Jessica's Choice

I applaud the QP Backup librarian in this transcript who proceeded to “truck on” even though the patron was willing to end the chat and search on her own. After a long day at the library, some librarians may have taken the out and called it a day. Instead, the librarian continued to offer the high school student alternatives for locating information on her topic. Even when she discovered the student had already used Google scholar, the librarian went on to ask for the search term she used and offered alternatives. She also volunteered to research database availability at local colleges for the student.

Some of you may read this transcript and conclude that this interaction was nothing special and the librarian was just doing her job, however, I think her responses showed initiative and expressed a genuine willingness to help the student. Sometimes, especially in chat and email, it’s difficult to convey support and eagerness to help, but the interaction in this transcript is a prime example of the value and quality of virtual reference service.




Patron:
19:54:14 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


Chat Transcript: I am looking for info on women's roles ca 900 AD (time of historical Macbeth can Gruoch)

Librarian:
19:54:14 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


Note: Patron's screen name:

Librarian At QP Backup:
19:56:10 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


Librarian (24/7 Librarian)' has joined the session.

Librarian At QP Backup:
19:56:17 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


hello

Librarian At QP Backup:
19:56:20 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


My name is, and I'm a reference librarian with the QuestionPoint chat service. Your librarians have asked our librarians to staff this 24-hour service when they are unavailable. I'm reading your question right now to see how I can help you...

Patron:
19:56:39 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


hi. thanks for your service

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:00:55 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


is this for high school or college

Patron:
20:01:30 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


high school

Patron:
20:01:44 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


but it is an AP course

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:05:21 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


do you have a library card

Patron:
20:06:05 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


not with me. Why? is it necessary?

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:07:44 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


because that will help you log into the databases

Patron:
20:08:45 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


ohhh.... well in that case I don't. Not for the time being, at least

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:08:49 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


ok

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:09:36 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


databases are what teachers prefer to web pages

Patron:
20:10:14 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


sorry

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:11:42 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


http://www.bpcweb.net/dept/history/7models01/meagan/

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:11:48 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


is something like this helpful

Patron:
20:12:10 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


I was actually searching for a little earlier

Patron:
20:12:18 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


900's or so

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:13:51 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


I am not finding much on the dark ages

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:14:05 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


which would be the earliest part of the dark ages

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:14:58 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


earliest part of the middle ages

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:16:51 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


does anybody in your house have a library card

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:17:32 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


and when is this due

Patron:
20:18:46 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


i've got a card

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:18:48 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


http://www.medieval-spell.com/Roles-Of-Women-In-The-Middle-Ages.html

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:18:51 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


ok

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:19:23 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


http://www.plcmc.org/online/default.asp

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:19:29 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


is that opening up

Patron:
20:19:42 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


yes

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:20:03 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


can you click on academic search premier

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:20:09 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


and when you get to a search screen

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:20:12 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


type

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:20:16 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


women's roles

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:20:20 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


tenth century

Patron:
20:22:58 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


i'm not finding much of anything....

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:24:10 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


can you try the same thing in general reference center gold

Patron:
20:25:50 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


it says no results

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:27:33 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


tenth century is pretty specific

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:27:42 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


especially for the kind of detail that you want

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:27:50 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


for an AP class

Patron:
20:28:43 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


what do you suggest?

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:29:11 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


when is this due

Patron:
20:29:51 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


soon, right now I'm just searching for sources. I am in dire need of information

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:31:14 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


the thing is

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:31:16 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


for AP

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:31:30 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


sometimes you end up needing to go to an academic library

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:31:33 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


not always

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:31:47 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


but if you need specific tenth century

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:32:00 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


and it is not in your allround subject databases

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:32:07 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


then it either means a trip to the library for books

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:32:23 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


which may or may not be in a public library

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:32:32 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


or it may mean an academic library

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:32:37 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


I am finding middle ages

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:32:42 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


but that is too general for you

Patron:
20:33:28 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


okay, I guess I'll have to look more specifically later. Thank you for all of your help

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:33:33 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


sorry about that

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:33:42 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


we can look in google scholar for citations

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:33:55 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


but they may mean going to an academic library to get the actual articles

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:33:58 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


is the problem

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:34:02 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


do you want to try that

Patron:
20:34:11 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


i've already done the google scholar thing

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:34:29 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


using what search terms

Patron:
20:35:14 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


Women's roles in tenth century Europe

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:36:13 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


did you try gender roles tenth century

Patron:
20:37:10 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


as a search term?

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:37:14 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=%22gender+roles%22+%22tenth+century%22+europe&lr=lang_en&as_sdt=2000&as_ylo=&as_vis=0

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:39:27 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


are those any better

Patron:
20:39:52 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


a little. Well, I have to log off, but thank you so much for all of your help

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:40:07 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


this is another search

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:40:09 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=%22women%27s+roles%22+%22tenth+century%22+europe&lr=lang_en&as_sdt=2000&as_ylo=&as_vis=0

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:41:25 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


do you see how some of the search terms I put quotations around

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:41:34 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


to further restrict the search?

Patron:
20:41:48 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


yes, that is helpful

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:43:24 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


good luck

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:43:27 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


since you have to go

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:43:45 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


I might try the history databases at an academic library if you have the opportunity

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:43:51 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


what is the nearest college to you

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:43:58 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


I can see what databases they have

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:52:50 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


Since I have not heard from you, I am afraid we have been disconnected. I am going to close this chat. If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to log in again. Thank you for using our service!

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:52:52 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


Librarian ended chat session.

Librarian At QP Backup:
20:52:54 2009/12/06 (GMT-5)


Note: Set Resolution: Answered

This post submitted by Jessica O' Brien