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4 – 5 November 2008
Everybody is a SpecialistA Learning and Collaborative Platform for Reference Librarians at the National Library Singapore
The Hong Kong Library Association (HKLA) 50th Anniversary Conference 2008
Ivy LeeNational Library Singapore
“Collaboration”buzzword of Web 2.0
Collaborative Reference
• Marrying available technologies with the need to collaborate
• Tapping on expertise of librarians located in diverse library structure
National Library Board Singapore
NLB oversees• National Library Singapore• 3 Regional Libraries• 19 community libraries• 2 community children’s libraries• 17 government, schools and private
institutional libraries• A total of 42 libraries in Singapore
National Library Singapore building
Library 2010
New Knowledge Framework for Singapore
• Building knowledge and expertise• Making information accessible
• Sharing and exchanging knowledge
Library 2010 Report
Everybody is a Specialist : Collaborating to provide best answers
A project that taps on the use of social networking tools such as forums, blogs and wikis to create a familiar environment within our work space to facilitate and capture conversations amongst staff, especially for handling difficult enquiries.
Why Collaborate on CRNS?
Learning as ObserversStaff who did not participate in conversations can learn at their own time by observing discussions.
Hands-on LearningOnly staff who sought assistance gains new knowledge and learn while discussing with others.
Knowledge ManagementConversations are captured, archived and made searchable for future reference.
Knowledge GapStaff seek assistance via personal email, phone or face-to-face. Conversations, which are evolution of learning, not captured.
Collective KnowledgeStaff can rely on communities of subject librarians to seek inputs for difficult enquiries.
Work SoloStaff relies on personal contacts for assistance on difficult enquiries.
Collaborative Reference Network Service (CRNS)
Traditional Reference Service
CRNS works on the basis of 3 beliefs
• Everybody is a specialist in his/her own right.
• Collective knowledge can improve the quality of reference service.
• Our customers deserve the best answers that we can provide, and we are committed to provide the best quality answers we can give as library professionals.
Portable and Personal Workspace
Web-based
Input Template providing structured layout
WYSIWYGStructured Page
Drag & drop citations
Drag & Drop citations from Catalogue
Drag & drop to launch OPAC
Search Catalogue for item records
Click on title to view record
Ease in copying item citations
Click on title to view record
Click on “copy” to auto-populate citation fields in template
Auto-populate citations to input template
OPAC record copied into template automatically
Drag & drop citations from websites
Drag & drop to launch Google Search
Ease in copying website information to input template
Click on “copy” to auto-populate citation fields in template
Auto-populate website information to input template
Web record copied into template automatically
Drag and drop citations from database articles
Drag & drop to launch federated database search for articles
Ease in copying database article information to input template
Click on “copy” to auto-populate citation fields in template
Standard and structured appearance via URL
Sample of how the final answer looks like to the reader
Standard and structured appearance via URL
More of how the final answer looks like to the reader
Asking for assistance at workspace
Plug-in allows librarian to activate at will
Pop-up box allows librarian to select communities to broadcast enquiry and attach input template
Discussions are tracked and threaded
Tagged enquiry is tracked and threaded with auto-generated ID
Wiki-enabled input template
Staff can attach the input template in their email broadcast and community members can use the drag and drop citation function to add citations directly into the input template.
Discussion threads viewed, archived and searched by staff
Communities of subject experts
Discussion threads
Content of discussion
Members in the community
Blog View of Discussions
Blog View of threaded discussions
HTML view of discussions
HTML view of threaded discussions
Profile of specialist and tracking of contributions
Each specialist has a profile page with contributions tracked and viewed by members
Learn from specialists by viewing their contributions in “their blogs”
Each specialist’s postings are presented in a blog view for other librarians to learn and be “mentored”
Outcome achieved for CRNS
• More than 200 members are now working in collaboration on reference enquiries
• 18 subject communities formed• More than 400 postings and contributions on average every
month• Over 1211 discussion threads have been created (since August
08)• A record of over 2249 reads (log-ins by staff to read the postings
for self learning)
Key findings from CRNS project
• You don’t know who knows what. Best way to glean the most inputs is cast your net wide, rather than depend on own small circle of contacts.
• Greater participation encouraged if contributions are recognised.• Staff are more inclined to seek inputs to further enrich replies with
existence of discussion platform.• Quality of replies improved compared to traditional method.• Communities of specialists need not be formed based on job
descriptions but can be formed based on staff’s own interest.• Stumpers unique to Singapore and its region best answered on
this platform compared to other existing forums/listserv.
What’s Next for CRNS
• Develop directory of external contacts and profiles of specialists
• Engage users to leverage on their expertise and knowledge
• Extend CRNS platform to the library community outside NLS, to ASEAN and Asia-Pacific region
