Week 10.
Very sorry for there being such a long break between posts… Wow I just looked at the date for the last post… 28th of May. I can’t believe I have left it that long.
Anyway, back to business.
Discover:
Answer Board Librarians
This is a wonderful site.
This type of system could be implemented at the library. If the library were to host an Answer board most of the library’s straight forward IR’s could be channelled through the Answer board.
Explore:
Consider is there a role for our library in “slamming the boards”?
The role of the state library in “slamming the boards” should be one of leadership in providing examples to other libraries and librarians in the new emerging formats that information requests can be made.
In what ways might our customers like to rate or review items in the collection or services you offer?
I have had the experience of helping clients and you offer what you think are the answers that they are looking for, however they give off signals that the information you are giving them is not quite right.
(This can be for a number of reasons, you misinterpreted the question, the client didn’t phrase it well, or they are actually not quite sure what they are looking for.)
However when this happens I try to clarify what they are after, but sometimes the client thanks me and moves away rather then repeating or clarifying their query.
Answer boards provides space and time for the client to consider the answer and decide on whether it answers their question.
It is also an easy way of getting that all important feedback about the quality of the reference request answers we are providing.
