The document discusses digital reference services (DRS) in Philippine academic libraries. It provides an overview of chat reference transactions and usage statistics from selected universities. The study aims to understand librarians' perceptions of quality chat reference. Librarians identified advantages like convenience and increased access, as well as challenges such as technology issues and unclear questions. Reference interviews in chat were found to be similar to in-person, and evaluation of services was deemed important.

1. Marian Ramos-Eclevia
marian.eclevia@dlsu.edu.ph

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1. Current Realities of Philippine DRS
2. Objectives and Limitation of the Study
3. Research Methodology
4.Results and Discussion
5. Success of Chat Reference

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 356 academic libraries
 22 academic libraries
offer DRS
 E-mail reference in the
Philippines started in
early 2000s
 2008 - Ask-a-Librarian
using IM and web form
(asynchronous)

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 Instant Messaging (Yahoo!
Messenger and Gtalk)
 Meebo
 Livezilla
 Web forms
 In-house developed chat
application
 Springshare LibChat

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Started in 2009 using Yahoo!
Messenger and Gtalk!
 Opening hours
Weekdays:
8:00AM to 12:00MN
Saturdays:
8:00AM to 5:00PM

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Chat Reference Transactions in UP Diliman

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Chat
Transactions,
2012

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Library Online Reference
Assistant
Launched in 2009 using
Yahoo! Messenger
 Opening hours
Monday –Saturday
7:00AM to 8:00PM

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LORA Transactions in Numbers

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Started using Springshare
LibChat, May 2013
Chat widget – embedded in
various pages of the library
website

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Chat
Transactions,
January-June
2013

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To understand the librarians’ perceptions of
quality chat reference services of selected
academic libraries in the Philippines.

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chat reference
definition
similarities and
differences of
reference interview in
chat reference and
traditional reference
advantages and
disadvantages of chat
reference and in-
person reference
successful and less
successful experience
in chat reference
perception

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Critical
Incident
Technique

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24 librarians and
information specialists
Questionnaires
Max for Qualitative
Data Analysis software
(MAXqda)

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20 females
4 males
13 have MLIS
units
7 MLIS
degree holder
21 licensed
librarians
2 information
specialists
1 Research
Assistant

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12
spent ≤1 year
experience of
chat reference
6
1-3 years on
overall
traditional
reference desk
experience
12
spent 0-8
hours per
week
chat reference

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12.44 hours
per week
average hours
chat reference
2.16 years
average
chat reference
experience
8.05 years
average
overall
traditional
reference desk
experience

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4 respondents
>17 hours per
week
chat reference
All male
respondents
<1 year of chat
reference
experience
All
respondents
<1 year of chat
reference
experience
worked 0-8
hrs/week

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• computer mediated
communication
45
• provide reference services via
Ask-a-Librarian
11
• online conversation between
librarians and users
8

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• allows real-time interaction7
• available anywhere, anytime6
• use of Web 2.0 tools5

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 Fast and convenient
 Increases comfort levels
 Eliminates shyness (user)
 Less expensive (user)
 Less time to do research (user)
 Easier to handle difficult clients

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 Creates relationship with
other reference librarians
 Provides easy access
anywhere
 Allows 24/7 access
 Allows librarians without
borders

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Ability to save chat
transcripts
Allows serving more than
one patron at a time
Allows multitasking

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Less grammatical errors
because librarian have
time to edit before
sending replies
Provides instantaneous
user feedback

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Higher expectations from the librarians
There's a question of trust
May serve users who are not primary
clients
Anonymity of the user/"faceless" user
Time-delay problems
Dependence to electricity, devices, etc.

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Requires speed in typing
Drop-off calls/disconnection
problems
Bandwidth problems
Receives irrelevant and trivial
questions
Encounters joy chatters, hoax query
No verbal communication
Have time pressure

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traditional reference services

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traditional reference services
Serves one client at a time
Lack of anonymity
Requires user's physical presence in the
library
Includes unnecessary conversation or
topics not related to the real
information need
Noise and distraction
Librarians may have a feeling of tense
Deals with difficult clients

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Successful and Unsuccessful Critical Incidents
According to Respondents’ Years of Chat Reference Experience

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1 Clarity and completeness of question
2 Ability to do multitasking
3
Knowledge and skills in using
chat facility
4
Positive attitudes of
librarians & users

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1 Miscommunication between librarians and users
2 Interruptions caused by walk-ins
3
User information privacy issues
4
Hardware and software
problems

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More stable internet
connection
Staff training
More staff

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Libraries should
systematically and
regularly evaluate
the quality of its
services and
programs.

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Reference interview
and questions
received in chat
reference were
similar to in-person
reference.

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