Library users have always had a knack for finding new and interesting ways to challenge librarians. With the increasing proliferation of fast personal computers and Internet access, a brave new breed of users is finding their way into the library: the Virtual Patrons. These are the people who use your library resources and make requests for library assistance without actually setting foot in the library. Working with patrons without face-to-face contact is not new--after all, the telephone (patented in 1876) is almost as old as the Dewey Decimal system (1873)--but Internet and e-mail patrons raise special issues for librarians. The principal considerations in dealing with these virtual patrons are immediacy, intricacy, and interaction.

Immediacy has two distinct aspects, the ease of transmitting requests and the expectation of speedy replies. Electronic communication seems much faster and easier than actually going to the library or even picking up the telephone. Patrons can easily write a question, press send, and have the question at the library almost instantly. This simplicity can lead to a parallel perception that the response from the library should be just as quick and simple. While it is true that the librarian can send a response quickly, the fundamental process of finding answers to patron questions is no faster just because the query arrives via electronic mail. The disparity between the perceived speed of delivery and response can result in patron frustration.

As the intricacy of the request increases, the usefulness of the electronic request diminishes. Pinpointing the desired information may require a series of query-and-answer e-mails, eliminating the speed advantage of the method. A carefully developed library plan for dealing with virtual patrons can reduce these problems and realize the benefits of electronic communication. Librarians must consider whom they serve, what those patrons will want, and how to prepare themselves to meet those expectations.

These two factors directly relate to the lack of interaction that accompanies virtual reference. In a face-to-face or telephone information request, the librarian has an opportunity to conduct a reference interview, finding out exactly what the patron wants. Issues that are self-evident to the requester may not be known or understood by the librarian. An electronic request arrives with no opportunity for discussion or clarification

Virtual patrons are generally the same people as any other library users. The reasons that they communicate with your library electronically will vary widely. Corporate libraries will often find themselves providing electronic services to employees who travel or who are located in branch offices. As more employees telecommute, the number and variety of electronic requests will grow dramatically. Academic libraries may find themselves needing to devise electronic services to serve distance learners. Students may want access to library information from other cities or even other states. Public libraries that have e-mail addresses or web sites may find that people who have never set foot in the library will suddenly send an electronic request. As more people purchase home computers and connect to the Internet, the electronic profile of the library grows dramatically. As with the distance learners, this cyber-growth may result in requests coming from people far from the library's home community.

The services that virtual patrons will expect differ little from those that the library provides to in-person patrons. Librarians receive reference requests via e-mail and from web site users. Many libraries have local systems that allow them to accept interlibrary loan requests from patrons using their catalogs on the web. If the library has a way to authenticate users, even circulation requests can be made over the Internet. The most significant additional service that electronic library users have is the need for technical support. Once they are aware that Internet access is available, they will look to the librarians for assistance to gain access and to use the electronic services.

Issues in Technical Support

As library staff prepares to provide technical support, they must consider three major issues. First, the staff needs to determine precisely what the library intends to support. If access to library systems requires special software, librarians will need to expect to support the installation and troubleshooting of these programs. Support staff will need to be able to help patrons set up account and password information if these are needed. Because of the complex interrelations of software and operating systems, however, librarians may also find themselves called upon to support operating systems or dial-up software that is needed for access but is not provided by the institution. In these cases, a clear plan of support is very important. Knowing what things the staff will not (or cannot) support can save a great deal of time and aggravation. To provide good service, however, some ideas for where patrons can turn are essential.

Once the library has established its parameters of technical support, making allowances for the disparity in technical know-how of the virtual patrons is the next step. Staff may not have the time, training, or expertise to support sophisticated operating system questions, but such questions will often arise in supporting the library's own software and services. If patrons must dial into the library, setting up modems properly will also be a major issue--and one that could be overwhelming if staff tried to keep up with the ever-increasing number of modems and setup options. By keeping a list of resources that patrons can use when the library support ends, libraries can maintain a good level of service without placing an undue strain on staff. In many cases, vendors and manufacturers of software and hardware will have their own technical support services. A list of telephone numbers for the most commonly used resources will at least give patrons a place to start. Many of these same companies also have web sites that provide technical support at no charge. Providing the URLs for these resources can also increase service to library users with a very small amount of effort. These phone numbers and URLs can be included in any written documentation that the library provides to new users of remote access services.

Carefully designed written materials can play a significant role in providing support to remote users. If the library has limited staff time or resources to devote to providing technical support, straightforward startup and help documents can provide sufficient information for many patrons. There will always be some need (and often a desire) for patrons to speak to library staff to resolve their remote access problems, but simple, clearly written instructions and frequently asked questions (FAQs) documents will relieve a significant part of the burden; library staff can even refer patrons to these documents as part of telephone support. If users gain access to the library through a web site, such documentation can be included as help screens on the site, allowing patrons to get the information they need as problems or questions arise. The library's technical support policies should include clear guidelines for staff to know what they should and should not support as well as where to refer patrons for further aid.

Policies and Procedures

Just as every library should have clear policies and procedures for acquisitions, circulation, and hours of services, these guidelines should also be in place for support to virtual patrons. The policies and procedures must be written down and available for all staff. When assembling a P&P manual, it is important to understand the difference between policies and procedures. Policies address three basic issues:

• What services the library will and will not provide
• To whom the library will provide these services
• What the library's priorities of service are

Procedures, on the other hand, are the implementation guidelines for the policies. They should describe how the policies are carried out and which staff members are responsible for each policy. Procedures should be clear and concise and can generally be written as lists of steps.

All policies and procedures must be written down to eliminate confusion over what the library can and will do for any patrons, including the virtual ones. However, the policies and procedures manual should never be thought of as a static document. As the library grows and changes, the needs and priorities of its patrons will also change. Any written guidelines should be able to reflect the current and projected needs of the library users. Library staff must therefore revisit policies and procedures on a regular basis. They must also be willing to be flexible in changing, adding, or discarding content from the manual as circumstances dictate.

Good policies for supporting remote users will address each of the major issues of technical support:

• What kind of virtual patrons will the library support?
• What software, hardware and troubleshooting issues will the library address?
• What are the priorities for this support? This should include both key issues (how to deal with system outages, how to set up new users) and what priority is given to various patrons.
• What allowance is made for hand-off to other services? Hand-off may include computer services at your organization or referral to other technical support organizations.

This must be clearly established so staff will know where to turn when they have exhausted their support options.

Another significant issue in technical support for virtual patrons is provision of e-mail support. If library users are connecting to services from great distances, telephone support may be very costly for them; providing cost-free calling for the patrons (such as an 800 number for support) can be very costly for the library. This makes e-mail a good choice for many patrons to send in their requests. Beyond the aforementioned issues of request clarity, librarians must address the issue of prompt responses to electronic requests. A ringing telephone is very hard to ignore, but an e-mail account may sit quietly until someone comes to check it. The first step in addressing this issue is establishing a distinct e-mail account for support issues. This address will be given to patrons and included in any documentation that the library designs. Establishing a separate, well-publicized e-mail address ensures support requests will not get lost in a heap of discussion list messages. Next, library staff should write a procedure establishing times the e-mail should be checked. If specific staff members are assigned shifts for technical support, linking e-mail support to these shifts is an easy way to share the responsibility for the task.

Tools for Technical Support

The policy and procedures manual is one of the most important tools for providing effective technical support, but there are others. The first thing a library must consider is the hardware staff members will need to support remote users. Although it is important library staff have fast, efficient computers, they should also consider the probable equipment used by their patrons. If most users will be accessing the library services using laptops, a good support center will have a laptop available so they can emulate any problems the users are experiencing. The library will probably have a direct connection (perhaps using a LAN) to its services, but patrons will most likely be dialing in. At least one computer should have a modem and access to a telephone line so staff can test the dial-in connection when users report problems. Other hardware needs include telephone equipment, possibly including headsets for lengthy calls, and voice mail so patrons can leave messages when staff members are taking calls.

Once the hardware is in place, all the appropriate software must be installed. As with the computer equipment, staff should consider the needs of their patrons in selecting operating systems for support computers. Staff will need any software that is distributed to remote users for accessing services. They will also need Internet access and a web browser. This will allow staff to monitor the library's own site and verify any URLs that are used for technical support hand-off. The library will probably want to have some idea how heavily technical support is used by patrons. Some form of call-tracking software will assist with this. Many software manufacturers have call-tracking packages varying widely in cost and complexity. If the library has a database programmer, a simple database and interface can also serve this function. The person responsible for compiling statistics of support use will also need software for extracting the data from the call-tracking and/or a spreadsheet for managing the information.

The other materials needed for technical support will depend on the nature of the library services. Staff should have access to any printed materials that are provided to patrons so they can refer to them during calls. They should also have copies of any manuals for software used by the patrons. If technical support is done from a consolidated reference or help desk area, these materials can be kept all in one place. If the staff will be providing support from their own desks, the library will either need to provide multiple copies of all documentation or put together a mobile "support cart." Finally, and most important, effective support requires the participation of the library staff.

Impacts of Technical Support on Staff

The introduction of technical support to library services can have a dramatic impact on staff. Unless the library is lucky enough to have funding to add staff positions for the new responsibilities, any new service means time removed from current activities. Careful planning and the development of clear policies and procedures can help ease the introduction of the technical support. All library staff should be involved in the development of a technical support plan. This helps to ensure all of the possible impacts are considered before new service begins. Other library operations may need to be scaled back, reprioritized, or eliminated to allow for technical support.

Besides the concern with time, staff may also need training before they can provide effective technical support. Anyone who does not have a background in dealing with the public should be given basic instruction in telephone etiquette. All of the policies and procedures of the support function must be clear to all staff. Most important, many staff may have limited technical backgrounds. Training staff in the use of access technologies and remote services has a two-fold benefit. It not only ensures the staff has the knowledge to respond to technical support questions, but it also provides an excellent opportunity to test any training materials intended for remote users. Cross-training sessions allow an excellent opportunity for staff to share their knowledge and develop comfort with discussing and supporting technical issues. A well-informed staff, comfortable with the services they are supporting, is key to patron satisfaction.

The Future of Technical Support

With the explosion of the Internet, the proliferation of telecommuting and the growth of distance learning programs, remote access to libraries is not just here to stay, but an increasingly significant element of library service. As a library prepares to provide remote access, its staff must consider the implications of this new service for library resources, time and staff. Such preparation also includes an awareness of the significant differences in providing remote service and providing in-person service. If the library carefully plans its remote access services and braces for the issues involved in technical support, these challenges provide a remarkable new opportunity in increasing the library's profile with existing and new patrons.

Robert Hulshof is the help desk supervisor for OCLC Services at SOLINET, the Southeastern Library Network. SOLINET is a regional network for hundreds of libraries in the Southeastern U.S. and its help desk answers more than 6,000 questions each year from member libraries. Hulshof teaches a workshop on virtual patrons for SOLINET's continuing education program and can be reached at rhulshof@solinet.net.