As I have mentioned before, my library system also provides a virtual reference service that our branches take turns manning, which provides email and chat assistance. Unfortunately 95% of its users are using it incorrectly as they are either asking account questions (it says in bold that account and fee questions will not be answered in the service), or questions for services that we don't provide (such as emailing them pdf's of newspaper back editions). It looks like nobody takes time to read the virtual ref FAQ, which explains what the service is for -- ready reference questions, database assistance, readers' advisory, ebook help, etc.
That's why when we get questions in our virtual reference email I just want to smack someone:
Message Subject: Help!
Hello. I need to log into my own account at aol.
I responded, I'm not sure what you mean, could you clarify? and, of course, the email address bounced.
Showing posts with label virtual reference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label virtual reference. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
You and everyone's mothers collect National Geographic
chat user: I have 4-5 years worth of old National Geographic.
Ask a Librarian: thinks: Yes?...And? Are you looking to donate them to the library? or are you just bragging?
chat user: yeah that.
chat user: I want to donate them to you.
Ask a Librarian: Unfortunately we do not accept magazine donations. I can provide you with a list of local places that will take your magazines.*
chat user: what about Haiti?
Ask a Librarian: ?
chat user: why aren't you collecting them to send to Haiti?
Oh, I don't know, maybe because Haiti has enough problems on its plate without worrying about your back issues of a magazine that's in English? We're also not collecting them to send to Haiti because it's a bad idea.
I get annoyed with a lot of the actual charity collections that we do because people are always donating garbage that they don't want to get rid of themselves under the guise of helping others. "Gently used" does not mean broken, stained, moldy, or ancient. We just finished a prom dress drive and I was horrified by the amount of navy blue business suits that Janet Reno wouldn't have accidently put on in the dark but somehow ended up in our donation box. You think a teenage girl today wants to wear this? To her prom? Remember how hard your eyes rolled when your cousin asked you to don that sea green monster pretending to be a bridesmaid dress? Well, throw it away then, don't keep it for 10 years and then think you're doing good by clogging up our donations box. The drive was called "Prom Dreams" not "Prom Nightmares"!
And don't even get me started on the encyclopedia donations. Chances are that since they don't publish Funk and Wagnalls anymore it isn't going to be something we want. This is a public library folks, not your personal archive.
*Side note: I actually collect some older National Geographic issues from the 1950's and 1960's, but I usually just tear out the retrotastic ads and recycle the rest.
Ask a Librarian: thinks: Yes?...And? Are you looking to donate them to the library? or are you just bragging?
chat user: yeah that.
chat user: I want to donate them to you.
Ask a Librarian: Unfortunately we do not accept magazine donations. I can provide you with a list of local places that will take your magazines.*
chat user: what about Haiti?
Ask a Librarian: ?
chat user: why aren't you collecting them to send to Haiti?
Oh, I don't know, maybe because Haiti has enough problems on its plate without worrying about your back issues of a magazine that's in English? We're also not collecting them to send to Haiti because it's a bad idea.
I get annoyed with a lot of the actual charity collections that we do because people are always donating garbage that they don't want to get rid of themselves under the guise of helping others. "Gently used" does not mean broken, stained, moldy, or ancient. We just finished a prom dress drive and I was horrified by the amount of navy blue business suits that Janet Reno wouldn't have accidently put on in the dark but somehow ended up in our donation box. You think a teenage girl today wants to wear this? To her prom? Remember how hard your eyes rolled when your cousin asked you to don that sea green monster pretending to be a bridesmaid dress? Well, throw it away then, don't keep it for 10 years and then think you're doing good by clogging up our donations box. The drive was called "Prom Dreams" not "Prom Nightmares"!
And don't even get me started on the encyclopedia donations. Chances are that since they don't publish Funk and Wagnalls anymore it isn't going to be something we want. This is a public library folks, not your personal archive.
*Side note: I actually collect some older National Geographic issues from the 1950's and 1960's, but I usually just tear out the retrotastic ads and recycle the rest.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
No, Ask Your Librarian
My library system offers a virtual reference service called "Ask a Librarian." There are numerous systems across the country that do. What I don't understand is how at least once a week we have an email or IM question from someone using the service who is not part of our service area. Or state. Or country.
This might even be acceptable if these individuals were asking actual reference questions like "What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" but these weirdo long distance questions are almost all about their user accounts (overdue items, late fees) or books not at our library, or ones like this transaction from the other day:
chat user: I want to read "book x" which is the next book in the series I am reading, but my library doesn't own it. Your library owns it, will you send it to me?
Ask a Librarian:What you want is an interlibrary loan. You can set that up through your own library. They may not get the book directly from us, but they should be able to locate you a copy. Which library are you at?
chat user: I am in Spain. Will you send me the book?
Ask a Librarian: Our library system does not lend materials outside of the US. I recommend discussing this issue with your own local librarian who can help you.
chat user: I don't use my library. Can you mail this book to my house?
Ask a Librarian: *not responding because I'm attempting to knock myself unconscious with another book*
I understand that these people are just Googling "Ask a Librarian" and not taking the extra step to think that it might not be their own local librarian, but it is very tiresome to repeatedly tell people in Michigan and New Mexico that I cannot resolve their lost book problems, especially when they keep emailing back asking me to contact their library for them!
This might even be acceptable if these individuals were asking actual reference questions like "What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" but these weirdo long distance questions are almost all about their user accounts (overdue items, late fees) or books not at our library, or ones like this transaction from the other day:
chat user: I want to read "book x" which is the next book in the series I am reading, but my library doesn't own it. Your library owns it, will you send it to me?
Ask a Librarian:What you want is an interlibrary loan. You can set that up through your own library. They may not get the book directly from us, but they should be able to locate you a copy. Which library are you at?
chat user: I am in Spain. Will you send me the book?
Ask a Librarian: Our library system does not lend materials outside of the US. I recommend discussing this issue with your own local librarian who can help you.
chat user: I don't use my library. Can you mail this book to my house?
Ask a Librarian: *not responding because I'm attempting to knock myself unconscious with another book*
I understand that these people are just Googling "Ask a Librarian" and not taking the extra step to think that it might not be their own local librarian, but it is very tiresome to repeatedly tell people in Michigan and New Mexico that I cannot resolve their lost book problems, especially when they keep emailing back asking me to contact their library for them!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)