Liz and I have finished revising the Bio-Med booklet. The new, streamlined version is now available in printed format in room 274 (next to the file cabinet).
It is also available on the O drive at:
O:\biomed\PubServ\Booklet Materials\Official Copies\Guide to Services Resources 2008 revision 5
Questions or comments should be directed to Lisa or Liz
Cheers!
As you know, we have been using Pidgin as our IM client on the ref-b workstation for the Bio-Med Instant messaging reference service. As of today, the Pidgin on that particular workstation is mysteriously kaput. Before we spend a bunch of time trying to troubleshoot this problem, Lisa and I are reconsidering for a variety of reasons whether we should use Meebo as our IM client instead of Pidgin. So, for the time being, please make sure that we are logged into the Meebo ummedref account when you are at the reference desk. If you need the login information, please see: O:\Reference\IM\Medref IM Account Information.doc. And stayed tuned for exciting updates regarding the IM reference service!
Please see Lisa or me with questions.
Thanks,
Martha
Hello-
Just a couple of very important reminders about referring patrons to our Bio-Medical Library IT Help Staff.
- Please remember to log ALL referrals to the IT Help Staff using the Reference Transactions Wufoo Form. To do this, choose "Technical/Computer Issue" under Question Type and then also "Referred to IT Help Desk Staff" under Type of Computer or Technical Issue.
- IT Help Staff are generally available - at minimum - from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday. Please don't hesitate to call upon them when you get IT questions you are unable to answer. The most efficient way to reach them is to call 4-5989. I believe that this number goes first to the student IT staff work area and then is routed to other IT staff (Chacko, etc.) if the students are unavailable. More information about this is posted under the glass on the Reference Desk.
Thanks very much,
Martha
Hi all,
Some of you might have heard, but our IM software formerly known as Gaim, has changed it's name to Pidgin. Yes, another cutesy play on words for techno stuff (why do they all do that?)
You can visit the web site to download the new version at: http://pidgin.im/pidgin/home/
I did this at my laptop and it worked fine, but I ran into problems with it on Ref-B, so we'll need to call in the computer gurus to check it out.
Happy IMing!
Lisa
Greetings,
I answered the Reference Desk phone at 8:00 this morning and had a rather extended reference encounter with a non-affiliate, and frequent caller who requests information on fairly complex medical issues. She has used our services consistently over the last several years.
After conferring with Del and Liz, I have learned that this particular patron has begun to behave in a manner that is problematic. She has made demands that items be faxed, and has insisted that other staff of done this for her; she has called back at various times hoping to get a staff member who will "give her the answer that she is looking for," when she has not gotten it the first time around; and she can, at times "put words into your mouth," for example "...but you just said X and now you are saying Y." I had this happen during my transaction this morning.
Fortunately, these types of encounters are few and far between, and at present are related to one patron, but this does provide an opportunity to remind each other of some basic guidelines to keep in mind when you are dealing with a patron on the phone:
• Phone reference assistance is limited to 10 minutes
• State which of our resources (print or electronic) you are reading the information from – try to include edition, pages, etc.
• If a patron is asking multiple questions or continues to ask additional questions, you may say that you are only able to answer one more question for that encounter. Del has mentioned that he finds this to be an effective strategy to force that patron to “prioritize� their particular information need(s).
• Our subject expertise is related to our collections and use of finding tools. We do not and should not interpret information that we are providing. Always refer the requestor to a healthcare professional – doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc. – when you are being asked to interpret or offer medical advice.
• Often a person calling is looking for a “second opinion� because they are not satisfied with answers that they have gotten from a healthcare provider. This is not our job.
• If a patron is being insistent or pushy you may refer them to me (5-4499)
Finally, I would appreciate your telling Del or me about any encounters that you have had with this patron that you regard to have been inappropriate or uncomfortable. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Jim
Greetings-
I have finished tinkering with a Wufoo form for logging consultations, so far as I am concerned you can start using it now and abandon reporting them manually. If you want to receive an email confirmation of your submission, please enter your email address. Here is the url for the form (you might want to bookmark this): https://hsllibs.wufoo.com/forms/consultations-log/ I have also added the consultation log form to the HSL Wiki.
By the way, I contacted the Wufoo folks to find out if there would be a way to avoid you having to manually enter your email address each time and, apparently, there isn't an easy way to do this. We have perhaps discovered a limitation of Wufoo.
I hope that you will find this an easier method for recording your consultations. Please let me or Del know if you have any questions or suggestions.
Regards,
Martha
Greetings-
Well, the Instant Messaging Reference Service pilot has been up and running for a couple of weeks now. Thus far, there haven't been many transactions, so we are still looking for additional ways to publicize this service. We have added information about the service to the Web site (http://www.biomed.lib.umn.edu/services/reference/im), included it on the stall flyers, and I just made some table tents for the library. Here are some things you can do to help:
- Post about the IM Reference Service on your liaison blog.
- Mention it when working with students or faculty.
- Point out the availability of the IM reference service to affiliated patrons when working with them at the reference desk.
Secondly, every once in a while, the Gaim IM application installed on the ref-b workstation at the reference desk wipes out all the accounts and settings. I had this happen the other day when I switched from my personal network login to the regular ref-b login. If it happens to you when you are at the reference desk, you can do one of two things:
1) Add the accounts and settings back into Gaim. All the screen names & passwords are available in this directory: O:\Reference\IM\Medref IM Account Information.doc. I've updated this document so that it hopefully includes all the necessary information to reestablish the Gaim accounts.
2) Switch to Meebo (a Web client for IM). The Meebo username and password are also in this same document.
Either way, please also let Lisa or me know that about the problem. Once those IMs start coming in from patrons, we want to be sure that they can reach us!
Finally, I encourage you to create an IM account (if you haven't already) and to log into it while at work. Some of us have already found IM quite useful for communicating with each other.
If you have any questions, please see me or Lisa.
Cheers,
Martha
Dear Reference Folk,
Using Wufoo, I've created a prototype of an online form for logging reference consultations. The idea is that you could fill out one of these instead of having to report your consultations to Del. Please take a look at this and let me know what you think: https://hsllibs.wufoo.com/forms/reference-consultations-log/. Is it easy to fill out? Does it include the information you need? Is it clear? Do you think an online form is a good idea? Feel free to enter some test entries (just put a note in the notes field letting me know it is a test and I can delete the entry later). Please let me know what you think.
Cheers,
Martha
Greetings-
I have typed up a revised version of the opening and closing procedures for the reference desk. Only a couple significant things have changed:
- During the IM Reference Pilot, please remember to log into Gaim on ref-b.
- During the 2007 Print Use Study, please do not reshelve any print reference books until they have been scanned.
Directions pertaining to both of these items are included in the procedures found here: O:\Reference\Ref Desk Opening & Closing Procedures.doc or here: Download file
Thanks,
Martha
Greetings medrefers:
This is a message for those of you who answer email reference questions that come in via medref@umn.edu.
Chad has used Wufoo to create a new Web form that folks can use to request a literature search. He has grabbed the code and embedded this form in the Bio-Med Web site. When someone fills out and submits a form, Wufoo forwards it via email to medref@umn.edu. The email will therefore look like it came from Wufoo, but it actually originated from our Web site. Please continue treat these literature requests just as you have treated literature search requests in the past (log them, put them in the lit searches in box behind the reference desk, etc.).
Hope this clears up any confusion. If you have additional questions please see me or Chad.
Cheers,
Martha
Greetings-
Now that we have in place a trial subscription to Wufoo for the next 6 months or so, please resume tracking all Reference Desk Transactions via the Wufoo form beginning on Monday, March 5. I have added the form to the Firefox bookmarks bar on all three Reference Desk workstations. The form can also be found here: https://hsllibs.wufoo.com/forms/biomedical-library-reference-desk-transactions/. Again, please forward to me any questions or suggestions you have about the form.
This remains a pilot project. We will compare Wufoo to other means of creating forms for data collection and we will develop appropriate processes for reporting and storing data regarding Reference transactions. Ultimately, we aim to create a mechanism for tracking data regarding Reference transactions that fully represent our activities at the Reference Desk, but I also want this process to be easy and barrier-free for all Reference staff. Your participation and feedback will make this possible.
Thanks,
Martha
Hello-
Tracking Reference Desk Statistics via Wufoo is on hold for now because we have maxed out our free Wufoo account. We logged 100 Reference Desk Transactions in less than five days! We're currently looking at whether we should purchase a paid subscription to Wufoo, not only to capture information regarding Ref. Desk Transactions, but also for other forms, surveys, etc. Stay tuned to this station for updates regarding any developments.
Many thanks to you all for participating in this pilot project by logging your transactions so faithfully.
Martha
As we discussed in the Reference Meeting earlier today, I have been experimenting with Wufoo (an online html forms builder) to create an online form to collect data regarding Bio-Med Reference Desk transactions. Creating and editing forms and reports in Wufoo is extremely easy. Wufoo can also create online reports and/or export data directly to Excel.
I have created a form which I hope will accomplish at least two things. First, I hope it will make it much easier to record data about Ref Desk transactions. Second, I hope to capture data that will give us a much more complete picture of what occurs at the Reference Desk, including types of services provided, types of questions received, how our time is spent, etc. We will of course continue to collect the data necessary to supply ARL and AAHSL statistics. We will also work with Andre to see if we can come up with a form that will work for recording reference transactions across the Health Science Libraries.
I have created a prototype of a form that I would like to test for the next couple of weeks. So, when you work at the Reference Desk, please remember to submit a form for each reference transaction. Please also let me know what you think of it. I have already made several changes in response to user feedback, so please forward your ideas and suggestions to me.
I have added the link to the form to the Firefox bookmarks bars on the Reference Desk computers. You can also access the form at: http://biomedref.wufoo.com/forms/biomedical-library-reference-desk-transactions/.
Cindy has already created a prototype of a evaluation form for our Library classes in Wufoo. She is also interested in creating a form for reporting instruction and outreach statistics. I foresee many other possible uses for Wufoo forms here at Bio-Med: tracking our consultations, tracking literature searches, letting me know what Bio-Med Library classes you intend to teach each term, etc. In order to create multiple forms in Wufoo, however, the Libraries would need to purchase a license. In the meantime, I encourage you all to set up a free account of your own to experiment with Wufoo at http://wufoo.com/. Thanks to Chad for letting us know about this nifty application!
Martha
Students in a microbiology course, MicB4151, may be coming to the desk asking for help with an assignment using BLAST - Basic Logical Alignment Search Tool (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/blast/). This is an NCBI tool that allows for using a nucleotide or protein (amino acid) character string to search for similar sequences to known records in any of the NCBI molecular sequence databases.
Here is a link to the handout that I gave to the students (https://www.myu.umn.edu/metadot/index.pl?id=786358&isa=Version&op=download), which has a sample sequence, links to NCBI help, and a link to a page that Kevin created to walk students through the assignment (http://magrath.lib.umn.edu/micb4151). This is very useful, as is the link to a sample GenBank record.
You can also direct students to me.
Jim
Hi all,
As we move forward will rolling out our IM (instant messaging) reference service, here's a link to the web site where you can download Gaim. Gaim is the software we will use to answer IM reference questions.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=235&package_id=253&release_id=462444
When you get to this site, look for a file called gaim-2.0.0.beta5.exe to download.
Also, we've decided not to implement IM service in this upcoming roll-out on the weekends.
Please share with me your IM screen names so we can practice with one another. Here's what I know so far:
Lisa's screen names:
AIM: lmcguire301
Google Talk: mcgulisa@gmail.com
MSN: lmcguire301@hotmail.com
Yahoo: lisa_mcguire301
Martha's screen names:
GoogleTalk: martha.hardy@gmail.com
MSN: mhardy01@hotmail.com
Yahoo: marthaehardy
Karla's screen name:
Yahoo: libkarla
Nicole's screen name:
MSN: nrtheis@hotmail.com
Cindy's screen name:
MSN: sabumoe@hotmail.com
Lisa
Greetings-
Over the holidays, the print consumer health section migrated to the area over by the Selected Current Periodicals section, by the comfy chair area on the 2nd floor. We hope that this will encourage browsing and facilitate increased use of this collection. A work order to move and rehang the Consumer Health Collection sign has been submitted. This move also opens up the possibility of adding additional shelving for print reference &/or obtaining additional shelving for the print Consumer Health Collection.
Questions or suggestions? Please see me or Del.
Martha
We now have business cards for Reference & Instructional Services at the Bio-Medical Library. They include the phone and address for the Reference Desk, the medref email address and the url for the main Bio-Med Web site. These cards can be found in the Reference Desk drawer. We hope these will be useful to you in your work with patrons. Please feel free to give cards to anyone who might need to know how to contact Reference staff.
Questions? Please let me know.
Martha
Happy New Year!
Today, we begin a use study of the books in the Reference section (and the rest of the library, too). Access Services folks will be scanning the barcodes of each book pulled off of the shelf. So, please do not reshelve any books. Also, if the occasion arises, please ask patrons not to reshelve books. Instead, please leave all books on the cart in the Reference area.
Questions? Please see me, Del or David Lenander.
thanks,
Martha
Nicole received two bindery fax requests today that were faxed directly to technical services. Please remember that this is a reference mediated services and that we need to complete the form after the patron has added their information. We need to include our initials and a lot number, and walk the form up to Nicole.
Thank you,
Jim
We have generally been getting ILL articles for patrons in about 1-2 weeks. However, it's a good idea to err on the conservative side and tell patrons it takes about two weeks. Some have been getting testy because they've been told one week and there article has taken longer than that. You could say many arrive in 1-2 weeks, but that we can't guarantee turnaround time due to a variety of circumstances beyond our control.
Karla
As I leave the Library, I wanted to thank you all for the wonderful work you do, and to remind you how important it is. You provide information, or show people how to find information, in the crucial field of health care. And those people you help are important. They are students who are their way to becoming our future health professionals, clinical practitioners who are treating patients, or researchers working to cure diseases. This is not trivial stuff! They deserve the best service, skills, and knowledge possible.
My parting words are two reference mantras near and dear to my heart:
"Cite the source" and "Trust, but verify." All else will follow.
You folks are the greatest!
Thank you for everything,
Kathy
We occasionally are asked how much grant and other funding certain U of M departments bring in. The Office of Sponsored Projects Administration (formerly called ORTTA) has summarized this information, and made it available at: http://www.oar.umn.edu/levels/2002/files/LT02_Table_A.pdf
A link (called "U of M External Support") to this table is now available on the Reference Quick Links page (aka Reference Desk homepage) in the "Grants and Funding" section.
Any questions about this information, please let me know. Kathy
Two new links have been added to the Reference Quick Links webpage (http://www.biomed.lib.umn.edu/ref/ref.html). This is the page that is available to patrons on the Library Services page in the Reference category, and it also serves as the homepage on the Reference Desk computers.
The two new links deal with costs of health care, and are both in the Government Resouces section:
Medicare Outpatient Payments
http://cms.hhs.gov/providerupdate/regs/cms1471fc.pdf
Physician Fee Schedule
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/physicians/pfs/default.asp?
There is also a new link on the Bio-Medical Library E-Texts page:
NCBI Bookshelf (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Books) which includes links to the full text of quite a few clinical and basic science textbooks (free to anyone).
If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks, Kathy
When you complete a literature search (blue form) or reference consultation (green form), please put the forms in Jim's office (in baskets on top of his file cabinet), or put them in his mail tray by the Staff Room. He will be compiling these for the annual reference report.
Thanks, Kathy