Chat Reference

Functioning as a blueprint, this guide leads the reader through the many decisions and considerations involved in setting up a real-time reference service. Ronan introduces both basic and advanced real-time reference software, offers practical information about features, advantages, and disadvantages, and discusses human and organizational issues. How does one start a virtual reference service? What types of software are available? This comprehensive guide to live virtual services answers these and other questions. Intended as a blueprint, the book is designed to lead the reader through the many decisions and considerations involved in setting up a real-time reference service. Acclaimed expert Jana Smith Ronan introduces both basic and advanced real-time reference software, offers practical information about features, advantages, and disadvantages, and discusses human and organizational issues, such as staffing, training, and administration. Complete with five case studies from successful real-time reference services, this guide provides readers with a better understanding of real-time reference and an ability to make educated decisions on what's best for their library and their patrons.

Provides librarians with the resources needed to help their patrons use virtual reference sources, with hands-on learning activities, exercises, and assessment tools.

Make separate library services for distance learners a thing of the past Internet Reference Support for Distance Learners takes a comprehensive look at efforts by librarians and information specialists to provide distance learners with effective services that match those already available on campus. With the development of the World Wide Web and the evolution of Web-based services, reference librarians are adding a human element to the virtual library, blurring the difference between distance learners and traditional users. This unique book examines how they deal with a wide range of related topics, including standards and guidelines, copyright issues, streaming media, and chat and digital references, and presents a historical overview of how reference and instructional services have been delivered to distance users—before and after the creation of the Internet. Internet Reference Support for Distance Learners reveals that librarians do not make a sharp distinction between reference and instruction within the context of distance learning, and that there is no clear boundary between “true” distance learners and more traditional students who might use services designed for nontraditional users. Online capabilities have allowed reference librarians to approximate services advocated by published guidelines and standards, including the ACRL Distance Learning Section’s Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services, to provide a framework for librarians to plan services for off-campus students. Internet Reference Support for Distance Learners provides practical information on: how librarians can “keep IT simple” when designing methods to access reference support why library Web sites are vital sources of communication between the distance learning student and the reference-based instructional component how to set up a university chat service, including software selection, staff training and assessment how to provide students services beyond traditional provision of resources, including advising, enrollment, and payment of fees how to create an online assistance site that incorporates online versions of traditional print handouts, FAQs, subject guides, course-specific guides, learning modules, and instructional videos in one central location how to work with faculty to create online support for students in Blackboard courses the pros and cons of using open-source software how to create an online library assistance site how to create online information literacy course to teach independent research skills to remote students how to avoid copyright infringement and how to educate library personnel about copyright law how to use Camtasia Studio, a screen capture program to create audio and video for online presentations Internet Reference Support for Distance Learners is an invaluable resource for librarians working in academic, school, special, and public settings, and for library science faculty and students.

Search skills of today bear little resemblance to searches through print publications. Reference service has become much more complex than in the past, and is in a constant state of flux. Learning the skill sets of a worthy reference librarian can be challenging, unending, rewarding, and-- yes, fun.

Libraries today provide a wider variety of services, collections, and tools than at any time in the past. This book explores how reference librarianship is changing to continue to help users find information they need in this shifting environment.

Users want real-time answers to their reference questions wherever and whenever they are. Increasingly, that means SMS and IM services. Providing those is easier than you might think!

Learn how to provide better service to distance information users! This book is the result of the conference held in May, 2004 in Scottsdale, Arizona, focusing on librarians' challenges providing service to nontraditional faculty and students. Respected authorities discuss in detail specific problems—and fresh strategies and solutions—to further promote service to distance information users. Each chapter tackles a particular issue such as collaboration outside the contributor's organization or how services can be monitored and assessed to gauge quality, and fully explains what can be done to address those issues. Each distinguished contribution was carefully selected by a 26-member advisory board using a juried abstracts process. Thorough bibliographies, useful figures, tables, and graphs provide accessibility and clarify ideas. Some of the topics in this book include: the promotion of library services to Native American students the planning and development process of a project to create a Web-based multi-media instruction tool for off-campus graduate students an examination of direct linking tools provided by major aggregators distance learning for the learning disabled distance learning implementation strategies for institutions course management software (CMS) and library services integration a survey of Association of Research Libraries offered services the do’s and don’ts of videoconferencing on and off-campus an eBooks collection study one-on-one research coaching via digital reference service an online tool that assesses students’ research skills and attitudes creating a library CD for off-campus students expanding student and faculty access to information services the collaboration with faculty on electronic course reserves developing assessment questions for services supporting off-campus learning programs providing secure off-campus access to library services beyond proxy servers and much, much more! The Eleventh Off-Campus Library Services Conference Proceedings is an invaluable comprehensive resource detailing the latest challenges and solutions for on- and off-campus librarians.