Going Live: Starting and Running a Virtual Reference Service20045Steve Coffman et al.. Going Live: Starting and Running a Virtual Reference Service. Chicago: ALA Editions 2003. viii+182 pp., ISBN: 0‐8389‐0850‐0 £34.50

2004 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 466-466
Author(s):  
Sarah L. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Reference Service

Chasing the Sun: a virtual reference service between SAHSLC (SA) and SWICE (UK)

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Rockliff ◽  
Mary Peterson ◽  
Kath Martin ◽  
Dorothy Curtis
Keyword(s):  
The Sun ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Reference Service

InfoEyes Information Service: A Virtual Reference Service for Print-Impaired Individuals

2009 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-84
Author(s):  
Linda Rossman ◽  
Catherine A. Durivage
Keyword(s):  
Information Service ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Reference Service

scholarly journals Serving library users during a pandemic: the case of Karlstad University Library, Sweden

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 18-21
Author(s):  
Jakob Harnesk ◽  
Marie-Louise Eriksson
Keyword(s):  
Staff Training ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
University Library ◽  
Working From Home ◽  
Library Users ◽  
Reference Service ◽  
High Level ◽  
Spread Of Infection

During March 2020, all Swedish universities moved their teaching to an online environment due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Karlstad University Library in Sweden made a number of changes in order to reduce the spread of infection while at the same time maintaining a high level of library services to its users. Opening hours were drastically reduced. All study spaces were closed. Most of the staff were working from home. A new virtual reference desk via Zoom was launched to increase the library office hours. Since things happened fast, the internal staff training was done while at the same time providing the new reference service to the users. Some initial mistakes were made but in general, this ‘learn-as-you-go method’ worked surprisingly well.

scholarly journals Ask Live! UK public libraries and virtual collaboration

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (86) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Berube
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Virtual Collaboration ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Digital Reference ◽  
Reference Service ◽  
The Uk

Ask A Librarian, the UK public library digital reference service, has been piloting LSSI's Virtual Reference Toolkit. The pilot, managed by Ask administrator Co-East, went live to public users in May 2003 and will continue through September 2003. The pilot objectives include not only an evaluation of the software and support offered by LSSI, but also the eventual integration of the chat component with the main web-form service, and the implications for uptake and sustainability. This article combines a report of the largely positive initial findings of the pilot with an overview of digital reference service and UK public libraries.

scholarly journals Collaborative Chat Reference Service Effectiveness Varies by Question Type for Public Library Patrons

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Hall
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Question Type ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Chat Reference ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Reference Service ◽  
Non Local ◽  
Research Questions

A review of: Kwon, Nahyun. "Public Library Patrons' Use of Collaborative Chat Reference Service: The Effectiveness of Question Answering by Question Type." Library & Information Science Research 29.1 (Mar. 2007): 70-91. Objective – To assess the effectiveness of a collaborative chat reference service in answering different types of question. Specifically, the study compares the degree of answer completion and the level of user satisfaction for simple factual questions vs. more in-depth subject-based reference questions, and for ‘local’ (pertaining to a particular library) and non-local questions. Design – Content analysis of 415 transcripts of reference transactions, which were also compared to corresponding user satisfaction survey results. Setting – An online collaborative reference service offered by a large public library system (33 branch and regional locations). This service is part of the Metropolitan Co-operative Library System: a virtual reference consortium of U.S. libraries (public, academic, special, and corporate) that provides 24/7 service. Subjects – Reference librarians from around the U.S. (49 different libraries), and users logging into the service via the public library system’s portal (primarily patrons of the 49 libraries). Method – Content analysis was used to evaluate virtual reference transcripts recorded between January and June, 2004. Reliability was enhanced through triangulation, with researchers comparing the content analysis of each transcript against the results of a voluntary exit survey. Of 1,387 transactions that occurred during the period of study, 420 users completed the survey and these formed the basis of the study, apart from 5 transactions that were omitted because the questions were incomprehensible. Questions were examined and assigned to five categories: “simple, factual questions; subject-based research questions; resource access questions; circulation-related questions; and local library information inquiries” (80-81). Answers were classed as either “completely answered, partially answered or unanswered, referred, and problematic endings” (82). Lastly, user satisfaction was surveyed on three measures: satisfaction with the answer, perceived staff quality, and willingness to return. In general, the methods used were clearly described and appeared reliable. Main results – Distribution of question types: By far the largest group of questions were circulation-related (48.9%), with subject-based research questions coming next (25.8%), then simple factual questions (9.6%), resource access questions (8.9%), and local library information inquiries (6.8%). Effectiveness of chat reference service by question type: No statistically significant difference was found between simple factual questions and subject-based research questions in terms of answer completeness and user satisfaction. However, a statistically significant difference was found when comparing ‘local’ (circulation and local library information questions) and ‘non-local’ (simple factual and subject-based research questions), with both satisfaction and answer completeness being lower for local questions. Conclusions – The suggestion that chat reference may not be as appropriate for in-depth, subject-based research questions as it is for simple factual questions is not supported by this research. In fact, the author notes that “subject-based research questions, when answered, were answered as completely as factual questions and found to be the question type that gives the greatest satisfaction to the patrons among all question types” (86). Lower satisfaction and answer completion were found among local vs. non-local queries. Additionally, there appeared to be some confusion among patrons about the nature of the collaborative service – they often assumed that the librarian answering their question was from their local library. The author suggests some form of triage to direct local questions to the appropriate venue from the outset, thus avoiding confusion and unnecessary referrals. The emergence of repetitive questions also signalled the need for the development of FAQs for chat reference staff and the incorporation of such questions into chat reference training.

Planning, Implementing, and Using a Virtual Reference Service

2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlyse H. Macdonald
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Reference Service

Social Q&As or Library Virtual Reference Service: What is Behind the Choices of Chinese Information Seekers?

Libri ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengli Deng ◽  
Lina Yang ◽  
Yin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Service ◽  
User Evaluation ◽  
Specific Topic ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Reference Services ◽  
Questions And Answers ◽  
Reference Service

AbstractDespite the increasing popularity of Social Questions and Answers (SQA) sites among Chinese information seekers, there has been little previous exploration of this specific topic as it relates to library reference services. This study seeks an understanding of users’ choices in using SQA sites and library virtual reference (VR) service in meeting their information needs. It also aims to address some gaps in user evaluation and in the comparison of SQA and VR in previous research among information seekers in general, and among Chinese information seekers in particular. The study involved users of the largest Chinese SQA site, Baidu Knows. The results indicate that while SQA outperforms VR in most aspects - as evaluated by Chinese information seekers - VR stands out in two key areas of a virtual information service: quality and trust. Overall, while both SQA and VR have been utilized for various purposes and queries, each has been used more specifically for certain types of questions, and users choose between the two based on the information needs they have at hand. Finally, there is a discussion of the implications of the findings pertaining to libraries and reference services.

scholarly journals Mengurangi Kecemasan Pemustaka Dalam Proses Penelusuran Informasi Melalui Layanan Virtual Referens di Perpustakaan Perguruan Tinggi

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 178
Author(s):  
Moh Very Setiawan
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Service Research ◽  
University Of Kentucky ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
University Library ◽  
Live Chat ◽  
Reference Service ◽  
Information Tracking ◽  
Consultation Services

Each individual has different capabilities in addressing the information needs they everyone has different disparities in finding and managing information sources. This is related to differences in ability and confidence of each person. This article aims to examine how virtual referens services are provided by college libraries that can help reduce the anxiety of information needs of the user. The study of this article is done descriptively qualitatively by reviewing some literature related to information tracking activities and forms of referens service that can be applied in the college library. The results of this article explain that, to help reduce the anxiety of information needs of the users in information search, including can be done by providing virtual referens service. The form of virtual reference service that can be done in the library of universities such as: research consultation services conducted by Singapore Management University library, live chat and provision of information in the form of a video conducted by University of Kentucky library, a research guide conducted by Harvard University library, ask librarian service, research assistant service and so on.

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