Managing a feedback system for digital libraries at the University of North Texas
Abstract
The University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries aim to provide a consistent and efficient reference service for users of the Portal to Texas History, the Gateway to Oklahoma History and the UNT Digital Library by centralising the collection of enquiries received into a single database. Faceted search functionality within this database allows staff to ascertain unanswered enquiries for each system, while statistical information can be used to track response rates, increasing the potential for users to receive responses in a timely manner. To improve response rates, the UNT Libraries’ Digital Libraries Division has developed a variety of extensive training materials for staff providing reference assistance to users. These materials document appropriate responses and detail the decision-making processes involved for a wide variety of common questions received from users. Developing this documentation has allowed the Digital Libraries Division to utilise students as reference assistants while still providing personalised responses to users of UNT Libraries’ digital repositories. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection, which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Sarah Lynn Fisher is a digital collections librarian at the University of North Texas (UNT). Within the Libraries’ Digital Libraries Division, she oversees students handling digital reference services and metadata creation for items digitised for UNT’s digital repositories, the Portal to Texas History and the UNT Digital Library. She previously managed several National Digital Newspaper Program grants at the UNT Libraries.
Daniel Esparza is an MLS graduate student at the University of North Texas. During the last year and half of his undergraduate studies, he served as the primary student feedback assistant for the university’s Digital Libraries Division, fielding hundreds of enquiries for its digital repositories.
