New Brunswick Libraries Centralized Telephone Information Service
Final Report
October 4, 2000

Team Members:
Benjamin R. Beede
Ilona Caparros (In Memoriam)
Emily Fabiano
Michael Giarlo, Technical Consultant
Scott Hines, Technical Consultant Linda Langschied
Laura B. Mullen
Patricia A. Piermatti, Team Leader
Thelma Tate Lisa Vecchioli
Myoung Chung Wilson

I. Introduction

Currently, telephone information for clients of the Rutgers University Libraries is provided by staff at the following New Brunswick libraries public service points: Access, Information, and Collection Support. The New Brunswick Centralized Telephone Information Service (NBCTS) will provide a new telephone number- 732/932-LIBS (932-5427) for initial access to these service points. The use of this new telephone number will promote the unified New Brunswick Libraries concept and provide an uncomplicated information pathway for the most frequently asked questions.

II. Objectives

The primary objectives for instituting a centralized telephone information service are:

A. Improve information service

1. establish a NEW, single New Brunswick Libraries point of contact for a telephone information service;

1. enhance and improve accuracy and reliability of information service provided over the telephone by having an initial single point of contact
2. reinforce unified New Brunswick Libraries concept

III. Scope of the service

The range of informational responses provided through the service will be clearly defined by thorough training. The range of responses includes:

1. Factual information about RUL, such as hours, services and policies, directions to libraries, parking, lending policies, etc
2. Holdings information
3. Assistance in the use of IRIS and other electronic resources, including remote access use of Rutgers Request Service, interlibrary loan and self service

D. Information about other RUL web site documents

E. Assistance in locating individuals or particular departments

Appropriate referrals will be made as necessary, to individuals or RUL units.

V. Proposed Message Board

[for calls from within and outside of Rutgers University]

Greeting (Top Level)

"You have reached the Central Information Service of the Rutgers University Libraries in New Brunswick. For directions or online information about all New Brunswick libraries please see our website at www.libraries.rutgers.edu. For library building hours, press 1. For help with borrowing, your library record, barcode or PIN number, press 2. For other questions, press 3; if you are calling from a rotary phone please stay on the line. For general information about Rutgers University, please dial 732/932-4636. To reach Rutgers University Computing Services, please dial 732/445-2296.

1 - 1

"The following building hours are for the Fall Semester, September 25 to December 6, 2000. For Alexander Library hours, press 1. For Library of Science and Medicine hours, press 2. For Douglass Library and Kilmer Library hours, press 3. For other New Brunswick libraries, press 4. Library hours are also available on the Rutgers University Libraries website at www.libraries.rutgers.edu "

1 – 1 – 1

Alexander Library hours are:
Monday to Wednesday, 8 am - 2 am
Thursday, 8 am - 1 am
Friday, 8 am – 9 pm
Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday, Noon – 2 am

1 – 1 – 2

Library of Science and Medicine hours are:
Monday to Thursday, 8 am – Midnight
Friday, 8 am – 9 pm
Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday, Noon – Midnight

1 – 1 – 3

Douglass and Kilmer Library hours are:
Monday to Thursday, 8 am – 1 am
Friday, 8 am – 9 pm
Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday, Noon – 1 am

1 – 1 – 4

New Brunswick science libraries hours (excepting Alcohol Studies) are: Monday to Thursday, 8:30 am – Midnight
Friday, 8:30 am – 9 pm
Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday, Noon – Midnight

Please call Alcohol Studies Library at 732/445-4442 for their current hours.

Art Library hours are:
Monday to Thursday, 9 am – 10 pm
Friday and Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm
Sunday, 1 pm – 10 pm

The hours of the Science and Engineering Resource Center are:
Monday to Thursday, 8 am – 1 am
Friday, 8 am – 9 pm
Saturday, 10 am – 8 pm
Sunday, Noon- 1 am

School of Management and Labor Relations Library hours are:
Monday to Thursday, Noon – 7:30 pm
Friday, Noon – 5 pm
Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm
And CLOSED on Sundays

1 – 2

For assistance with borrowing, your library record, barcode or PIN number, please consult the Rutgers University Libraries home page, www.libraries.rutgers.edu. Click on "Ask a Librarian" for access to the "Frequently Asked Questions" page. For those who do not have Internet access and to speak with a library staff member, press zero.

1 – 2 – 1

[These calls are "Call Forwarded" to (routes to hunt group: 732/932-9411 (Douglass), 732/445-3613 (Kilmer) and then 732/445-3854 ( LSM) )]

1 – 3

"For other questions press 3. If you are calling from a rotary phone, please stay on the line."

1 – 3 – 1

[These calls are "Call Forwarded" to 732/932-7509 or 732/932-7526]

Footnote: Please refer to the following publication for technical matters concerning the message board:

Bell Atlantic, Premium Message Board: A Bell Atlantic Voice Messaging Service. March 1998; SSI#700-247-452.

V. Message Board/Telephone

A conversation on 2/15/00 with John Whyte, Associate Director of Telecommunications (RU Telephone Office-732/445-7456), yielded the following:

Item Vendor Cost (One-Time) Cost (On-Going)

20 member

Message Board RU $120 $120/month

$1440/year

Installation of new telephone

line, 932-LIBS

(932-5427) Bell Atlantic $200$17.20/month

$206.40/year

AT&T MLX-10AT&T

Telephone handset $340

Addition of line,Bell Atlantic

932-5427 to

Alexander Info Desk

Telephone handset$100

Data line RUNet 2000

Phone jack RUNet 2000

Totals$760 (One-Time) $1646.40 (On-Going)

VI. Query Protocol

Queries handled personally by NBCTS are expected to be of a general nature and the time given to each caller to be 5 minutes or less. Callers requiring in depth help will be asked to make an onsite visit.

Informational: IRIS holdings; other "general" … use resources such as the ones listed below.

Subject specific: refer to RUL Research Guides or Finding Aids; make referral

To "Ask a Librarian"; make referral to subject specialist (email address or

Phone number)

Special collection: refer to NBL/RUL department or unit … use telephone numbers which connect to a person and not an automated message board.

VII. Training

New Brunswick Libraries Information Services will appoint an ad hoc training group to review resources and procedures for NBL information assistant training. Existing training materials as listed in the next paragraph will be utilized as needed. NBCTS will be one of the first beneficiaries of the ad hoc committee’s work.

Currently available training materials include the Information Services Training

Guide compiled by Scott Hines and Laura Mullen (http://nbl.rutgers.edu/training_guide_versions.htm), the Common Knowledge Database (CKDB) (http://scc01.rutgers.edu/ckdb/search.cfm), the RUL home page (http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/) including the Electronic Ready Reference Shelf (http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/e_ref_shelf/e_ref_shelf.shtml) as well as other appropriate resources. It is assumed that NBCTS staff training will match the service being provided.

VIII. Opening Day Staffing

Staff Title(s) Total Hours/Year Hourly Wage Cost (On-Going)

Information

Assistants, 2 1175 hours/year$8/hour$5000 *

* Explanation:

The current calculation is that we need 1,175 additional staff hours per year; at $8.00 per hour this would cost us $18, 800.00. However, the team believes that the NBCTS staffing budget only requires an additional $5000 of new funding. Calibration with Alexander Information Desk hours and staff, and some reallocations of staff and voucher funds among NB libraries will enable NBCTS to make up the difference.

NBCTS Librarian

(Librarian V or

Higher) to be appointed from existing staff

Action Item: weekly IA schedule for NBCTS (E. Gilbert and T. Tate)

IX. Hours of Service - NBCTS

Note: Although not listed, it is anticipated that there will be central telephone service during summer sessions. See Appendix I for further detail regarding staffing.

First Three Weeks of Spring or Fall Semesters:

M-ThFSaSu

9a-9p9a-5p12n-6p12n-8p

Total Hours per week: 34

Spring or Fall Semester:

M-ThFSaSu

9a-9p9a-5p12n-6p12n-8p

Total Hours per week: 34

Spring Break:

M-ThFSaSu

9a-5p9a-5pClosedClosed 1^st Sunday; 12n-5p 2^nd Sunday

Total Hours per week: 21

Spring or Fall Exam:

M-ThFSaSu

9a-9p9a-9p12n-5p12n-8p

Total Hours per week: 37

Winter Recess:

M-ThFSaSu

9a-4p9a-4pClosedClosed

Total Hours per week: 14

End of year Intersession:

M-ThFSaSu

9a-5p9a-5pClosedClosed

Total Hours per week: 16

· Total estimated hours per year = 1175 per IA

X. Equipment and Staffing for Opening Day -- Budget

ItemVendorCost (One-Time) Cost (On-Going)

1. Information

Assistants, 2 1175 hours/year$8/hour$5000 *

2. NBCTS Librarian

(Librarian V or

Higher) to be appointed from existing staff

3. 20 member

Message Board RU$120$120/month

$1440/year

4. Installation of new telephone

line, 932-LIBS

(932-5427)Bell Atlantic$200 $17.20/month

$206.40/year

5. AT&T MLX-10AT&T

Telephone handset $340

(may recycle an SCC

handset )

6. Addition of 932-5427 button to Alexander Info Desk

Telephone handset$100

7. Data line (2 existing) RUNet 2000

8. Phone jack (1 existing) RUNet 2000

9. 1 computer/task chair$350

10. 2 desk lamps$60 X 2 = $120

11. Carpentry and drop holes RU$200 estimated

12. 2 computer pcsRU computer store

for information/Level 1 (recommended by A. Butman)

reference useGateway $1509 X 2 = $3018NB Technology Team’s budget

to be charged (M. Kesselman)

13. 2 Glare screens Staples $35 estimated X 2 = $70

Totals $4518 (One-Time) $6646.40 (On-Going)

XI. Implementation Timetable

April 20, 2000 … final report accepted by NB Information Services Group

May 2000 … final report distributed to NBL faculty

May – October 2000 … new equipment ordered; phone service installation

October - November 2000 … test message board and revise message content as needed

November 2000 … NBCTS fully operational

Winter 2000/Spring 2001 … monitor NBCTS for additional staff and equipment needs

Spring 2001 … marketing and promotion

XII. Evaluation

NBL Information Services Team will be reviewing information/reference statistics and revising forms. NBCTS will follow standard procedure and utilize necessary forms. Regular reporting on NBCTS service will be made to NBL Information Services Team and NBL faculty.

XIII. Telephone Directory Listings

NBL Information Services Team will review the telephone listings for the New Brunswick libraries in Bell Atlantic’s New Brunswick telephone book, as well as the 2001 Rutgers Faculty Staff telephone directory. In addition to the inclusion of the NBCTS number – 932-LIBS (932-5427), other editorial changes will be recommended as necessary. Any changes will be brought to the NBL faculty for discussion and approval.

XIV. Marketing

NBL Information Services Team will discuss the need for appropriate marketing after NBCTS has been operational for at least one semester. Appropriate media such as, Rutgers INFO, articles in The Daily Targum, The Agenda, and printed brochures or bookmarks will be considered.

XV. Acknowledgment

The chair wishes to thank all those who have served as telephone team members for their long hours of work and contributions. We are excited about the imminent implementation of our vision for central telephone information service in the New Brunswick Libraries.

Appendix I

Information Desk & Telephone Service Hours

Schedule beginning Fall Semester, 2000

Fall Semester

Tuesday, September 5 - Thursday, December 14, 2000

Note: Double staffing from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday, and Sunday.

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	Noon - 6 p.m.	Noon - 8 p.m.

Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 23 - Sunday, November 26, 2000

Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	Closed	9 a.m. - 4 p.m.	Noon - 6 p.m.	Noon - 8 p.m.

Fall Exam Period

Friday, December 15 - Friday, December 22, 2000

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	Noon - 5 p.m.	Noon - 8 p.m.

Winter Recess

Saturday, Dec. 23, 2000 - Monday, January 15, 2001

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.	9 a.m. - 4 p.m.	9 a.m. - 4 p.m.	Closed	Closed

Spring Semester

Tuesday, January 16 - Monday, April 30, 2001

Note: Double staffing from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday, and on Sunday

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	Noon - 6 p.m.	Noon - 8 p.m.

Spring Recess

Sunday, March 11 - Sunday, March 18, 2001

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	Closed	Closed 3/11 Noon - 5 p.m. 3/18

Spring Exam Period

Tuesday, May 1 - Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	9 a.m. - 9 p.m.	Noon - 5 p.m.	Noon - 8 p.m.

Commencement Intersession

Thursday, May 10 - DAY BEFORE SUMMER SESSION BEGINS, 2001

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	Closed	Closed

Summer Session

EXACT DATES NOT KNOWN June - August 2001 Hours to be determined

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday

Summer Intersession

EXACT DATES NOT KNOWN August - September 2001 Hours to be determined

Mon. - Wed.	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
			Closed	Closed

Appendix I

I. Caparros

ISC 4/19/00