Finding information on the Internet can be frustrating. You type National Organization for Women in the search box, and you get links for abortion clinics, Down's Syndrome fact sheets and the National Women's Museum. Along with these links, you get a slew of other websites that have nothing to do with your query. It could take you all day to find what you're looking for.
But maybe not. The Newark Public Library (NPL) recently joined "Q and A NJ," a cooperative effort by more than two dozen New Jersey libraries providing a new research tool via the Internet using real-time chat. According to Leslie Kahn, supervising librarian at NPL, "Q and A NJ is a virtual reference service that lets New Jerseyans connect online with professional librarians who send the most relevant websites and other information directly to your computer while you wait." Q and A NJ (www.qandanj.org) is a free service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The online service originated with the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative's (SJRLC) "Leap Forward" plan in spring 2000. Leap Forward was "looking for a highly marketable service that would deliver a quantum leap in added value to library services," says Karen Hyman, director of the SJRLC. "The Q and A NJ Live Online Reference Project rolled out with just 10 participating libraries in southern New Jersey, but state library funding turned it into a statewide project with national significance." Today there are 33 participating libraries, with NPL a recent addition to the cooperative.
According to Hyman, New Jersey residents go to the website and are connected with an experienced librarian who will search the Internet. He or she will evaluate and select the most on-target information from websites and specialized databases.
The click-and-connect link of the website opens a right frame in the browser window where users enter their question. A librarian sends the user a welcome message and clarifies the question if necessary. Answers are received in the form of files or web pages, and a full transcript of the session is e-mailed to the user. The website features a just-for-fun section where users can play Othello, do online puzzles or anagram while they wait, or they can read articles from The Paperboy, a website that contains links to 5,471 newspapers around the world.
NPL and other libraries throughout the state serve an average of six hours per week on the virtual reference desk. "The average number of questions per hour right now stands at about five," says Kahn. According to her, more than one librarian works during each slot to reduce waiting time.
"The Q and A staff will answer questions on virtually any subject—job hunting, health, homework, hobbies, science, business and many more," says NPL External Affairs Officer J. Dennis Papp.
Kahn says, the NPL staff has "fielded quite a number of questions since joining this unique service. Some have been the 'usual' reference questions, and others have been more unexpected." According to Kahn, examples include:
"Where can I get a list of exercises to improve posture and tone a flabby stomach?"
"Where do I find biographical information about famous women of ancient times?"
"What are the lyrics to "Wind Beneath My Wings?"
"What are the raw materials in soda cans, and how are they mined?"
"What is the name of the person who discovered the virus that causes laryngitis?"
According to Kahn, nearly everyone remarks on the impressiveness of the librarians' courtesy and efficiency.
Kahn says, "Search engines retrieve materials without considering relevance, authority, validity and age. And some search engines allow sites to pay them in order to be at the top of a list of retrievals."
According to Kahn, Q and A NJ differs from standard Internet search engines: "Librarians—who are both knowledgeable about information structures and very service oriented—will try many approaches to find not just material, but the best material. The analogy has been made that anyone can do car repairs, but we take our cars to experts to get the job done right. Librarians are the experts in navigating knowledge," Kahn says. "Since people rely on information to make decisions, to look good to professors or clients, it's important to have valid information."
Hyman also believes the service is unique in comparison to Internet search engines. She says, "Q and A NJ enhances the search experience by allowing librarians to escort inquirers to the best Internet sites, including fee-based sites unavailable to the general public."
Hyman says that Q and A NJ is supported by the New Jersey State Library with $132,000 in federal Library Services and Technology Act funds administered by the SJRLC, a state tax-funded service of the New Jersey Library Network.
Q and A NJ is only available in English; however, Kahn says, the cooperative is in the process of making the service available in other languages as well.
Hyman adds: "Move over Yahoo! We combine the information smarts of librarians with the speed and convenience of the Internet. Whether it's eggplant or aeronautics, 10 p.m. or the crack of dawn, we can satisfy your need to know."
Jane Allande is a journalism and media studies major at Rutgers-Newark.
