Outcome of the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program (WOREP)

The purpose of the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program (WOREP) is to "assess the outcome of the reference transaction and to identify factors related to success or lack of success." Reference transactions are those interactions with patrons in which expert assistance is provided to users by librarians at a centrally located reference desk in the library building. The assessment is accomplished by having both the librarian and the patron record data concerning each individual reference transaction. Following the data gathering, the WOREP office at Kent State University analyzes and reports findings to the participating library. The statistical profile generated by the survey includes data for the individual library, libraries of similar size and type (academic or public), the top scoring library, and the average of all the libraries. It is thus possible to see how patrons perceive their reference experience as well as compare the library's results with other libraries.

The ISU Library conducted the WOREP survey in 1991 and again in 2003. In 1991, the results of the survey indicated that desk staff performed very well in reference transactions that could be characterized as "ready reference" or "short answer" but patrons often felt that the librarian was rushed or didn't answer more in-depth questions to their satisfaction, either because the desk was busy or because of lack of knowledge about a particular subject. At that time, all questions, regardless of complexity were answered at the General Reference Desk by whoever happened to be on duty. Most of the librarians were "generalists" rather than subject specialists and often found themselves answering questions about subjects they knew relatively little about. In addition, the librarians at that desk were responsible for answering the phone, which was the main line into the library.

As a result of the findings in 1991, the ISU Library made significant changes in the way reference services are provided. The phone was re-routed to the Reception Desk in the office area and reception desk staff are trained to answer basic questions regarding library services and resources. Questions that the reception desk is unable to answer are recorded on forms for higher-level staff to answer. The Reference Department established an e-mail reference service and more recently a chat reference service as e-mail replaced the telephone as patrons' primary communication vehicle.

The department instituted a tiered reference service to address patrons' dissatisfaction with the inadequate in-depth reference assistance they received in support of their research projects. Reference questions are triaged at the General Reference Desk into three categories: directional, short answer (takes up to 10 minutes to answer), and referrals. Referrals are of two types: immediate referral of the patron to a subject specialist in a consultation room; and referral where the patron fills out a detailed form that is forwarded to the appropriate subject specialist who then makes an appointment with the patron to provide in-depth research assistance. Complimenting this has been the recruitment of librarians with subject expertise that supports the needs of this structure, and less reliance on "generalists."