How to be a person: Tips and tricks for virtual reference
C&RL News, November 2009
Vol. 70, No. 10
by Craig Anderson
We live in a virtual world. When people use the term virtual reality, it often conjures up images of strange and wonderful immersive universes in which people dissociate themselves from the “real world” and embrace a magical video game environment. Movies such as The Matrix, or the novels of William Gibson, have done much to perpetuate this stereotype.
In reality, however, much of our interpersonal interaction these days could also be considered virtual, even without the use of a mystical 3-D rendered world. We communicate through e-mail, text/instant messaging, or even through the use of a good old-fashioned phone line. Although we may communicate with a great many people at work, at school, or even from the privacy of our homes, not all of these interactions take place in face-to-face conversation.
Increasingly, we have begun to eschew what many Internet-savvy people call meatspace, in favor of online interaction. This tendency for virtual communication has been implemented by many of today’s libraries in an effort to give their patrons new avenues of accessibility.
When a patron is unable or unwilling to trek all the way out to their nearest library, virtual reference gives them a means to contact a reference librarian without leaving his or her chair. Some libraries provide online chat services for their patrons, where they may converse with a reference librarian in real time. Recently, many libraries have also begun to experiment with three-dimensional virtual environments, such as Second Life or Yoville. These virtual worlds can help to restore the nonverbal cues that are often “lost in translation” by simulating a physical component to the reference interview. Online avatars can wave, smile, or even point to objects in the virtual world. Younger patons might even respond more positively to a librarian avatar than to a real person, since these patrons are more used to interacting with others on multiplayer video games. There has even been a movement by librarians to involve themselves in game worlds, such as World of Warcraft, for the purpose of reaching patrons in these ever-growing game populations.
With the growing number of libraries that offer online services to their patrons, many librarians have had to learn a new kind of interaction with their patrons. There is a very subtle difference between chatting online with someone and speaking to that patron in person. Many of us fail to realize that there is a large range of nonverbal communication and visual cues that are lost in online communication. By following this brief list of tips for reference chat, it is easy to overcome these difficulties in communication.
Five steps to a happy patron
1. Welcome the patron (no scripts). As with any reference interview, the first step in making an online patron feel welcome is to make the patron aware that they are in fact dealing with a real person. Many chat reference services include some kind of welcoming script designed to let the patron know that they’ve reached a librarian. Unfortunately, many of these “welcome” messages can also sound very wooden and scripted. When we greet a patron in the real world, many librarians will smile brightly and ask the person if we can help them. Some of us might even comment on the weather or something similar. But if any of us greeted the patron by loudly declaring, “Hello, and welcome to our library! You are now speaking with a reference librarian. How may I help you today?” many of our patrons would back away slowly.
For this reason, it is sometimes better to greet an online patron much in the same way that you would talk to a friend on chat. Since many chat services require the patron to log in with a question, the librarian may already have something with which to start the conversation. “Hi! This is Craig Anderson at Kean University. I see you’re looking for some info on Queen Victoria.” It isn’t necessary to try to go overboard with the patron by spouting off a string of slang and net-speak (and let’s not even talk about “l33t”). Just remember that the entity on the other side of the screen is a real person who is most likely trying to finish a homework assignment or other project. Sometimes talking with a real person instead of another computer “voice” can come as a pleasant surprise.
2. Get some background info. With most in-person reference interviews, it is also important to get as much information about the patron’s search before you begin to respond to his or her question. Oftentimes, in an effort to keep the patron “on the line,” librarians may bombard the poor online soul with lists of links and pushed Web pages before they even know what the patron is really looking for. A large part of this behavior goes back to the lack of visual cues in an online environment. When speaking to a patron in real life, it is fairly easy for the librarian to discern the type of search. A young teenager is probably working a high school project, whereas an older patron might be doing some sort of advanced scholarly research. Additionally, librarians can often tell by body language and posture whether they’re on the right track. Since these cues are lost when chatting over an Internet connection, it becomes necessary to get all of the facts before beginning the search.
Casual, open-ended questions such as, “Is this for a school project, or personal interest?” can help to establish a framework for the reference search, and save a lot of time in the long run. Once the librarian has determined the scope of the research, it is then acceptable to send the patron a number of search results. The important thing, however, is to make sure the patron knows what he or she is looking at. A quick note, such as, “Okay, I’m sending you a number of Web pages on this topic. Just let me know if I’m going too fast for you, or if these are not what you’re looking for,” can help prepare the patron for the information that they are about to receive.
3. Let them know how long this will be. Sometimes the patron will have a reference question that requires a little in-depth searching. Many librarians enjoy the kind of challenge that a complex research project can bring, but it is important to remember that not all patrons share this kind of enthusiasm, especially if they are not in on the search process.
To the patron waiting on the other end of the line, even a simple search can seem like an eternity. When browsing the Internet, it is easy to let the minutes slip by without realizing how long you’ve been searching. Some librarians will even leave a patron waiting for up to 7 or 8 minutes while they perform a lengthy online search. Seven minutes is not really a long time to wait for information in real life, but it can certainly be a long time to stare at an inactive computer screen.
Letting the patron know how long the search will be is an excellent habit to get into. For a very simple search, just indicating that you’re going to be searching is fine. For an in-depth search, however, it is better to give a quick explanation to the patron before you begin. Something like, “Okay, let me see what I can find. It might take a few minutes, so please bear with me.” If you happen to know of a quick and easy site that might have some of the information that the patron needs, it’s a good idea to send that along first. Letting the patron know, “Here’s a quick site to get you started. I’m still searching, but I just wanted to give you something to look through as I search,” will help to keep them from being too bored.
4. Do not be afraid of smileys. Again, many librarians are often afraid of sounding informal, so they neglect many of the simple chat habits that nearly all patrons are familiar with. Using emoticons, or smileys, is a great way to convey nonverbal communication to patrons. A simple smiley such as :) or :D can let the patron know that you’re happy to be serving them.
These symbols lighten the mood, and allow the patron to see you as a human being, and not just a mechanical response on the screen.
If you’re having trouble with the search, it may even be helpful to include a “sad” emoticon, to let the patron know that you sympathize with them. “I’m having some trouble finding this information. :( Please give me just a few more minutes to continue searching.” It is not necessary to pepper your responses with every type of emoticon known to humankind, but a few smileys here and there can really set the patron at ease. This is actually easier in three-dimensional worlds, such as Second Life, which allows the user many different kinds of animated gestures and emotions that can be displayed through their online avatar. When a patron is waiting, often a simple wave animation will let the user know that you’re still paying attention.
5. Never leave them wanting more. Finally, there is the matter of closing the reference call. In online environments this is done much in the same way as it is done in real life. Making absolutely certain that you’ve answered the patron’s question, and wishing him or her a nice day is still the way to go. However, some librarians tend to sign off from chat very quickly, confident that they’ve done everything that they can to answer the patron’s question.
This may not always be the case when you don’t have the proper nonverbal cues to determine the patron’s level of satisfaction. It is sometimes necessary to give a brief review of the reference session and ask if there’s anything else that they need. “Okay, we’ve found some materials on Queen Victoria, and a few Web sites on Prince Albert Victor. Are these enough to get you started, or would you like to keep searching? :).” It is important to always let the patron know that you are willing to keep searching, even though you may have answered the question thoroughly. Sometimes, brief messages on a chat service can seem terse or off-putting. You never want the patron to feel uncomfortable when asking for a little more help.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Achieving an ease of manner and comfort in chatting online does take a little practice. The key to remember is constant communication with the patron. Many of us, patrons and librarians alike, are sadly accustomed to the kind of automated answering service that asks you to press “1” for option “A”, press 2 for option “B”, etc. This often leads to jaded information seekers doubting whether the person on the other end of the line is really human.
Sometimes, even assuring the patron: “I’m a little new at this, thank you for your patience” can help the patron to feel more comfortable with the hapless librarian on the line. By paying attention to both sides of the conversation, and carefully monitoring the text and inflection of your online communication, it is a simple matter to come across as a fellow human being.
Craig Anderson is librarian at Kean University Library, e-mail: cjanders@kean.edu
�� 2009 Craig Anderson