Ask-WA Statistics – December, 2009

December tends to be a slower month for Ask-WA, mainly because academic traffic drops off so sharply during the holiday breaks. In numbers:

• Email questions received: 3319
• Chat sessions requested: 3474
• Chat sessions accepted: 2883
• Qwidget requests (% of total): 791 (22.8%)

On a positive note, our answering percentage rose from its dangerously low 74% last month up to 83% in December, which is ideal. The best part is that this higher ratio is due to every cooperative maintaining a good ratio in December (as opposed to one group doing super-well and raising the rest up). Qwidget requests, as a percentage, rose from November to come back up to their average 20-25% level.

The word cloud highlights some of the most-used words left in survey comments throughout December. Some great words this month include: amazing, awesome, prompt, kind, helpful, useful, and wonderful.

Kudos – Academic Cooperative

Since the academic cooperative was so quiet in December, there weren’t enough comments to choose a rockstar academic librarian. Instead, I’d like to highlight one comment that I particularly enjoyed this month, which was left for Amy Healey (24/7 Backup Staff):

“The response time to my initial inquiry was very prompt. In fact, right after I logged on, someone responded to my sign on. The information and suggestions for research and sites was very helpful as I had not found these previously while on my own. There was also a suggestion to make use of our public library source and how to logon for entry and use. Again, I would not have even thought of this as I simply thought a person had to physically go in to obtain info or research. Found out I can actually stay at home and from the comfort of my own home, I can do research. All in all, the 24/7 librarian service is awesome. As a current college student and also a big reference source as I work in the Media Service Center and am in contact with numerous students every single day, I will definitely pass this info on. Not only that, but I will make mention to my fellow work-study colleagues and good friends for their times of need. This should also come in so handy for any and all types of future reference needs. Thanks to whomever came up with this super idea of service …”

Some of my other favorite comments in the academic cooperative include (parentheses include name and location of librarian):

• Exactly, I looked around online for 15 minutes and couldn’t find how to access the info. Amy helped out perfectly. (Amy H @ Olympic College)
• This service is very helpful, the librarian was very helpful. (Anna B @ UW)
• I am very impressed by this service. It was extremely helpful. (Dottie S @ UW)

Kudos – Public Cooperative

In light of not choosing a rockstar academic librarian this month, I’d like to highlight two rockstar public librarians for December. As always in the public cooperative, there were a lot of great sessions with many wonderful comments, and it was hard to pick some out. However, Kreg Hasegawa @ the Seattle Public Library and John Tun at the King County Library System both deserve praise for providing excellent chat reference service.

John Tun had two great sessions in particular this month; one helping a student research the Toltecs, and another providing some reader’s advisory assistance. In both sessions John maintained a friendly demeanor, a quick pace, and was able to provide great information. He received the following patron comments for his great work:

“I really liked how it showed the web sites and I could receive copy of this in my email. I will definitely use this a lot more. I heard about this from the librarian that came to my 6th grade class. Thanks for providing this resource. :D”

“Thank you! This was a pleasure to use and very, very helpful.”

Kreg Hasegawa also had a number of great sessions in December. During one session in particular, Kreg helped a Seattle patron determine information about the Seattle Port Commission. Kreg demonstrated great poise (and some superior sleuthing skills) to help the patron find a satisfactory answer, and received this great comment:

“I looked everywhere I could think of and I still couldn’t find the answer to my question. The librarian was very organized about it al and had an answer within a few minutes! This is a crucial study tool that helps me avoid the pitfalls of getting stuck on a single question that I just can’t seem to resolve.”

Great job Kreg and John!

Some of my other favorite comments in the public cooperative include (parentheses include name and location of librarian):

• This was very useful for me. I will definitely use this service the next time that I have a question. (David C @ SPL)
• Ginny was very helpful and as personable as someone through my computer could be! It was very easy to get the information that I wanted and due to her comments, I felt “in touch” with another real person not just an impersonal service! Thank you Ginny! (Ginny R @ Sno-Isle)
• Very professional service and good answers. Keep up the good work. (Rob B @ KCLS)
• Every time I visit the website I am beyond amazed. Thank you for your time and consideration I sincerely appreciate it. (Heather K @ TRLib)
• It was very easy, and fast. And the Librarian was very kind and knowledgeable! (Laura MB @ SPL)
• I really, really like the Chat format. The response is FAST and very helpful. (Jim L @ SPL)
• The response from the librarian was very quick. Thank you so much for the help! I will definitely use the service again. (Cynthia G @ YVL)
• The librarian I had was very helpful in my research. He was ‘Scott at Tacoma PL’. He was very helpful and nice. He gave me lots of useful information. (Scott H @ TPL)
• This is a great service! I use it for work-related research frequently. thank you! (Karen K @ SPL)
• I can’t find words to express how grateful I am – I will later. Better than great. (Frances P @ KCLS)
• This chat was extremely helpful and I am SO happy I used it. I was initially planning on calling the library about my question, but this was much easier and really easy to find. Thank you so much!! (Rondi D @ YVL)
• This is a GREAT help! I use this site all the time for research projects for school and it really helps! (Toby T @ SPL)
• Excellent & a very prompt service. The Librarian in the chat session was extremely cordial & knowledgeable & answered my query with ease. Thanks! (Michelle B @ SCLD)
• This was very convenient and very helpful. Wish I would have found this earlier on in my college career!! (Christie O @ SCLD)
• What a fabulous service! So easy to use and FAST! (Maria M @ KCLS)
• Grace assisted me, she was amazingly helpful, she was so patent, and really helped me out. Thank you again!!! (Grace E @ SCLD)
• The librarian was amazingly helpful and made suggestions about resources I wouldn’t have thought of on my own and I am a pretty resourceful and technologically savvy person. This service is truly first class! Thank you so much. (Heather M @ SPL)
• This is an amazing service. The librarian was very prompt and my question was answered within seconds. To be able to “chat” and get clarification and learn about other options is gratifying. (Corinne J @ Mid-Columbia)
• An excellent return on my tax dollars. (Kyle J @ KCLS)

Kudos – Back-up Librarians

We like to help our own patrons, but we can’t always be there for them. In the past we’ve given thanks to the QuestionPoint 24/7 back-up staff and to national cooperative staff separately, this month we got some great service from both groups, and I’d like to thank them and highlight some of the great comments they received from our students and patrons:

• Amazing! Librarians are amazing! I had been looking for this reference and he found it in moments. This is a great service especially for the time of night (midnight). I really appreciate someone available to help. Thanks Jonathan the late night online librarian, a real lifesaver! (Jonathan B @ 24/7 Backup)
• Rebecca at Milwaukee deserves a raise! A lot of great help! I really felt like I bonded with her and she really helped me out a lot. Really great web sites and fast timing too. Many good web sites for me. THANK YOU REBECCA!!! (Rebecca D @ Milwaukee Public Library – WiLS)
• Thank you so much! It was amazing … I had looked for this book all day, he found it in a couple minutes! (David P @ Orange Public Library – CAAsk)
• What great resource. I never used it before. Paty from Houston got me the exact information I was looking for. I will use it again. Thank you. (Patricia B @ Houston Public Library – TX)
• Extremely helpful and knowledgeable … thank you Toby! (Toby G @ Skokie Public Library – IL)
• Great service even during off hours (this was at 04:30 in the morning)!!! Thanks! (Raul C @ 24/7 Backup)
• Patrick was very friendly, helpful and professional. If I need, I will eagerly come here again. (“Patrick” @ Orange Public Library – CAAsk)
• “Sarah” is very good. She really has a great way of telling you things and kind of making conversation. (Sarah H @ 24/7 Backup)
• I was given helpful information quickly, and it was on New Year’s Eve!!! Excellent service. Thanks! (Alma O @ 24/7 Backup)
• Prompt response with my requests … thank you so much! (Margaret Y @ San Jose PL – CAAsk)
• I loved it! (HBR @ Brooklyn Public Library)
• I am so glad I used this service today. I am a middle school student who got a wonderful answer to her questions … Thanks you so much. I will truly recommend my friends to use this source… thanks again! (Joanne S @ 24/7 Backup)
• The Chat line is WONDERFUL! I hope it never goes away. Very helpful!!!! (Karen T @ Naperville Public Library – IL)

Great job, everyone, and thanks for making Ask-WA such a valuable service to library users in Washington State. Keep up the good work!