Presentation for the International Information Programs
(IIP) Office of the U.S. Department of State, June 5, 2006
Krakow, Poland:
E-services for Local
Communities Offered
by Libraries
Highlighting the
Maryland AskUsNow!
Virtual Reference Service
Joe Thompson
Project Coordinator: Maryland AskUsNow!
Baltimore County Public Library
jthompso@bcpl.net
Crossing the “Divide”
More about Maryland AskUsNow! later…
First, what are some useful electronic
services that libraries in Maryland are
offering to their communities, especially
those relevant to the most economically
and socially disadvantaged?
In the Library Buildings
Free use of computers in all branch libraries:
 Internet & E-mail access
 Subscription databases (magazines, journals,
encyclopedias)
 Microsoft Word (for typing job applications, reports, etc.)
 Microsoft Excel
 Microsoft PowerPoint
Free technology programs:
 Computer basics:
The mouse, keyboard, and basic terminology
 Introduction to the Internet (Parts 1 and 2):
The library’s web site directory, search engines, and how to
evaluate online resources for quality information
In the Library Buildings
Free wireless Internet in all library buildings
The library is a “hot spot!”
A wealth of materials:
 Large part of the collection is geared toward young
students and beginner’s topics (including DVDs, CDs,
and cassettes).
 Materials in languages other than English: Spanish,
Russian, and Korean.
 Ability to Interlibrary Loan (ILL) materials from other
libraries in the state, or nationally through OCLC’s
WorldCat.
Services outside of the physical
library buildings: Where they are
Online catalog:
 Search for material
 Place holds
 Check for overdues
 Renew material
 “Shelf Help” service makes renewal possible by telephone
Online subscription databases for library card holders:
 Magazine and journal articles
 Topical encyclopedias
Online “Community Information Directory” of organizations
Online index of historic photographs: ex. BCPL’s Legacy Web
(next slide)
Services outside of the physical
library buildings: Where they are
Low priced Internet accounts
Mobile Library Services (The Bookmobile!):
 Includes computers with Internet access
 Programs, including children’s story times
Marketing and Outreach:
 Maintaining connections with local newspapers, radio, and TV to let
them know all the great things that the library offers.
 Making sure that your government officials and funders are aware
of your useful library services.
 Visits to schools, senior centers, community festivals. Make sure
your library is seen as an integral part of the community, not just a
building over there. Give them what they want!
Beyond the static web page
Libraries have begun to find ways to provide direct interactive
customer service to their customers online:
 Blogs
 RSS Feeds
 Live online tutoring services for students
 The ability to chat or Instant Message (IM) a librarian for help
 ..and even Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to talk through the
computer
My focus now is going to be on how we in Maryland
are providing a cooperative live chat information
and reference service 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, every day of the year.
A Quick Look Back
When did we start? Planned in 2002; Launched on March
17, 2003.
What is it? “Maryland AskUsNow! is a 24/7 live online
interactive service. It uses the expertise of librarians to
provide answers to questions, research guidance, and help
navigating the Internet.” Format is Live chat with E-mail
follow-up.
How do our customers access it?
 Yellow icon on our partner library’s home pages and
links throughout site. (Branding is important!)
 The statewide promoted www.askusnow.info page.
 Links on K-12 school, nonprofit, and other
organization’s web sites.
A Quick Look Back
Why do it?
It allows our students & the public to access to the same
trusted library service in a new desirable format (similar to IM) at
their time and place of need.
 Our librarians are also learning much more about using online
sources to provide quality reference service.

Why cooperate?
It’s cost effective!
 We are better drawing from each library’s strengths (i.e.
knowledgeable staff, resources, & technology)
 We have built a valuable communication and learning network
of libraries.
Who’s involved? Provided by over 270 librarians for 266 hours a
week at our 27 public, academic, & special library system partners
across Maryland. In addition, librarians from around the country with
“QuestionPoint 24/7 Reference” back us up at busy times, overnight,
and weekends. Training is provided by the Maryland AskUsNow!
project.

A Quick Look Back
Where do we get the software?
The backup staffing, chat software, and e-mail followup software are all included in our contract with
QuestionPoint. The software is online, so nothing
needs to be loaded on our machines.
See www.questionpoint.org for more information!
Who pays for it?
LSTA grant funding from Maryland State Department
of Education, Division of Library Development and
Services covers the total cost of our QuestionPoint
contract, full-time coordinator, training, & statewide
marketing. Maryland partner libraries contribute
existing staff, Internet workstations, and enthusiasm,
but no fee! This has greatly helped to keep and
encourage new partnerships.
It’s Busy!
What is usage like?
Our goal at the beginning was to eventually receive
1000 questions each month, which has been
surpassed every month! The highest month of usage
so is April 2005, with 5970 questions submitted.
Spring and fall are busiest. In total, we have received
over 130,000 questions since the service launched.
Who are these people?
In the first half of 2005, 44.36% of people who filled
out the AskUsNow! pop-up survey identified
themselves as “Student (Kindergarten – 12th). About
half of all survey responders say they’ve used the
service before. Over 40% of people find out about it
just be seeing the link on the library’s web site. A
prominent link makes a huge difference!
Sample Questions & Feedback
Sample Questions:
 “What kind of salary should a nurse make?”
 “What’s the law on my neighbor’s kids playing
basketball after midnight?”
 “Do you think BGE should be allowed to raise their
rates?
 “Does the library have a copy of HP and the Half
Blood Prince?”
Exemplary Survey Feedback:
 “The service was very knowledgeable and they knew
just where to look to find the information that I needed!”
 “Fast, helpful, easy to use, friendly and I can always
count on!!”
 “My librarian rep. was very nice and helpful she should
get a raise!”
Training and Research
Maryland librarians who provide AskUsNow! must
attend a one-day in-person training class:
Discussion of their “secret shopper” experience
 Recommended behaviors for providing chat reference
 Identifying what truly is “inappropriate” and how to handle
sensative topics
 QuestionPoint’s Flash Chat software
 Question E-mail Followup

Research the service has been involved that has been
extremely helpful:
Marie Radford (Rutgers University) and her evaluation of
chat transcripts (ALA 2004, VRD 2004, Maryland Library
Association 2005)
 Teen focus groups to find out what they really want of a
library chat reference service

Maryland AskUsNow!
also participates…
in InfoEyes:
 Mainstream chat Virtual Reference
Services are not fully accessible to people
who use screen-reading devices
 InfoEyes launched January 2004
 It’s a question and answer service for
people with a visual impairment or other
print limitation
 People can ask a question about anything
 Questions may be:
infoeyes.org
• E-mailed via webform using
QuestionPoint
• Voice Over IP by request
A Model Service for Others
When we planned AskUsNow! in 2002, we had several
models to draw from in the state, as well as large new
cooperative services like New Jersey’s Q and A NJ.
Since then, our service has become an example for
many others, including state projects in Arizona,
Florida, Louisiana and the province-wide Bibliothèque
nationale du Québec.
In 2004, Maryland AskUsNow! was
one of only two services to receive
the Exemplary Digital Reference
Service Award from the U.S.
Department of Education’s Virtual
Reference Desk Project.
Would you like to see how it looks?
Thank you!
“Thank you for using Maryland AskUsNow! If you have any further
questions, please contact us again! You can go ahead and select the
End Call button if that’s all you need. Bye for now!”
Questions? :)
This presentation will be posted at:
www.askusnow.info/presentations
Feel free to contact me:
Joe Thompson
Baltimore County Public Library
320 York Road
Towson, MD 21204 USA
jthompso@bcpl.net