ELUNA Document RepositoryIf You Build it, Will They Come?: Natural Experiments with Springshare's Proactive Chat ReferenceJ. MichaelDeMarsauthorGabrielGardnerauthorJoannaMesser KimmittauthorThis presentation explores the current state of chat reference and specifically addresses using Springshare’s proactive LibChat to increase chat traffic in a natural experiment that took place at two four-year institutions over the academic year 2017-2018, in comparison with two four-year institutions that did not implement this method. As part of a recent transition of the California State University system to Ex Libris’ Alma/Primo, several universities embedded Springshare’s proactive chat widget on Primo search results pages (SRPs), which allowed users to begin reference transactions natively within their research sessions. In this presentation, we take advantage of a natural experiment that arose when two libraries deployed chat to SRPs, and two other libraries with similar enrollment profiles in similar geographic areas did not. By analyzing chat transactions collected from the four libraries over the course of academic years 2016-2017 (pre-deployment) and 2017-2018 (post-deployment), we calculate the effects on chat transactions when introducing proactive chat onto Primo SRPs. This quasi-experimental panel study, with two libraries in the treatment group paired with pseudo-control libraries, found that introducing proactive chat onto SRPs significantly increases the transaction count – even up to a quadrupling of the baseline in certain months. Presenters will also explain how libraries can set up their own natural experiments as an alternative to A/B testing of Primo. We close with an overview of pros and cons regarding chat on search results pages, offering workflow suggestions for libraries considering this implementation and the corresponding increase in reference traffic that it will bring.General TopicsPrimo2019-05-01Conference or Workshop Item

For work being deposited by its own author: In self-archiving this collection of files and associated bibliographic metadata, I grant ELUNA Document Repository the right to store them and to make them permanently available publicly for free on-line. I declare that this material is my own intellectual property and I understand that ELUNA Document Repository does not assume any responsibility if there is any breach of copyright in distributing these files or metadata. (All authors are urged to prominently assert their copyright on the title page of their work.)

For work being deposited by someone other than its author: I hereby declare that the collection of files and associated bibliographic metadata that I am archiving at ELUNA Document Repository) is in the public domain. If this is not the case, I accept full responsibility for any breach of copyright that distributing these files or metadata may entail.

Clicking on the deposit button indicates your agreement to these terms.