article that covered a handful of social sites aimed at making your travel time more productive.  One of the sites that caught my eye was AirTroductions.  Designed to increase your odds of making a meaningful connection with other travelers, you can check your flight for other members that share similar interests.  In theory, choosing your seat mates can help transform your flight into a valuable networking experience. 

 

Recover, repair, and restore

Want to learn how to recover almost anything?  Read this month's data protection article from Kirk Steers to learn how you can:

• Recover a lost password
• Repair damaged Word and Excel files
• Restore your scratched CD/DVDs

The Phishing Game

Members of Carnegie Mellon University's Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory have come up with a novel way to educate Internet users about common phishing tactics.  Anti-Phishing Phil is an interactive game that "teaches users how to identify phishing URLs, where to look for cues in web browsers, and how to use search engines to find legitimate sites". 

It's a great tool to educate yourself about common phishing tactics.  I encourage you to give it a try. 

Googlegänger

Ever run a vanity search and found someone who shared your name but lives a very different life?  An article in Newsweek's technology section takes a look at how people are increasingly being defined by their Google search results.  With the term developed to better describe your search engine twin, a Googlegänger is "someone with your exact name (but not you) whom you find in an Internet search". 

How many of you have experienced this?  Were there any benefits to having a search engine twin?  Did you take any action to clean up your search results?  What do you think about people being defined by their Google results?