title: Asked and answered--online: how two medical libraries are using OCLC's QuestionPoint to answer reference questions.
abstract: This paper imparts the experiences of two similar but unaffiliated medical libraries that use QuestionPoint, OCLC's collaborative virtual reference product. The authors introduce the major features of QuestionPoint, with particular emphasis on its asynchronous e-mail reference service. After presenting how both libraries have employed this service in their respective environments, the paper examines the quantity and quality of reference questions submitted via QuestionPoint. The types of questions are explicated, and statistical trends are compared.
authors.affiliation: Gustave L. and Janet W. Levy Library, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1102, New York, NY 10029, USA. susanne.markgren@mssm.edu
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markgren
authors.forename: Marie T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ascher
authors.forename: Suzanne J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Crow
authors.forename: Haldor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lougee-Heimer
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D034742:Electronic Mail; D020407:Internet; D007993:Libraries, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009518:New York; D012984:Software