Real-time online reference holds enormous potential for revolutionizing the way users find and use reference services. By adding interactive help to their online information services, libraries can reach users who may never have sought out the traditional reference desk. Moving from the desk to the desktop, however, can be a daunting prospect. Anxious to try this innovative service, but concerned about a long-term commitment to expensive software and possible staff reorganization without a clear mandate, the Reference and Undergraduate Libraries at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign launched a pilot project in the spring of 2001. In addition to testing the feasibility of real-time online service, we attempted to gather as much data as possible to guide in future planning. The results were gratifying: patrons responded enthusiastically, and the data collected provided valuable insights into the use and users of this service.
This article explores student, instructor, and librarian perceptions of chat reference in the context of an introductory composition course. Participants in a mixed-method study responded to an anonymized chat transcript. While student respondents valued speed and efficiency, they were willing to receive instruction and open to questions that demonstrated interest or moved the research forward. Librarian and instructor comments focused on how these chats supported or could better support student learning, as well as on the interplay between classroom teaching, library instruction, and reference. The authors also identify implications that these findings have for the development of best practices in chat reference.
Abstract:The growth in number and kind of online reference services has resulted in both new users consulting library research services as well as new patterns of service use. Staffing in person and virtual reference services adequately requires a systematic analysis of patterns of use across service points in order to successfully meet fluctuating patron needs. This article examines an assessment methodology for examining patron use of in person and virtual reference services, and designing variable staffing models which balance the observed needs of each mode of communication and patron type.
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