The Quality of Interaction portion of the QA&E analysis sheet studies the librarian’s attitude, behavior and demeanor. Does the librarian come across as professional and human, or professional and . . . robotic?

Figure 3: Quality of Interaction portion of the Transcript Evaluation Form (click on graphic to see the full PDF version):

This area often proves to be the most challenging aspect for a new librarian, or at least one new to virtual reference. It is much easier to assess a patron’s needs when you can read their body language. Face-to-face transactions allow the librarian to apply empathy, eye contact and attentive listening—traits and skills that with some patron encounters are often the difference between success and failure.

• How do you read body language when neither the librarian nor the patron 'has a body'?
• What is the best way to build rapport between librarian and patron in a virtual environment?
• How do we handle interactions with 'problem patrons'?
• Are there examples where perfectly fine reference transactions suddenly go wrong due to miscommunication?

Evaluating the quality of the librarian’s interaction begins by looking for the simplest behavior of all—a personal greeting to the patron. As with certain basic reference skills, however, the QA&E's transcript analysis often shows that librarians send websites to their patrons without even saying hello.