Carol Turner, UF; Mimi Pappas, UF; Stephanie Race (RRC); Rachel Viaggiano (RRC); Carlene Jawarowski (RRC); Meredith Semones (UCF); Ilene Frank (USF); Susan Weiss (FIU); Dawn Smith (FAU); Tara Tobin (HSCL, UF); Amy Buhle (HSCL, UF); Joyce Johnson (FAMU); Jana Ronan (UF)

Renee Cole (FSU); Mary Davis (UNF); Ann Hinson (FAMU)

Stephanie Race announced the closing of the RRC in December. Stephanie also announced that she had taken a job with NEFLIN.

Jana Ronan announced that FCLA had put up a web page for the committee, and asked members for corrections, if needed.

24/7 Reference and close of the Reference and Referral Center

Agenda item as sent to members via email prior to conference call by Jana Ronan:

During last month's SUS Directors' meeting, the Directors asked that the PSPC look at the idea of 24/7 service, examining services in other libraries and systems, additional options, costs, and asked for a recommendation. The PSPC charged our group in their meeting this afternoon to examine the possibilities. The Group specifically asked us to look at the following:

• Email usage statistics during late night, non-service desk hours at each of our institutions
• Hit counts on our library websites during the same hours
• The pros and cons of different approaches to setting up a SUS wide

chat reference service, including: 1) contracting the service out; 2)

setting up a statewide service or 3) helping each library set up a service of their own We need to be very practical and talk about staffing issues, equipment, software and training.

Ilene Frank expressed the concern that 24/7 would not be the best way to utilize scarce resources, and wondered if fewer people would be served than if the resources were funneled into existing reference services. Carol Turner asked if a need exists to expand ref service we offer now, and way to collaborate and do it. Members discussed the impending impact from the close of the RRC. Establishing extended hours two weeks before midterms or finals was mentioned.

Dawn Smith mentioned that there was some indication that the directors were willing to hire a half-time librarian from 1-5 a.m.

Carol Turner said that there might be a need for service 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. These are hours that services are not available in many institutions. Several members agreed that service is needed for these hours, as well as weekends.

Ilene said that she was not sure if chat substitutes for phone, but that she supports phone support, especially 800 numbers. Ilene and Stephanie agreed that chat or telephone reference services were preferable over email reference. Stephanie shared that the cost for phone services at the RRC were 10-15 cents a minute per call, with a $20.00 a month service fee for phone number. There was also the turn on cost.

Carol Turner asked about needs being filled by the RRC that need to be continued. Is it possible to sustain these services through the SUS? Stephanie said that she was getting questions from users about accreditation of their distance education programs with the RRC closing, and was sending them back to their directors of their programs. USF will be getting a toll-free number to fill some of the need, for their distance learners. Carol Turner said that instructional needs of distance users will be met in some manner by the SUS libraries. Stephanie mentioned that USF will maintain the library directory, and the statistics from the RRC website.

Other aspects of service discussed were if standardization would be desirable, having one 800 number, or one place where the chat would be housed. Staffing was also discussed, especially the issues of vacations, calling in sick and burnout in a scenario where one librarian serves as the 24/7 librarian for the state. There would have to be some way to handle these issues. Some members expressed support for hiring two librarians, to handle vacation time, etc.

Ilene said that one option to consider would be to recommend postponing the endeavor for a year, to see what the economy will look like then. It would be preferable to wait than to start a service and then have to end it because of a budget shortfall.

After a discussion of the merits and feasibility of this type of service, we agreed to compile the following statistics over an academic year's (when available):

• Number of email
• Number of chat sessions
• Number of phone calls
• Hits on library website

We agreed, if possible, to supply these statistics by the times they were submitted, or in the case of the website, the times of use. This is so that we can get a clearer picture of when users are availing themselves of these services. I think everybody was interested in seeing user activity after midnight, through to 8 a.m., as our initial sense was that there isn't a real demand for services during these hours.

Tara Tobin graciously agreed to negotiate a meeting time and place for those of us that are going to the VRD to meet.