Ask a Librarian Data Request Form

JavaScript isn't enabled in your browser, so this file can't be opened. Enable and reload.

ASK A LIBRARIAN DATA ACCESS POLICY

The Ontario Council of University Libraries’ Ask a Librarian service collects user data for the purposes of internal review and service improvement. The collection of this data is governed by the Ask a Librarian Privacy_Policy.

The OCUL Virtual Reference Coordinators Group (VRCG) is supportive of research involving virtual reference and recognizes its value to the library community. User data may be made available to researchers at partner institutions for the purposes of research leading to dissemination of results, through publication, presentation or other means of distribution. User data is not available to individuals not affiliated with Ask a Librarian partner institutions but we might share aggregate data with non-affiliated Ask schools.

Requests must be submitted via the appropriate form (Research Data Requests section below). The requests are reviewed by a committee composed of at least three members of the VRCG , representing both unilingual English and bilingual partner institutions.

Local Ask Coordinator

If you are a local Ask coordinator and require the data for internal use only, you do not need to fill out this form. For example, the local Ask coordinator at ____ wants to know what kind of the weekly reference questions are for their school.
However, if the data will be published or shared outside your institution, then you must fill out the Data Request Form (i.e OLA conference presentation by the local Ask coordinator about the types of reference questions on the first week of school at ____ university).

Available Data

Two types of data are available: aggregated data, and chat-level data (unaggregated).

Scholars Portal will maintain a record of all data requested and released. When using Ask a Librarian data in research, publication or presentation, researchers are asked to acknowledge OCUL/Scholars Portal as their data source.

Aggregated data

Aggregated data, such as chat volume statistics or exit survey results, is available in the form of reports generated by the software used to deliver the Ask a Librarian service. Data can be extracted from a range of existing reports, and it is sometimes possible to create custom or site-specific reports. Please contact your local chat coordinator or OCUL/Scholars Portal’s Ask a Librarian coordinator to discuss what is available.

Please note that since the Ask a Librarian service was launched, three chat systems have been used: LivePerson’s Agent Console (Sept 2011 – June 2016), LivePerson’s LiveEngage (July 2016 – Dec 2016), and NubGames’ LibraryH3lp (2017 – present). Each offers a different selection of reports. Consequently, certain data is only available for specific time ranges, and data points may not be comparable across reports.

Because report data is aggregated, this review will likely not be required. However, researchers should check with their institution's Research Ethics Board before submitting requests for reports.

Chat-level data

Chat-level reports include all or parts of the transcripts of chat transactions and individual users’ responses to the pre- and post-chat surveys. In order to ensure the privacy of Ask a Librarian patrons and staff, chat-level data that will be released must be anonymized, and each transcript or report must be reviewed to ensure that no identifying information is contained. OCUL/Scholars Portal staff and local chat coordinators are the only individuals authorized to perform the anonymization. Chat-level data is only available from June 2015 onwards.

The collection and anonymization of transcript data is very time consuming, and for that reason researchers are strongly encouraged to consult with their local chat coordinator and OCUL/Scholars Portal’s Ask a Librarian coordinator before requesting transcript data. The Ask a Librarian coordinator has the right to reject requests for transcript data. Please note that there may be costs associated with anonymizing data.

Further, due to the confidential nature of the data being examined, researchers must receive Research Ethics Board approval for their research prior to chat-level data being released. Researchers may be asked to submit an ethics certificate as proof of approval.

The initial Ask a Librarian Data Access Policy took effect on September 1, 2013, and applies to data collected after that date. Data collected before September 1, 2013, may only be used for internal review and service improvement.

This policy was updated in February 2026.

Date Submitted *

YYYY

Name *

Organization *

Only staff from libraries that participate in Ask a Librarian can submit data requests.

Job Title *

Email *

Collaborators

List the names, titles, email addresses and institutional affiliations of all others who will be working with the data

Data and outcome *

The outcome of the findings from the data will be used only for Internal purposes

The outcome of the finding from the data will be published in a scholarly journal

Data Type *

Aggregrated (e.g. total number of chats by school, period, operator, responses to exit survey questions)

Chat level (e.g. chat transcripts or individual users or operator interactions with the system)

To be determined

Required

Data needed about... *

Only users affiliated with my library

Users affiliated with all of the participating libraries

Users affiliated with some of the participating libraries

To be determined

Required

Detailed description of your data request *

Consult the list of available reports and identify the report(s) needed by row number. Include time range and detail level needed: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13sQVS3dv_UemOxF-_RMSqgevDdpx8EuwZx5LsGYNN2M/edit?usp=sharing

Data needed by *

Please allow several weeks, especially for multiple reports, chat-level reports and reports requiring anonymization.

Research interest *

Provide a detailed description of your research project

Purpose of your research project *

Anonymization Plan

Detail how the data will be anonymized.

Plan for disseminating results *

Is this project undertaken for the purposes of service evaluation? Will you publish or present the results?

Ethics Review Board (ERB)

Have you received approval or exemption from your institutional research ethics board for this project?

If you have submitted this project to an Ethics Review Board, this working group reserves the right to request a copy of the application summary for review before releasing the data.

Storage (transcript only)

Where do you plan to store your data? (Copy paste from your ERB) If you don't have an ERB can you elaborate on your storage strategy. *

By checking this box, my collaborators and I accept and agree to abide by the conditions laid out in Ask a Librarian's privacy and data access policies. *

Do not accept

Required

Submit

Clear form

Never submit passwords through Google Forms.

This content is neither created nor endorsed by Google. - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy

Does this form look suspicious? Report

Forms