Administering WOREP

WOREP is designed to provide a picture of reference service based on good sampling, conformity to implementation procedures, and benchmarking. This section describes some of the relevant procedures.

A library will need to designate one contact person who will serve as the WOREP coordinator for the library. This is often the head of reference but can be anyone designated by the library director. This person will receive detailed instructions for implementing WOREP.

The library's WOREP coordinator will need to provide information about library collection size, institution enrollment, size of reference staff in various staff categories, and other information about the reference operation.

Sampling

Libraries are strongly encouraged to complete 100 forms in order to provide enough data for detailed analysis. A sampling test period should be designated (e.g., three weeks during a 'normal' time of year) and representative times chosen during the test period, to include mornings, afternoons, evenings, and weekends as appropriate.

Patron participation

Each walk-in patron who asks a question should be told that the reference staff is conducting a study of its service and asked if he or she would complete a brief checklist and return it to a marked container. If the patron agrees, the form should be torn apart and the appropriate half handed to the patron, with instructions to complete the form after the question is answered and before leaving the library.

This survey does not include telephone, email, or directional questions.

Other information

Detailed instructions for completing the staff version of the form will be provided to the site coordinator.