Library Quarterly Report FY17 Q2: October-December 2016

Research Services

In FY16 Q4 the library transitioned from the EOS Reference Tracking software (2007-2016) to Springshare’s Reference Analytics, part of the LibAnswers module, which includes a ticketing/dashboard for tracking inquires and a live chat function. The new system allows the library to track the back-and-forth nuances of customer service questions with greater precision and provides data on who is asking questions, when (time of day, day of week), where they are located, what type of question they ask, and how long it took us to respond. This quarter there were 502 total transactions, 430 of which were from VDOT personnel, 142 of which were from VTRC, and 72 of which were from Virginia residents, other libraries, or “non-affiliated” customers. These statistics are all up about 30% from last quarter.

Literature Search & Synthesis

For the past several years the library has been indexing all literature searches and adding them to the library's EOS Online Library Catalog. More than 150 "full-text" literature searches are now available for use (stored as pdf files on the library's server) accessible to all VDOT employees. A complete list of searches is at: VDOT Library Literature Searches. 

The library completed three literature searches (about half of what the library is asked to do in an average quarter) for VTRC researchers and VDOT practitioners:
 

1. Improving Animal Vehicle Collision (AVC) Data Collection To Develop A Programmatic Approach For Reducing AVCs In Virginia: A Literature Search (Compiled for Bridget M. Donaldson,  Senior Research Scientist,106 pages)

2. Best Practices For Minimizing Impacts To Coastal Bridges While Conducting Effective Anti-Icing And De-Icing During Winter (Compiled for Kevin Wright, Research Implementation Coordinator, 70 pages)

3. Water Infiltration of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Millings: A Literature Search (Compiled for Michael Fitch Senior Research Scientists, 9 pages)