The Library’s Reference Enquiry Manager
As outlined in other articles in this edition of Gateways, the Library has adopted a number of new services, such as the redevelopment subject-based guides and E-Resources, which place more emphasis on self discovery, and help the user to navigate through the Library’s collections independently. However, there will still be occasions when direct assistance from a librarian is required. Whether it’s an e-mail to the Information Services Branch asking how to borrow a book, a letter to the Pictures Branch requesting information on a Harold Cazneaux image, or a telephone call to the Manuscripts Branch enquiring about copyright information on the Papers of Sir Robert Menzies, thousands of reference transactions take place within the National Library of Australia each year.
In 2003, the volume of enquiries prompted staff in the Library’s Information Services Branch to select a software solution that could track and manage reference enquiries. The Reference Enquiry Manager (REM) was the name chosen for the support software—a workflow and knowledge management system used to better manage reference enquiries. REM was implemented in Information Services in 2004.
REM provides benefits for both library staff and users. For staff, the system not only enables better management of reference enquiries, but also provides improved reporting and service evaluation processes. For library users, the system’s central repository of answered enquiries enables onsite and remote library users to access a searchable database of Frequently Asked Questions.
The success of REM has led to it being deployed to seven other areas of the Library, namely: Newspapers, Pictures, Oral History, Maps, Music and Dance, Asian Collections, and the Manuscripts Branch. The software is also used to track enquiries that are received through the Libraries Australia Help Desk, and applications for the Library’s scholarship and grants programs.
In this article the experience of one area of the Library, the Manuscripts Branch, using REM is described and the impact on both staff and users is discussed.
The Manuscripts Experience
REM was implemented in the Manuscripts Branch in April this year.

The generic Online Reference Enquiry Form which readers submit via the Library website. The
enquiry is then routed to the appropriate section of the Library.
Before the implementation, it was acknowledged that the nature of Manuscript reference enquiries differed to those of general reference and other special collections. With this in mind, REM was tailored to accommodate Manuscript workflows by modifying the ‘Staff Notes’ section in the backend of REM.
When a query is received through REM, Manuscripts staff select various radio buttons on the form to record information about the query, such as access and copyright conditions. This information can then be used for statistical purposes, for example to report on the number of restricted collections used by patrons in a particular month.

Manuscripts REM form as seen and used by staff
Since the implementation of REM Manuscripts, staff have noted the benefits in improved workflows and response times to client queries. For clients there has also been an advantage in the Frequently Asked Questions page [http://www.nla.gov.au/infoserv/faq/index.php?sid=16327&lang=en&action=show&ct=15], which is generated from the REM database of answered queries. For example the question ‘What is a manuscript and what types of manuscripts does the Library collect?’ has received 3557 visits! Manuscripts staff will be continue to add more answers to the page.
Conclusion
The broader implementation of REM across several collection and business areas of the Library provides another plank in the Library’s suite of offsite reference services. It allows staff to communicate effectively with users and help those who are unable to access the Library’s collections and services in person. Of equal importance the database of answered reference enquiries which it captures allows the Library to provide unmediated assistance to users via a database of Frequently Asked Questions. The ability to easily locate information without the need for librarian intervention offers users a more efficient online experience.
Bronwyn Ryan, Manuscripts Branch