3 Sustaining Virtual Library Support through Multi-Institutional Collaboration: AskAway Chat Reference

About AskAway

AskAway is a collaborative post-secondary library chat service providing real-time support for research and library-related inquiries. Serving students, faculty, alumni, and staff from 28 participating institutions in British Columbia and the Yukon, it offers easy-to-access assistance through chat widgets on library websites and is available seven days a week during the academic term. During operating hours, users can simply type their questions into a chat window and within seconds receive assistance from a knowledgeable library staff member. AskAway service providers specialize in handling research, citation, access, reference, and circulation inquiries. For highly complex or out-of-scope questions, service providers direct users to the appropriate staff at their home institution.

The BC Electronic Library Network (BC ELN) manages AskAway’s operations, via the AskAway Administrative Centre. To join AskAway, institutions must be a member of BC ELN, and then must meet AskAway’s requirements. BC ELN employees staff the AskAway Administrative Centre, which provides centralized coordination for the service.

Participating institutions collectively share almost all costs and labour associated with AskAway service delivery. Each library contributes service fees and staffing based on tiered commitment models. Cumulatively, over 300 librarians, library technicians, and in some cases student librarians, staff AskAway and respond to questions from users across all member institutions in addition to their own.

AskAway governance and strategic planning is shared by participating institutions. An Advisory Committee made up of participating member representatives provides strategic oversight for AskAway and reports to the BC ELN Steering Committee, which holds ultimate responsibility for the service.

Both public and private post-secondary institutions are members of AskAway, as both are eligible for membership within BC ELN. While private institutions pay an annual membership fee to belong to BC ELN, there is no difference in how private and public post-secondary institutions participate in AskAway. Private institutions contribute staffing and service support fees based on their full-time equivalent (FTE) numbers and, like public institutions, may also serve on the AskAway Advisory Committee.

AskAway’s Origins

AskAway launched in 2006 as a collaborative initiative between public and post-secondary libraries in British Columbia. It emerged in response to strong interest from both sectors in establishing a provincially coordinated virtual reference service for public library users and post-secondary students. Pilot projects at Vancouver Public Library, Simon Fraser University, the University of Victoria, and the University of British Columbia demonstrated both the need for the service and the feasibility of operating side-by-side public and post-secondary virtual reference services.

From the outset, the Council of Post-Secondary Library Directors encouraged BC ELN to request seed funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED) to support the post-secondary component. Seed funding for the public library service came from the Ministry of Education’s Public Libraries Services Branch. Early discussions about the post-secondary service took place within the BCcampus Learning Services Committee, of which BC ELN was a member. AVED ultimately provided $250,000 in seed funding over two years, enabling BC ELN to launch the service with 19 early-adopter libraries contributing only in-kind staffing. This funding also allowed BC ELN to operationalize the service and conduct in-person training sessions across the province — critical for addressing initial staff concerns about the new technology.

When public library seed funding ended in 2010, public libraries withdrew from the initiative, and AskAway transitioned into a stand-alone post-secondary service. BC ELN’s Administrative Centre took over coordination, with BCcampus providing annual funding of approximately $55,000 to sustain operations. Around the same time, BC ELN introduced tiered annual service support fees based on student FTEs for participating institutions.

In 2014, when BCcampus funding was discontinued, participating libraries increased their financial and staffing contributions to cover the shortfall, ensuring AskAway’s long-term sustainability as a self-funded service.

Who Uses AskAway

AskAway’s primary users are the 200,000 students who attend its participating institutions. Faculty, staff, and alumni also use the service.

Figure 1 below shows a breakdown of users over five years (2019-2023) based on AskAway exit surveys.^[1] The data shows that first- and second-year students consistently represent approximately 40% of users, while third- and fourth-year students and graduate/postgraduate students each typically account for about 20% of users respectively.

Benefits of a Collaborative Chat Reference Service

Libraries have a longstanding history of collaborating through consortia to maximize resources and expand capacity. Since its establishment in 1989, BC ELN has offered its members a variety of shared services, such as consortial licensing and province-wide interlibrary loan, and has consistently shown the impacts of collaborative efforts. As a collaborative service, AskAway delivers significant benefits to both participating libraries and end users.

Benefits for Participating Libraries

AskAway exists to leverage the resources of individual libraries to create a broader and more significant impact for all. While all participating libraries benefit, the service is especially valuable for medium- and small-sized institutions. Through AskAway, these institutions can provide a service that would otherwise be out of reach due to limited resources, technology, and/or expertise.

Participating libraries contribute a portion of staff time to AskAway, ranging from 2 to 34 hours per week based on student enrollment. In return, institutions gain access to approximately 240 hours of reference service weekly, covering AskAway’s 73 service hours across seven days, including evenings and weekends — ensuring support even when physical libraries are closed.

Additional benefits for participating libraries include:

Benefits for Users (Students)

Thanks to AskAway, students, faculty, and researchers at 28 participating institutions have access to convenient, online, point-of-need research assistance. Since students are the primary users of AskAway — comprising approximately 80% of its traffic — the following section will focus on AskAway’s benefits for students specifically:

Sustainability Model

Organizational Structure and Governance

BC ELN provides the infrastructural framework for AskAway, while participating institutions shape AskAway’s development through representational governance. It is important to note that a consortium dynamic is different than a vendor-client relationship. Simply put: BC ELN is not merely providing a service that libraries pay for — libraries are “the service.” BC ELN’s role is to maintain a strong foundation that enables that service to flourish.

The AskAway Administrative Centre

BC ELN plays a critical role in supporting AskAway through the Administrative Centre, which provides and maintains the service’s infrastructural framework. The Administrative Centre leverages existing BC ELN resources, and is staffed by the equivalent of 0.7 FTE, made up of a portion of several BC ELN staff positions, including a librarian faculty member, student librarians, finance, communications and administrative roles. For example, BC ELN Client Support staff assists with invoicing participating libraries and BC ELN’s Communications Manager produces AskAway marketing materials and an annual service report.

The Administrative Centre, which was established at AskAway’s inception, handles essential administrative tasks such as compiling the collective schedule, managing software licensing, training new service providers, and more. It also maintains archived historical documents that trace AskAway’s evolution over time. This external framework enhances sustainability in several key ways:

• Reduces Administrative Burden: Participating institutions are freed from taking on many of the administrative responsibilities. Without the Administrative Centre, this work would likely fall to one or more institutions, potentially creating inequities or vulnerabilities (for example if an institution’s staffing or priorities shift).
• Ensures Stability and Continuity: BC ELN has dedicated staff to maintain and improve the service over time.
• Offers a System-Level Perspective: Administrative Centre staff maintain a ‘bird’s eye’ view of AskAway, responding formally and informally to feedback from participating institutions to enhance the service experience.
• Synergy Across Services Promotes Innovation: BC ELN runs parallel services like Arca and WriteAway; regular collaboration among service coordinators allows for the sharing of successes, efficiencies, and strategic improvements that benefit all initiatives.

Service Governance

Because AskAway is a service provided by the BC ELN consortium to its members, the BC ELN Steering Committee^[2] is responsible for AskAway. The Steering Committee approves AskAway’s annual expenditure plan and must be consulted if major financial or structural changes are proposed.

The AskAway Advisory Committee, a standing subcommittee of the BC ELN Steering Committee, plays a more hands-on role in guiding AskAway’s development and direction. Comprised of representatives from AskAway participating institutions, the Advisory Committee meets throughout the year and provides oversight for AskAway policy, planning, and operations. The Administrative Centre supports this governance group by organizing meetings, facilitating agenda preparation, and managing committee transitions. This representational governance structure contributes to sustainability in a variety of important ways:

• Incorporates Diverse Perspectives: Representation from a range of library types (e.g., rural, urban, college, university) and roles (e.g., administrators and front-line service providers) ensures that the committee reflects the varied needs of participating institutions and staff.
• Fosters Shared Ownership and Commitment: Institutions are more likely to support changes and initiatives they have helped shape, strengthening long-term engagement.
• Maintains Institutional Knowledge: Regular participation helps retain expertise and ensures continuity, minimizing disruptions during transitions.
• Strengthens Advocacy and Visibility: Committee members serve as ”goodwill ambassadors,” promoting AskAway and championing its value within their institutions and beyond.

Decision-Making

AskAway participating libraries actively contribute to decision-making through multiple avenues. They can join the Advisory Committee as a representative for their constituency group or share their perspectives with their constituency representative on the Advisory Committee. Beyond the Advisory Committee’s work, participating libraries are regularly consulted on strategic directions and service changes. For example, the 2023 AskAway Action Plan was developed using insights from a comprehensive participant survey and shaped through a community workshop open to all participating libraries.

Revenue Model

AskAway is a not-for-profit service operating on a cost-recovery basis, with participant service fees constituting the primary source of revenue. Participating institutions contribute this revenue in three ways, with all contributions tiered based on institutional FTE (see: AskAway Library Commitment Models):

• Base Service Support Fees: Institutions pay an annual base service support fee, which includes a 2% to 5% annual inflationary increase determined by the Advisory Committee.
• Base Staffing Commitments: Participating institutions provide in-kind staff time to monitor and respond to queries.
• Flexible Service Support Contributions: Institutions provide an annual contribution of either funds, additional evening or weekend staffing (beyond base staffing commitments), or a mix of both funds and staffing. Institutions may handle the allocation of hours and funds differently from year to year.

Revenue also comes from BC ELN, which contributes a modest annual amount. Over the past four years, the British Columbia Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills has provided temporary “bridge” funding to help AskAway adjust staffing levels and explore sustainable strategies to meet the increased student usage driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 84% of AskAway’s budget is allocated to the Administrative Centre and centralized staffing that fills gaps in the service schedule, with the remaining funds covering software and technology, administration, communications, governance, and marketing expenses.

Sharing Agreements

Participating institutions must adhere to AskAway’s requirements and responsibilities, which were developed by the Advisory Committee at the inception of the service. Since all institutions are actively involved at all times, it would not be possible for one to remain inactive while still benefiting from the service. Indeed, the requirements page includes strategies to support institutions that might be facing challenges in meeting their commitments. Institutions wishing to leave the service must provide 12 months’ notice.

While all institutions agree to contribute to the service, they each have some choice in how they contribute. Since 2014, Flexible Service Support Contributions have been a core part of each institution’s commitment to AskAway (see AskAway Library Commitment Models). Institutions can fulfill this commitment by contributing funds, providing additional evening or weekend staffing beyond their base commitment, or a combination of both. The allocation of hours and funds can vary each year, and the Administrative Centre consults participating libraries annually to confirm their preferred contribution method. This flexibility allows institutions to adapt their contributions based on changing budgets, staffing availability, and service priorities.

AskAway has developed many guidelines and best practices over the years that help set expectations and establish clarity for participants. These are available on the AskAway website and include:

• Service Guidelines;
• The Local Coordinator Role; and
• Guides, resources and FAQs.

Community Engagement

Participating institutions are responsible for user engagement and promote AskAway in ways that best suit their campus communities. That said, because AskAway’s visibility is a primary determinant of how much the service is used, the AskAway Administrative Centre has put concerted effort into developing resources to assist institutions with service visibility, including best practices, guidelines, tips, and marketing materials.

AskAway offers several opportunities for staff to contribute to service development, including through the Advisory Committee, working groups, and virtual coordinator meetings hosted by the Administrative Centre. These meetings allow members to share ideas, raise issues, and learn from one another. Additionally, the service has launched community engagement initiatives, such as “Prep-a-Palooza,” an online work party that brought coordinators together to prepare AskAway for the new term. The event was well attended and received positive feedback.

Legal Considerations

BC ELN is hosted by Simon Fraser University (SFU) and is subject to SFU’s legal policies and frameworks for legal compliance. AskAway has undergone a Privacy Impact Assessment and makes a privacy statement available on its website. The LibraryH3lp software was selected in 2018 in part for its Canadian hosting and FOIPPA (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act) compliance. While a formal assessment of AskAway’s accessibility has not been completed, the software is built to be compatible with assistive technology.

Reflections and Learning

Challenges

Several factors present ongoing challenges to the sustainability of AskAway:

• Funding limitations: The revenue from institutions covers operational costs but leaves little room for innovation or establishing a contingency fund.
• Staffing constraints: With minimal staff to maintain the AskAway Administrative Centre, there is little capacity for innovation or for responding to significant disruptions.
• Tension between individual and collective needs: Institutions sometimes experience unmet needs when their priorities do not align with the broader goals of the service, creating tension between individual expectations and group requirements.
• Varied return on investment (ROI): Due to differences in size and usage rates, institutions may see differing returns on their investment, which can lead to dissatisfaction if comparisons are made.
• Ongoing Impacts of COVID-19: Usage surged during the pandemic as physical libraries closed. Since reopening libraries, AskAway traffic has remained high, yet institutions must now balance staffing both virtual and physical spaces. The challenge remains to meet this increased demand sustainably (see the “Recommendations” section below to learn how the Advisory Committee is addressing sustainability in this area).
• Uncertainty surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI): The potential impact of AI on virtual reference services remains unclear.

Successes

The following are significant successes related to AskAway’s sustainability:

• Transitioning to a Self-Sustaining Model: From its inception until 2014/15, AskAway was funded by BCcampus alongside institutional support fees. When BCcampus funding ended, the AskAway community faced a critical decision: Would the service be valued enough for everyone to contribute more to sustain it? The answer was a resounding yes. Participating libraries absorbed the loss through a fee increase, with the option to offset costs via staffing contributions during evenings or weekends. Today, aside from a modest annual funding allocation by BC ELN, AskAway’s costs are covered by participating libraries.
• Migration to LibraryH3lp: In 2018, AskAway underwent a software selection process and chose LibraryH3lp. The Administrative Centre successfully managed a software migration with no disruption to service. The software has proven affordable and continues to meet AskAway’s needs, evolving alongside the service during the pandemic.
• Proactive Chat: Recently introduced, the proactive chat feature has enhanced AskAway’s ability to engage new users. For some institutions, this has led to increased user interaction and bolstered their perception of the service’s value.
• Sustainability Review: In 2024 BC ELN received one-time funding from the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills to support the service as it adjusts to higher usage levels and to review and re-establish sustainable commitment models amidst an evolving landscape. The Advisory Committee has formed a working group to lead this initiative.
• Creating Resiliency in the Sector: While not a specific achievement we can point to, the resiliency nurtured by AskAway is a notable success. The service has fostered an environment where participant needs are explored and responded to, such as when it adapted during COVID-19 to offer extended service hours. This flexibility and willingness to collaborate have strengthened the overall resilience of the sector.

Recommendations

The following recommendations highlight key factors that contribute to the sustainability and success of a consortial service like AskAway:

Establish a Coordinating Body with a Clearly Defined Role

Having an external coordinating body (e.g., AskAway’s Administrative Centre) is invaluable. Beyond reducing the administrative burden on participating institutions, this body provides essential structure, maintains focus on core values, and advances strategic priorities.

Develop Clear Policies, Guidelines, and Participation Expectations

Well-documented service guidelines, policies, and procedures create a stable framework for participation. Clearly defining terms, staffing expectations, and operational protocols helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures consistency across institutions.

Drive Service Evolution Based on User Needs

AskAway follows a grassroots, user-driven approach to service development, ensuring that evolution aligns with real needs. The process is quite simple:

• Identify Needs — Emerging issues, challenges, or opportunities surface through meetings, emails, or discussions with the Administrative Centre.
• Consult & Research — Guided by the Advisory Committee, the Administrative Centre gathers data through surveys, interviews, and research, then reports findings back to the committee.
• Pilot & Evaluate — If there is sufficient interest and resources, a small-scale pilot is launched, analyzed, and assessed.
• Expand & Implement — If the pilot is successful, the initiative is opened to more participants, ensuring broader adoption and impact.

Demonstrate Value at All Levels of Participating Organizations

Sustainable investment in the service depends on all levels recognizing its value. This requires understanding and addressing the priorities of different contributors.

Periodically Review Service Sustainability

The AskAway Advisory Committee maintains alignment with user and institutional needs through ongoing consultation, review, and service adjustments. Currently, a seven-person working group — representing a diverse range of participating libraries by tier, type, and geographic location — is evaluating the AskAway commitment models to support long-term sustainability in light of post-COVID-19 service demands and financial pressures on libraries. The enthusiastic response to a call-out for working group members is a testament to the community’s engagement and commitment to AskAway. The working group will present its recommendations to the Advisory Committee in February 2025, after which next steps will be determined. Any major financial or structural decisions will then be brought forward by the Advisory Committee to the BC ELN Steering Committee for consideration.

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