PLA Blog

In this day and age, patrons are becoming increasingly savvy with mobile technologies like laptops, handheld computers, and cell phones that connect them to the Internet and, the rest of their worlds. What better way to serve patrons than to use their tools? Gregg Gronlund, Reference Department Head, and Paolo Melillo, Collection Development Assistant Manager, from the Orange County Library System (http://www.ocls.info) in Orlando, FL, presented Friday morning on their progressive Mobile Reference Service that combines several mobile technologies to better serve patrons within the library by avoiding the “ping-pong” effect of sending patrons from one desk to another.

Reference staff was trained in the three major hardware components of the Mobile Reference System. The Vocera Communications System (http://www.vocera.com) wearable badge allows roaming staff to contact extensions and other mobile librarians with the simple push of a button, where a voice recognition PBX system then forwards the request to the right destination. Each librarian also carries a Dell Axim X3i (http://www.dell.com) personal digital assistants (PDAs) that connects to the Internet and the web catalog while providing roving help to patrons. The OLIVE system (OCLS Interactive Virtual Experience, named after the library’s first director, http://www.tandberg.net), a wireless videoconferencing unit, allows patrons to contact the stationary Questline call center (the reference point of service) using audio and video equipment from other branches as well as from the third floor of the main branch.

Librarians were also trained in the art of outreach reference, the more human element of the mobile reference system. Learned skills include identifying a patron in need (looking confused, staring at the map, staring at scribbles on a piece of paper); friendly methods of offering help, including phrases such as, “Are you finding what you need?” and “Can I help you find something?”; and tips on how not to hover or invade space. While some librarians were hesitant to approach patrons at first, with practice librarians gained confidence and were able to improve the quality and effectiveness of the mobile reference service, especially to patrons who wouldn’t normally ask for help.

Implementation of the Mobile Reference System was a progressive process, consisting of training a pilot team of librarians in the use of each technology, then setting them loose in the library to help patrons while also offering the option of reference services from a traditional reference desk. As the pilot librarians became well versed in mobile reference, they were able to then sell and help train the other staff in using the system. Slowly the reference desk was phased out, a more “point of service” concept was phased in, and a more proactive method of offering reference services resulted.

A survey in November 2004 during the nascent stages of the program, a survey showed that over 20% of questions were referred to another desk. However, survey data from January 2005 showed that the number of the same types of referrals decreased to 11.6%, and in July of 2005 the referrals were down to 7.3%, numbers that correlated in direct relation to the staff’s growing comfort and functionality with the technology.

Many of the questions that followed the presentation were definitely pointers to issues that other libraries might have with this kind of progressive system: How did you deal with librarians that won’t wear the Vocera badge? How did you convince the librarians to learn to use the PDAs? Does the OPAC take a long time to load on the PDAs? What about librarians who don’t want to get up from behind the desk?

The two facilitators pretty much reiterated some of what was sprinkled throughout their presentation, which was that they based the system on what the patrons were already doing as well as what the librarians were already doing. The reference staff at their library is very customer service oriented, with a real love for one on one reference services and taking the reference process to its fullest completion, including walking them to the item. They also enjoy learning to use new technologies, and visiting other parts of the library (a social benefit side product) in their mobile reference travels.

As for the OPAC, the handhelds connect to a text-only version of the web catalog which is really lightweight and loads quickly. They didn’t talk too much about loading databases and web sites, but it raises the question of how PDA-friendly online databases actually are.

The entire package, or even just modules of the system, is excellent for a multibranch system or for a large, single branch, provided you have the right staff with the right skills and the right flexible outlook on customer service and technology. The OCLS librarians love it, the patrons love it, and service is better for it in their library. If you’d like more information about the Mobile Reference Service, or one how to access the videos and associated documentation on the service, Email Gregg Gronlund at gronlund.grett[at]ocls[dot]info or Paolo Melillo at mellilo.paolo[at]ocls[dot]info.

Tags: conferences, PLA, PLA2006

This entry was posted on Friday, March 24th, 2006 at 4:17 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.