Reference Transactions to the
Rescue: Using Libstats to
Enhance Library Instruction,
Direct Staff Continuing Education,
and Make Effective Management
Decisions
Danielle Theiss-White, K-State University
Jason Coleman, K-State University
Kristin Whitehair, University of Kansas Medical Center
Libstats
• Developed by the Engineering Library at
the University of Wisconsin – Madison,
Libstats is an online reference tracking
system.
• Libstats is now available as an open
source program from Google Code.
Entry Form
A Closer Look at LibStats
Select an entry from each box, and
type your initials.
A Closer Look at LibStats
Then record information about the
question and the answer.
A Closer Look at LibStats
The transaction will then appear in the list below
the entry form. The date and time are added
automatically.
Querying the database
Querying the database
History of Libstats at K-State
• Nov. 6: The web development
librarian downloads and installs
Libstats.
• Nov. 7: The Hale Library Help Desk
begins testing Libstats.
• Nov.-Dec.: It’s love!
• Jan. 3, 2007: The Hale Library Help
Desk officially adopts Libstats and
stops recording statistics on paper.
History of Libstats at K-State
• Staff’s Initial Reaction
– Seemed mostly positive
– Hesitant to record initials
– Uncertain how much to record.
• Reference Coordinator’s response to concerns
– Assured staff that their would be no
repercussions for incorrect answers
– Allowed each person to record as much or as
little as he/she wanted.
– Surveyed staff to learn more.
Improving
Service Using
Question and
Answer Content
Answer Certain Types of Questions
–Scavenger hunts
–Class assignments
–Known Problems/Issues
Scavenger Hunts
Q: Where can I find the volume and issue numbers
for Jan.-March 1983 issues of Time? Is the
microfilm collection stored in alphabetical or call
number order? How can I find out the major
headline on the New York times for December 8,
1941?
• A: v. 121, no. 1 thru v. 121, no. 13/call number
order/Microforms (3rd Floor, Hale) *Note: this is
a Speech "scavenger hunt" assignment we also
got thru IM last week.
Class Assignments
“Use in case of recurring class project questions”
Libstats Survey Response
• Q: Marketing class assignment MKTG 542 looking for industry info using list of sources from
instructor
• A: student was looking for U.S. Market Trends
and Forecasts - it is in Stacks due to old age.
We looked at the Marketing & Int'l Business
subject guide page. Used Business and
Company Resource Center, Industry: Child Care
- had some more recent info that looked helpful.
She also used ABI/Inform for articles.
Known Issue/Problem
“See if there have been any computer or technical problems”
Libstats Survey Response
• Q: What does it mean when the Cash to Chip
machine says "Card is Mute"?
• A: Not sure--anyone know this? [Yes - from staff
member X - it means that their chip is bad.
Sometimes you can fix it by rubbing it with a
piece of cloth, such as your shirt. Cotton seems
to work best. But if that doesn't work, they need
to go to the ID card center and get a new one]
Similar Question, but Different Answer
Q: How do I do in-text
citations in APA?
A: I referred her to the
APA citation manual and
showed her the section in
chapter 3 that addresses
in-text citations.
Q: how to cite
information from a
website in APA style
Q: questions about
APA style and
electronic resources
A: used APA manual,
plus examples on APA
web page, plus KSUL
APA guide under Citing
Resources
A: suggested where
to find more
information on
citation style for eresources (OWL at
Purdue)
Identifying
Changes Using
Libstats
Changes Based on Libstats Data
The results of a Libstats search helped us successfully lobby for a
printing account we could use to help patrons pay for print jobs.
Potential Changes Based on Libstats Data
Acquire a change
machine that
dispenses more
than just dollar
coins
Offer a public fax
machine
Change default
scanner settings to
make it easier for
patrons to send scans
by email.
Staff Training
Training Perspectives on Libstats
• Determine training needs and reference staff
strengths
• Learn how to handle certain types of questions
• See how others answer similar questions
• Form of staff communication
• Use for reference evaluation
• Allows collaborative learning
Identifies Specific Training Needs
Identifying Strengths
This result was entered by a student worker describing how to look for
finance journals using the library catalog, databases, and e-journals.
Identifying Strengths
Subject Librarian Assessment
“To see what types of questions are being
asked, whether any are from my departments,
and how questions are being answered”
Staff Survey Response
– Subject librarians read and evaluate
questions answered by other library staff
• Discuss questions/answers as a group or
individually to provide training in subject area of
need
Collaborative Learning
Batting Practice
Subject
Librarian
Sessions
Dialogue, Reflection,
Assessment
What can
we do
differently?
Challenge
Assumptions
New Collective Knowledge
Future Training Considerations
• Utilize more controlled vocabulary or
codes in the question/answer areas for
more refined search capability
• Create FAQS for future training purposes
based on actual Libstats questions
• Have subject librarians create stock
answers to common questions
Libstats
Informing
Instruction
Libstats Informing Instruction
• K-State Libraries Instruction Unit
analyzed Libstats data to identify
Instruction needs.
• A coding system was developed to
identify common information needs.
Libstats Informing Instruction
• Identifies specific information needs
to address through instruction.
• Identifies when (day of the week,
month, and time of day) instruction
is most needed.
Most Frequent Information Needs
Information Need
Rank
Known Item Request
1
Topic Research
2
Technical Assistance
3
Call Number Help
4
How to Print
5
Instruction Needs by Month
How to Print
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
January
February
March
April
8:
00
A
9: M
00
10 AM
:0
0
11 AM
:0
0
12 AM
:0
0
P
1: M
00
P
2: M
00
P
3: M
00
P
4: M
00
P
5: M
00
P
6: M
00
P
7: M
00
P
8: M
00
P
9: M
00
10 PM
:0
0
P
M
Instruction Needs by Time of Day
Topic Research
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Instruction Needs at 8:00am
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Topic
Research
Technical
Assistance
Navigation How to print
Supplies
Instruction Needs at 8:00pm
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Known Item
Request
Topic Research
Technical
Assistance
Call Number
Help
Future Instruction Opportunities
• Semester comparisons
• One partial measure of potential
changes in instructional strategy
• Analysis is also useful for reference
Staffing
Decisions
Staffing Decisions
LibStats automatically records time,
date, and day of week for every
transaction.
When to single-staff the desk
Questions by Hour for Sundays During Spring 2007
Data:
80
71
70
62
Questions
60
57
52
57
50
50
46
43
36
40
30
20
10
0
1
2
3
4
5
Hour
6
7
8
9
When to single-staff the desk
Questions by Hour for M ondays During Spring 2007
140
120
112
117
106
94
Questions
100
98
95
86
80
70
65
60
42
47
47
45
7
8
9
40
20
20
0
8
9
10
11
12
1
2
3
Hour
4
5
6
When to single-staff the desk
Questions by Hour for Tuesdays During Spring 2007
160
136
140
120
111
Questions
102
100
98
100
80
60
81
74
77
69
58
51
46
57
47
40
20
0
8
9
10
11
12
1
2
Hour
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
When to single-staff the desk
Questions by Hour for Wednesdays During Spring 2007
Data:
120
100
111
88
93
95
93
84
82
Questions
80
58
60
52
40
43
42
37
27
24
20
0
8
9
10
11
12
1
2
Hour
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
When to single-staff the desk
Questions by Hour for Thursdays During Spring 2007
Data:
140
123
120
106
Questions
100
98
97
91
89
80
79
80
75
60
40
38
36
6
7
40
41
8
9
27
20
0
8
9
10
11
12
1
2
Hour
3
4
5
When to single-staff the desk
Questions by Hour for Fridays During Spring 2007
Data:
120
105
100
88
87
77
Questions
80
67
58
60
56
46
42
40
25
20
0
8
9
10
11
12
1
Hour
2
3
4
5
When to single-staff the desk
Questions by Hour for Saturdays During Spring 2007
Data:
50
44
45
44
44
40
35
Questions
35
30
34
31
29
28
25
21
20
15
10
5
0
9
10
11
12
1
Hour
2
3
4
5
Time
Decision: staff IM off desk 10-5 M-F
Friday 4
Friday 2
Friday 12
Friday 10
Friday 8
Thursday 3
Thursday 1
Thursday 11
Thursday 9
Wednesday 4
Wednesday 2
Wednesday 12
Wednesday 10
Wednesday 8
Tuesday 3
Tuesday 1
Tuesday 11
Tuesday 9
Monday 4
Monday 2
Monday 12
Monday 10
Monday 8
Number of Questions
When to staff IM off the desk
IM Questions by Hour and Day of Week During Spring 2007
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
8:
00
9: 9: 0
0
00
-1
0
10
:0 :00
011 11:
0
:0
0- 0
1
12 2:0
0
:0
01
1: :00
00
-2
2: : 00
00
-3
3: : 00
00
-4
4: : 00
00
-5
:0
5:
00 0
-6
6: : 00
00
-7
7: : 00
00
-8
8: : 00
00
9: 9: 0
0
00
-1
0:
00
Count
Staffing Decisions – IM
Total IM for 2007 Fall Semester by Hour
30
25
20
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
15
Thursday
Friday
10
5
Saturday
Sunday
0
Time
Staffing Decisions – IM
Staff
Response to
Libstats
2007 Hale Library Help Desk Survey
2007 Hale Library Help Desk
Survey
• Library Help Desk staff took this
survey
• 13 survey responses
What do you like about Libstats?
I like that Libstats is keyword
Search to find
searchable and you can look up
answers to
your own initials to see all the
frequently
transactions you’ve entered.
asked
questions I like that there is a
record of the actual
transaction, and you
can learn from what
other people have
done.
Training Staff to use Libstats
“It's easy to use” Staff Survey Response
• Recording Reference Transactions guide
was created and posted to General
Reference wiki
– Updates added continually
• Training sessions held on case by case
basis for new staff along with yearly
refresher sessions for returning Help Desk
staff
Staff Survey Response
“I think it’s useful to know what has
been going on, especially if there are
ongoing or similar questions. Also, it’s a
learning tool because sometimes people
give different answers than I would.”
Staff Survey Response
2008 K-State Libraries Survey
• 30 Participants
• Library staff and student workers
from the following desks took the
survey: DowMRC Desk, Engineering,
Government Documents/Maps &
Microforms Desk, Library Help Desk,
Math/Physics, Reception Desk, and
Love Science Desk
2008 Staff Survey
The Process of Entering Transactions in
Libstats is ...
18
16
16
14
# Participants
14
12
10
2007
2008
8
8
6
5
4
2
0
1
Fairly Easy
2
Extremely Easy
2008 K-State Libraries Survey
How Often Do you Struggle to Record Your Transactions?
14
13
12
10
# Participants
10
8
7
2007
6
2008
5
4
4
2
2
1
1
0
0
0
Never
Very
Infrequently
Fairly
Infrequently
Fairly Often
Very Often
2008 K-State Libraries Survey
On Average, How Often Do You Read Other Staff Member's
Transactions?
18
16
16
# Participants
14
12
10
2007
8
2008
6
4
2
5
4
5
4
5
2
1
1
0
0
Never
Very
Infrequently
Fairly
Infrequently
Fairly Often
Very Often
If you read other staff member’s
transactions, why do you do this?
I like to get an idea for what kind of day we are
having at the desk and also to see what the
"hot issues" of the day are. I also read them to
learn new things that I may not have known
before about answering some questions or new
resources. Survey response
2008 K-State Libraries Survey
Overall, My Impression of Libstats is...
19
20
18
# Participants
16
14
12
2007
10
7
8
7
6
3
4
2
3
2
1
0
Very Negative
Neutral
Somewhat Positive
Impression
Very Positive
2008
What do you like most about the
Libstats database?
I like that it helps us keep track of what
types of questions are being asked. Also, it
is helpful when people come up and ask the
same question 20 times in one day (for
instance, where is the 1942 yearbook) to
already know the answer. Survey response
What do you dislike about the
Libstats database?
Answers are not standardized well so it would
be hard to categorize them. Survey response
A little confusing on what questions should
apply to reference and what to directional and
so on. Survey response
Suggestions for how the data in Libstats
should or could be used?
• Staffing decisions and training
• For training, to inform "help" content online.
• Shows how our help services are being
utilized. Helps to tell us when we need the
most staff available.
• Develop some FAQs based on the most
common questions. Staff responses
What could be done to improve this reference
transaction tracking tool?
• Standardize some of the language.
• Somehow, make the selection of the fields at
the top less cumbersome.
• Reporting feature needs improvement.
• Being able to add more than one question type.
• Include a field that would describe the basic
subject for subject oriented reference
questions.
Thank You
Danielle Theiss-White
General Reference Coordinator
K-State Libraries
dtheiss@ksu.edu
Jason Coleman
Reference Generalist
K-State Libraries
coleman@ksu.edu
Kristin Whitehair
Biomedical Librarian
KU Med Center
kwhitehair@kumc.edu