Online Reference comparison

For my next assignment in my LIS class, I needed to compare the experience of using two online reference services: Know-It-Now and the Kent State University library’s Ask A Librarian. To compare the services, I asked them the same reference question I used for my previous assignment: finding information about home brewing.
First a little background. Know-It-Now (KIN) is maintained by the State Library of Ohio. It offers 24/7 live chat reference. The site is staffed by librarians around the state who take one hour shifts during normal library hours, and then a group of librarians who work from home during the night. Kent State’s Ask A Librarian (AAL) service is available during the same hours that the reference desk at the Main Library is open. I learned this from their website so I don’t know much more about the service.
Speaking of service, a comparison of my experiences. I tried the chat option from AAL since it would be the most similar to the service offered by KIN. I signed in to the service around 6:30 PM to see the status showing AWAY. I typed in my question, assuming that the librarian would eventually return to the computer, and then began to read the information about the service. The first thing that I noticed was that it took two clicks and some scrolling to find out what hours for the AAL are. This is because the service is offered “Whenever the Main Library Reference Desk is open,” and this information is not on the AAL site. I think it would be beneficial to have this on the same page. I was also struck by the section titled “IM and Phone Reference Tips.” The guidelines asked that all question pertain to known items or quick reference look-ups. This greatly restricts the type of questions a person can ask, and made me wonder if I would receive a response to my question would be. I didn’t have a chance to find out, because around 7PM, the status of the chat box changed to offline, and no answer had been offered.
KIN, in comparison, was very prompt. I signed in and waited about a minute before the librarian on the other end answered. I asked my question and they offered to look for some websites. One was a site I had already visited, but the other was new to me and contained very useful information. The librarian also suggested I check my local library, and even suggested some search terms when I asked. The conversation ended with the librarian telling me to come back when I had another question.
It is obvious that AAL and KIN are designed for two different user groups. While public libraries do have limits to the type of questions that people can ask, these are guided by reference policy and not by the medium. The AAL service seemed to offer quick help for users while implying that more detailed requests would need to be made in person, while KIN made me believe that the librarian would attempt to offer any question presented.