Jennifer Resor-WhickerReference/Instruction Librarian

McConnell Library, Radford University jrwhicker@radford.edu

IM at McConnell Library

ContactIM Transactions

Increase

Promoting Instant Message to Increase Virtual Reference Traffic

Jennifer Resor-Whicker

McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA

The research help desk at Radford University’s McConnellLibrary began offering instant message in January 2007.Originally IM widgets were only available in our LibGuidesand on the Contact Us page of the Library’s website. During2012 Spring semester, we began exploring ways to meetstudents at their point of need with our IM service. To thatend, in May 2012, IM coverage expanded with the additionof widgets to our EBSCO and ProQuest databases. Very littlemarketing was used to promote this change. IM trafficexperienced an increase of over 56% from the 2011-12academic year to the 2012-13 academic year. In the summerof 2014 the Library’s website received a makeover. IMwidgets were made available on every page of the website.IM traffic experienced another increase of over 66% fromthe 2013-14 academic year to the 2014-15 academic year.There is no doubt that these increases were directly related tothe changes we made to our IM widget placement. However,with these increases questions about IM staffing arose.

Widget Placement

Dealing with the Increases

Future Plans

IM experienced a decline of 11.85% from the 2014-15 academicyear to the 2015-16 academic year. It seems we have reached aplateau in our IM traffic. I view this as a good development asthe continued increases were not sustainable with our currentstaffing. We are currently backing up IM by having staff loginwhenever they are at their desks and able to do so. Even withthe decline, IM continues to be a very important part of ourreference service. Every year a significant percentage of ourreference transaction originate through IM. I will continue tomonitor our IM statistics so that changes can be made asnecessary to meet the needs of our campus community.

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

IMs 1,033 1,520 1,626 2,676 2,359

Reference Transactions 7,413 8,902 7,648 6,971 5,637

% of Reference Transactions 13.93% 17.07% 21.35% 38.39% 41.85%

5%

15%

25%

35%

45%

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

IM Percentages

% of Reference Transactions

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16Databases 402 420 476 466% of IMs 26.45% 25.82% 17.79% 19.75%LibGuides 665 667 695 665% of IMs 43.75% 41.23% 25.97% 28.19%Library Home Page n/a n/a 994 958% of IMs n/a n/a 37.14% 40.61%

400

420

440

460

480

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Database IMs

Database IMs

660

670

680

690

700

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

LibGuides IMs

LibGuides IMs

940950960970980990

1000

2014-15 2015-16

Library Home Page IMs

Library Home Page

Once the increases began in earnest during the 2012 Fallsemester, we began assigning back-up to chat. We started byassigning back-up during the noon hour in the 2013 Springsemester. Our instruction schedule limited our ability toassign more IM back-up shifts. Five of the 8 members of ourdepartment teach, and during our peak instruction times arenot able to back-up IM due to instruction obligations.Therefore we were unable to officially assign back-upduring the first half of the 2013 Fall semester. Referenceservices staff were encouraged to login to IM whenever theywere at their desks and able to. Beginning in November2013 we began assigning IM back-up between the hours of10 am and 4 pm. Through my data collection I haddetermined that IM was busiest during that time. Wecontinued this pattern through the 2015 Spring semester;encouraging staff to login to IM whenever they could andthen assigning back-up during the hours of 10 am and 4 pmafter instruction had slowed down. Due to staffing issues westopped assigning back-up, and moved to having staff loginto chat when they could during the 2015 Fall semester. Wehave continued with that model, as it is currently meetingour IM needs.