This document provides information and guidance about tracking statistics for reference transactions at a library service desk. It defines the types of transactions that should be tracked, including reference transactions, directional transactions, consultations, systems transactions, and general transactions. It recommends tracking these 5 main transaction types rather than 12 options. The document also provides tips for reference interviews and assessing reference transactions. National and professional organization sources are cited for definitions and survey instructions. Keeping accurate statistics is important for reporting, administration, funding, and marketing the library.

2. LibAnswers, LibChat, &
Stats at the Service Desk
Record statistics on LibChat by
clicking on the reference
analytics tool
Now have 12
options listed for
question type

3. Information Transactions
at the Service Desk
National Center of Education Sciences (NCES)
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/
Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL)
http://www.ala.org/acrl/

4. Statistics Are Important
Statistics:
0 We have a mandate to provide annual reports;
0 Keep university administration informed about the outcome of their
investment;
0 Can be a deciding factor on the future of the library –
e.g., staffing, hours, and financial resources;
0 Can be used by library administrators and managers to analyze the
result of their work; and
0 Can serve as a marketing tool.

5. Definition of
Reference Transactions
“A reference transaction is an information contact that involves the
knowledge, use, recommendations, interpretation, or instruction in the use [or
creation of] one or more information sources by a member of the library staff. The
term includes information and referral service.
Information sources include:
(a) printed and nonprinted materials;
(b) machine-readable databases (including computer-assisted instruction);
(c) the library’s own catalogs and other holdings records;
(d) other libraries and institutions through communication or referral; and
(e) persons both inside and outside the library”.1

6. Definition of
Directional Transactions
“A directional transaction is an information contact which facilitates the use of
the library in which the contact occurs and which does NOT involve the
knowledge, use, recommendation, interpretation, or instruction in the use of any
information sources other than those which describe the library; such as
schedules, floor plans, handbooks, and policy statements.”2

7. Plan: Track 5 Transactions,
Not 12
1. Reference:
These questions or research topics require significant
knowledge, use, recommendation, or interpretation of one or more information
sources.
• Less than 20 minutes
• Examples include answering questions about the use of electronic
databases, finding information on a specific topic, how to create a
bibliography, and do we have a book on….
• If a reference transaction also includes a directional transaction – it counts as
one reference transaction
2. Consultation:
Similar to a reference transaction but last 20 minutes or more.

8. 3. Directional
These include questions that do NOT involve the
knowledge, use, recommendation, interpretation, or instruction in the use of
any information sources other than those which describe the library
• Examples include location of items, rooms, equipment and collections
within the library
4. Systems
Any questions that we refer to Library Systems staff or that they come to the
desk to answer.
5. General
Everything that does not fit into a “bucket” above.

9. Reference Analytics Page in LibAnwers

10. Service Desk: Do’s and Don’ts
DO
0 Be Courteous
0 Have a Positive Attitude
0 Address Patrons’ Needs
DON’T
0 Make the process more painful
than the problem
0 Allow things get unprofessional
0 Just say: I don’t Know (find out
who does)
0 Expect others to take care of the
problem (own it)

11. Reference Interview
Good Information
Be Helpful
Teach
I CAN MAKE IT RIGHT!

12. ASSESSMENT
1. Watch a 20 minute video - a Ted Talk by Seth Godin at:
http://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_this_is_broken_1.html
2. Identify something that is broken in your work area or in the library
and why
it is broken. (If you think it is broken – it is broken.) Use one of Seth’s
seven
reason to explain why what you identified is broken.
3. Tell me how you would fix it. Due by next Tuesday.

13. Endnotes
1.
ACRL. (n.d.). ACRL Statistics Questionnaire, 2011-12: Instructions for
completing the questionnaire. Retrieved from http://acrl.countingopinions.com/docs/acrl/12instruct.pdf
2.
NCES. (n.d.). Instructions for the Academic Library Survey: FY 2012.
Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/pdf/ACQuestionnaire_FY12.pdf