Librarians who provide virtual reference services often perceive that their patrons self-identify to some degree, even when transactions are anonymous. They also develop a sense of patrons' greatest research-related needs over time. In this article, two librarians analyze two years' worth of virtual reference transcripts to determine what patrons actually disclose about their identities and their needs. The authors discuss the benefits of both preserving anonymity and perceiving needs and identity. The authors also suggest a framework and methodology that other librarians may use to perform similar investigations at their libraries. INTRODUCTIONAcademic libraries have been offering reference service via instant message (IM) for more than a decade. Studies dating back to 2001 have attempted to identify who uses academic library IM reference services, and to what degree IM reference service effectively meets the needs of its users. Few studies explore the value of anonymity during an IM reference transaction and if anonymity positively or negatively affects the ability of librarians who staff IM reference services to answer reference questions. Through this article, the researchers demonstrate the surprising degree of anonymity of IM reference transactions, and discuss how patrons benefit from the resulting sense of privacy.
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