Reference Services in the Digital Environment: Serving Remote Users

Instructor: Anne Lipow, Steve Coffman

Reference Services in the Digital Environment: Serving Remote Users

Why this workshop?
Questions at the library reference desk are declining. Whether from a computer inside the library or from home or office, your Internet-using patrons are getting their questions answered by robotic search engines that spew out a discouraging number of irrelevant responses and by commercial service representatives who have superficial skills in linking the questioner with quality resources. But given your limited library hours, parking difficulties, off-putting hurdles in reaching you by telephone, and a host of other barriers, your patrons are willing to accept "good enough" answers that are at their fingertips over better but less-accessible answers from the reference librarian. To maintain their place as the community's primary information resource, libraries know they must become more convenient to their remote users. But how? This workshop focuses on some answers to that question.

Workshop Description: In large- and small-group discussions, technology demonstrations, and exercises, participants will gain an overview of the key conceptual and practical issues involved in giving timely answers to remote users' questions and will consider some models of remote service that are feasible in their home environment. Existing software that enables chat and videoconferencing interaction will be demonstrated. Registrants will be given a preworkshop assignment that gives them experience in using a real-time interactive remote reference service.

Highlights:

• Context: Overview of Prevailing Issues
  • The big picture: Trends affecting libraries today
  • Face-to-face vs. online services
  • Ethical, delivery, technological, and space-planning considerations
  • Open discussion
• New Models
  • Review of existing innovative reference services in libraries
  • Demonstration of remote real-time reference transactions using sophisticated software
  • Exercise: Designing a model service
• Hot topics: Key issues, chosen by participants, to explore in depth
• Exercise: Planning your next steps

Who should attend: Reference librarians and others who make decisions about reference services.

Prerequisites: Participants will be given an assignment that requires accessing Web sites to complete before coming to the workshop.

Please Note: There is a $50.00 fee for this workshop. InFoPeople does not provide parking passes, lunch or refreshments.

Check-in: 8:30 to 9 AM Instruction: 9 AM to 4:30 PM