September 2011 Liaison Meeting Notes

Welcome and Introductions

Thank you to Baltimore County Public Library, Towson for hosting us, and to Sue Tinanoff for the goodies and refreshments - and beautiful weather just right for a picnic lunch!  A special thanks to Erika Hodge Harris for her note-taking/sharing on Wimba.

(Note:  Some technology issues caused initial problems with archiving and remote participating.)

We began with introductions and sharing what's new with each library:

  • UMCP recovered from earthquake on August 23, 2011; had shared McKeldin Library's Earthquake photos on Flickr
  • Maryland State Law Library is adding a 1/2 time staff position which will also provide help on AUN
  • BCPL began using LibAnswers
  • CCBC is using LibGuides for pathfinders, resource guides
  • Allegany County, FCPL, AACPL, Caroline Co. PL, and others are involved with lending eReaders, updating eBooks/eAudiobooks resources, training staff and offering online resources through their libraries' site
  • St. Mary's has a meeting room AV upgrade, and noticed a huge increase of library use around the hurricane (Hurricane Irene/end of August)
  • FCPL is looking at a mobile app
  • AACPL is looking at Enterprise, probably to upgrade their catalog to this early next year
  • Caroline PL also has a meeting room AV upgrade and getting ready for a catalog upgrade to Enterprise
  • Howard CPL is closing Miller Branch in late September for new building
  • St. Mary's is getting an AV system upgrade for video/audio conferencing
  • Amy Ford also mentioned that Overdrive has a WIN option and that Overdrive is working on a "renewal" process for items checked out.

Report on Volunteer Program

Our Maryland AskUsNow! Volunteer Program is underway.  We currently have 3 active volunteers and one in training.  The goal is to have 5, so we have an opening. Please ask interested parties to contact Cathay.

Debbie Barlow/Howard Co. PL asked if it was okay to have someone who is interested in providing service shadow someone.  Julie replied that this is fine to do.

Intern Program

Seven respondents to the fall intern openings included only one who met the UMD course requirements; he ended up becoming too busy.  There are no new interns for AUN for the fall semester. We will announce the internship opportunity again in December for the Spring 2012 semester. We may consider opening up the internship to students at other universities.

FY2011 Wrap Up

We have finished up our FY11 grant and have had our FY12 budget approved, including funds for marketing and new equipment. The final grant report is due at the end of September. Julie asked if the liaisons would be interested in a "year end report" based on the Final Grant report. The consensus is that providers would appreciate having it posted on the Inner Harbor. 

In prep for buying new marketing materials, and in an attempts to use up all we've got and spread the word, we had some of the last of our materials available to take. Anyone is welcomed to request marketing materials to be sent to their library.  A list of materials still available is available on the marketing page.

Descriptive Codes - Discussion and Setting a Plan of Action

We've discussed Descriptive Codes in previous meetings and are ready to set a plan of action.  The codes that are in QuestionPoint are those listed by QP and is a huge list.  What we'd like is to use these on a statewide level.  We'd like to standardize a small list of codes for all of AUN but each institution can create their own, too.  Up to four descriptive codes can be added to each session.

For the BME, Maryland AskUsNow! (to share statewide), we decided upon having five. During the March Liaison meeting, it was noted that "Erika Harris (CCBC) suggested that the subjects of most interest to the state may be things like "personal interest," "student assignment," "business research," and "legal questions" so that marketing can be pointed more towards usage." 

Each institution / institutional profile sees their own list.  If a customer comes from another BME/library than your own, the descriptive codes will be set by the customer's library (similar to how scripts and policy pages are linked).  Julie will clarify this.

John Krivak proposed that the plan of action, to include:

  1. Determine the final five codes
  2. Come up with additional codes for libraries.  Time frame:  9/19-10/17/11
  3. Team will review to eliminate overlapping codes and add definitions.  The Review Team members are:  John Krivak, Debbie Barlow, and Jessica Ambrose (Julie and Cathay).  Time frame:  9/19 - 10/17/11
  4. Final choices will be posted on the IH and in QP (profiles) by 10/31
  5. Training:  Cathay/Julie will create a viewlet with a quiz and a handout during November, to be ready by 11/30/11.  It was suggested that training include a refresher of Resolution Codes (or refer to it), have the definitions of the descriptive codes, and "how to use" these while chatting/working with customers.
  6. Official "start date" February 1, 2012
  7. Review will occur during June, 2012 Liaison Meeting

It was mentioned that we need to have a Refresher Training completed for online access.  This could be one module as part of that Refresher Training.

We broke for lunch between 12:40 and I:30

QuestionPoint's Policy Page Updates

Discussion:  New fields on Policy Pages

Policy Pages were revamped to include a field for eBook information. Policy pages can also now be linked to the World Cat Registry page for information like addresses, maps, and phone numbers. For more information, see the QuestionPoint wiki on Policy Pages. When you log in to edit your policy pages, you'll see the changes with highlighted fields.

Class/Teacher Resources on AskUsNow.info

Discussion:  How to promote AskUsNow! use in classes and help for teachers

Sue Tinanoff brought up the increase of class bombs and interest in having class information, including a handout and online information (and contact information) on AskUsNow.info.  Many librarians go out during the school year to visit classes and having a handout is helpful.  Julie assured the group that the AskUsNow.info section is almost completed.

Jo John - UK's Enquire Service "Guest Chat" Idea

Recently QuestionPoint hosted a webinar about the UK's Enquire service. During this webinar, Coordinator Joanne John noted that they use QuestionPoint to host chats with individuals. Enquire has hosted author chats and chats with public officials where a seperate queue was set up specifically for this purpose as to not bog down the regular chat customers. Librarians have acted as triage folks to make sure no customer is waiting without being updated on the progress. The individual can chat or have someone chatting on behalf of them (in the room). Julie will get more details from Jo, but she would like to see this given a shot at some point this year; talk to Julie for details.

Suzy Bell mentioned that this could also be used as a new staff training idea, too, for every library's staff training whether staff is going to be a provider or not. Debbie mentioned this doesn't seem as productive as a communal chat - where people can see what people are asking and what's being said.

FY12 Planning

As part of a new LSTA application requirement, we have the opporunity to actually plan out how we'd like our FY 12 to look as far as plans, and accomplishments. Discussion: What are your priorities?  What do you want done?  What do you want investigated?

  • Amy Swackhamer:  Refresher Training
  • Descriptive Codes Project
  • Blended meeting tech (improvement)
  • Betty M.:  For librarians to explain AUN - targeting students/best practices (How to explain the difference between BrainFuse and AskUsNow!?”)
  • Revised bookmarks and handouts…?  Can Jeri C. and Debbie B. share their bookmark  and other designs for IH?
  • Promote  and handouts to schools  (like “R.E.S.P.E.C.T” handout,  chat etiquette but up to date)
  • Promote to Seniors/medical questions, health, senior centers
  • YouTube or some type of commercial
  • Feature our specialists – how AUN can provide help with a variety of topics
  • Have  faces/images and provider profiles on QP
  • Marketing – do we want to spend  $ on programs and/or materials (most seem to want highlighters; no more bookmarks!-J)
  • Invite media specialists to liaison meetings, or as providers
  • Outreach to schools; what are libraries doing to partner (Harford Co. , Baltimore Co., Chris M. has contact info for his county’s media specialists, History Day event late September early October – Debbie B. “back to school’ night with 27 schools at the Central Branch, work with Children’s and Teen Librarians to coordinate, Margie R. – their library  has a coordinator for working with schools, and Calvert does class visits 4, 6, 8 grades and History Fair in the beginning – in October and at the end – to have a live “AUN” chat at the History Fair event in October; Pratt has class visits to the library all year round; Cecil County teen librarians go to middle schools and have relationships with media specialists.
  • Is Postcard marketing worth it?   (Direct mailing)
  • Explore integration of chat reference with tutoriing – what is out there?  Is there anything available? Can also incorporate subject specialists – Julie will bring up to QP Advisory Board/List?
  • John K. – have QP create readily available free mobile apps for Smartphones (Qwidget functions this way, but is not 24/7)
  • Wondering about the customer’s true desire to chat…Jim DeArmey (Fire off a question and leave; just using it for convenience)For circulation/account questions

We ajourned the meeting at 3:15.

Notes submitted by Cathay Crosby

In Attendance @Towson

Katherine Baer, MDSLL
Margie Rhoden, Calvert
Judy Markowitz, UMCP
Jim Lynch, BCCC
Debbie Barlow, Howard
John Krivak, PGCMLS
Susan Pluhar, Pratt
Chris McGee, Allegany
Erika Hodge Harris, CCBC
Jess Ambrose, Harford CC
Kendra Frost, Harford
Sue Tinanoff, BCPL
Suzy Bell, Cecil
Jim DeArmey (final hour)
Cathay Crosby

Virtual Attendance

Betty Morganstern, AACPL
Amy Ford, St. Mary's
Amy Swackhamer, FCPL
Karen Neville, Worcester
Jeri Cain, Caroline
Abi Sogunro, Montgomery College
Liz Beere, Carroll CC
Janice Lathrop, AACC
Julie Strange

Notified Absence

Elizabeth Hulett, WashCo
Mimi Bolotin, MCPL
Laura Rice, Carroll
Sue Bonsteel, Stevenson
DNR (no liaison)

No Notification

Allegany College
Charles County
Loyola Blakefield
LBPH
NAL
NARIC
PGCC
Wicomico