THE DML WEB TEAM FRIDAY OCTOBER 3, 2008 IM Reference Services at Health Sciences Libraries A Review

The Review A review of 71 library web sites that are members of Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries Questions: Do they offer Digital Reference? (Email or IM) If they offer IM Reference: What software are they utilizing for the user Name of the service Where on the home page is the link to the service Who is answering the IM reference What hours is the service available

A review of 71 library web sites that are members of Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries

Questions:

Do they offer Digital Reference? (Email or IM)

If they offer IM Reference:

What software are they utilizing for the user

Name of the service

Where on the home page is the link to the service

Who is answering the IM reference

What hours is the service available

IM in Health Sciences Libraries: Numbers Number of library web sites reviewed 71 Libraries offering digital reference (Email, IM, and Chat) 64 (90%) Libraries offering only email reference 23 (32%) Libraries offering IM reference 40/41 (58%) Number of Web Widgets 24 (59%) Number of Meebo Me Web Widgets 20/21 (51%/88%)

Number of Web Widgets

Number of Meebo Me Web Widgets

Reference Services Review: Numbers

IM Reference: Trends Most common name (of 64 DR libraries) “ Ask a Librarian”: 34 (53%) “ Ask Us”: 10 (16%) Type of link: Mostly text links There were a couple buttons/images Most common link location Library's home page, top-right corner Library's home page, top-left corner

Most common name (of 64 DR libraries)

“ Ask a Librarian”: 34 (53%)

“ Ask Us”: 10 (16%)

Type of link:

Mostly text links

There were a couple buttons/images

Most common link location

Library's home page, top-right corner

Library's home page, top-left corner

Typical Hours of IM Reference Hours not Stated: 8 Libraries Hours were Stated: 32 Libraries* The Typical IM Schedule: 31 Libraries with at least Monday-Friday hours IM reference usually corresponded with their in-person reference service Average start time: 8:38am Average end time: 6:09pm

Hours not Stated: 8 Libraries

Hours were Stated: 32 Libraries*

The Typical IM Schedule:

31 Libraries with at least Monday-Friday hours

IM reference usually corresponded with their in-person reference service

Average start time: 8:38am

Average end time: 6:09pm

Evening and Weekend Hours Evening Hours (after 6pm): 11 Libraries Saturday Hours: 6 Libraries 9am-5:45pm 9am-5pm 10am-7pm 10am-5pm 10am-4pm 11am-5pm Sunday Hours: 4 Libraries 10am-1pm 1-10pm 1-9:45pm 12-10pm

Evening Hours (after 6pm): 11 Libraries

Saturday Hours: 6 Libraries

9am-5:45pm

9am-5pm

10am-7pm

10am-5pm

10am-4pm

11am-5pm

Sunday Hours: 4 Libraries

10am-1pm

1-10pm

1-9:45pm

12-10pm

IM Reference in Other Medical Libraries: Who What breed of librarian on the other end? Medical / Health Sciences Librarians: 32 Not Explicitly Stated: 5 General Librarians: 3 Science Librarians: 1

What breed of librarian on the other end?

Medical / Health Sciences Librarians: 32

Not Explicitly Stated: 5

General Librarians: 3

Science Librarians: 1

IM PAGES I LIKED

Meebo Widget University of Alabama Birmingham Health sciences librarians Feedback Survey Clickable buttons

Meebo Widget University of Virginia Health Sciences Librarians Hours

University of California – San Diego Health Sciences Librarians Meebo Widget

LibraryH3lp widget University of Florida General Librarians Other IM options