Developing a Chat Reference Training Program

ABSTRACT

In the last few years, chat reference services have been implemented by public, college and university libraries. One important aspect of the chat reference service is library staff training. Literature shows that this is a vital step in offering a chat reference service. Library staff need to be well-trained in areas of chatting, reference interviewing in a digital environment and using electronic resources, such as the Internet and databases. This article discusses the chat reference training program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The following text provides an outline for establishing a chat training program including planning, organization, implementation and assessment. Areas of discussion include the chat reference interview, chatting and patron management techniques.     

Burning the Midnight Oil: Librarians,Students, and Late-Night Chat Reference at the University of Notre Dame

Late-night chat reference was a service offered by University of Notre Dame reference librarians from November of 2007 until May of 2010. It was staffed by local Notre Dame librarians and was available to users from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings during the academic year. Data showed that the number of questions asked during late-night chat hours was comparable to the number being asked during regular reference chat hours. Findings showed that the complexity of the chat questions being asked after hours was greater than that of chat questions asked during regular hours and that of reference desk transactions as a whole. Late-night chat reference was a valuable exercise in meeting users at their point of need.     

A Historical Overview of Internet Reference Services for Distance Learners

SUMMARY

The advent of library services and collections on the Internet revolutionized reference services to students enrolled in distance learning programs. Prior to the Internet, reference librarians who supported distance learning programs had few methods, and many of them costly, to provide the equivalent library services advocated by the ACRL Guidelines. Through the Internet, these librarians were able to approximate the services and resources that had always been available to students who came into the library. This article describes the development of reference services on the Internet in a variety of libraries that support distance learners.     

R U There? How to Reach a Virtual Audience Through Affordable Marketing Strategies

ABSTRACT

Virtual reference is a vital service component of many libraries. Whether serving college students or the general public, a real-time reference service demands highly trained staff and quality resources. What can administrators do to make sure their users make the most of this cutting-edge service? The University at Buffalo (UB) was one of the first universities to establish a virtual reference service. Known as Instant Librarian, the chat room thrives as a major public service without placing a drain on staff or budget. This article discusses the marketing strategies UB applies to chat reference, including advertising, use of icons, and user surveys for assessment.     

基于socket的局域网聊天工具

本文主要是在简要介绍基于socket局域网聊天工具软件设计发展现状的基础上,通过软件开发平台来对基于socket的局域网聊天工具客户端进行设计。这一设计过程在文中进行多方面的综合说明:一方面着重对这款软件所具有的特点和功能进行说明,在此基础上补充说明其使用方法;另一方面则侧重于介绍这一聊天工具软件设计过程中所使用的相关技术和实现方法;最后综述改聊天工具软件设计的思路与方法。     

Moving from the Consortium to the Reference Desk: Keeping Chat and Improving Reference at the MSU Libraries

The experience of the Mississippi State University (MSU) Libraries illustrates the challenges presented by moving from consortial to local chat, as well as an evaluation of the advantages of chat reference in an academic setting. Countering the consortial, instant-messaging model prevalent in virtual reference today, the MSU Libraries have found chat offers advantages in an academic community. Moving to a local setting, it was possible for the MSU Libraries to maintain quality control over chat transactions while building relationships with faculty and students across campus.     

网络聊天系统的设计与实现

介绍Windows套接字以及网络通信程序设计的原理，设计基于客户机／服务器模型的网络聊天系统并对该系统的工作流程解析。最后应用Visualc＋＋6．0工具在Windows操作系统下实现该网络聊天系统。测试结果表明，本系统可靠、实用，有较高的应用价值。     

Delphi环境下基于UDP的聊天程序

利用UDP协议实现局域网内点到点通信。     

网络聊天系统的设计与实现

介绍Windows套接字以及网络通信程序设计的原理,设计基于客户机/服务器模型的网络聊天系统并对该系统的工作流程解析。最后应用VisualC 6.0工具在Windows操作系统下实现该网络聊天系统。测试结果表明,本系统可靠、实用,有较高的应用价值。     

Ask a UT System Librarian

SUMMARY

University of Texas System libraries initiated a chat reference program to support distance learners enrolled at University of Texas component institutions, including the UT Telecampus Digital Library. Librarians at several geographically distant campuses staffed the collaborative chat reference service.

Librarians assisted students at other UT System campuses, in effect becoming “distance librarians” who must have thorough knowledge of both their own library resources and the resources available at other campus libraries.

Librarians at The University of Texas at San Antonio share their experiences with this collaborative chat reference service.     

Ask Us Anytime: Creating a Searchable FAQ Using Email and Chat Reference Transcripts

Users are increasingly expecting services to be available outside traditional venues and time frames. Clearly, not all library functions and services can be performed all the time, but a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) tool is one function that can be. Librarians at Notre Dame decided to create a searchable FAQ database as a method to efficiently reach users at their time and point of need and as a way to provide instant, virtual feedback to common questions. The content for the FAQ database was derived from the analysis of over 3000 chat and email questions collected over the course of three years’ use of Docutek, an email and chat reference software. The process of coding the questions as well as the technological solutions employed to create a searchable database of frequently asked questions is described. A link to the FAQ appears on the ND Libraries Ask-A-Librarian page and has already seen much use.     

用ASP解决聊天室私聊问题的一些技巧

本文介绍用ASP解决聊天室私聊问题的一些技巧。它们已成功地用于同济大学沪东校区计算中心网站。     

基于服务程序的网络聊天平台的实现及应用

讨论了基于服务程序的网络聊天平台的基本原理和机制 ,在WindowsNT下给出了实现的框架 ,并就设计过程中的帧格式设计、I/O请求的处理、多进程多线程等问题进行了讨论     

基于J2EE技术的校园聊天室系统

聊天室系统的即时性德交流方式可以满足网络中多人同时聊天交流,使得资源得以共享,是人与人的沟通变得方便,简单。本文主要讨论了基于J2EE技术设计的聊天室的优点,并在聊天室的数据库的设计和用户身份验证的设计上做了进一步的安全处理。     

基于微信的移动化数字校园信息平台设计与实现

为满足当前高职院校师生对数字校园信息平台移动化的迫切需求,在分析高职师生移动信息处理习惯的基础上,结合当前主流移动化开发技术,通过对现有数字化校园平台的移动化改造,提升平台的移动使用体验,使广大师生更加便利地使用数字化校园平台。分析了用户需求,构建了平台功能架构,利用ThinkPHP开发框架实现了该系统。结果表明:师生使用数字校园信息平台意愿和频率明显提升、各类教育教学数据得到极大丰富,系统具有比较强的可用性。     

用于聊天词汇的权重计算方法CDTF*IDF

随着聊天室的广泛使用,对聊天内容监控也变成亟待解决的问题.在聊天室监控中,为衡量聊天数据中词汇对聊天内容的描述能力,现在一般直接采用文本词汇的权重计算方法;然而,这种方法忽视了聊天数据与静态文本结构上的差异,导致计算出的权重并不能准确反应词汇描述聊天内容的能力.针对聊天数据的固有特点,提出了一种专门针对聊天数据的词汇权重计算方法CDTF*IDF.该方法通过分别计算词汇在不同数据源中的权值并汇总、并对重点词汇提高权重等方式来计算聊天数据的词汇权重.基于IRC聊天室内容监控的实验表明:该方法能较好地衡量聊天词汇的权重,同时基于该方法的监控系统能够准确地识别出聊天数据中的话题.     

基于 Socket 的 Android 聊天室系统设计与实现

Android 是一种基于 Linux V2．6内核的自由及开放源代码的智能手机操作平台;Socket是一种网络编程接口。介绍了 Android 基于 Socket 的通信机制,建立了一个基于 Socket 的Android 聊天室系统。其中 Android 平台的手机作为客户端,PC 作为服务器端。该系统能够实现登录、注册、公聊、私聊、文件传送等功能。     

Slashdotting Digital Library Resources

This study analyzes 1557 chat reference questions received at Grand Valley State University Libraries over four semesters to determine the quantity and nature of the questions. Results indicated that use of chat reference was low and that less than a quarter of chat questions required a librarian to answer. The cost of a librarian answering a chat question ranged from $37 to $439 per question. The findings suggest that assigning chat reference to trained reference assistants will not affect patron service and that it is not cost effective to use reference librarians to answer chat questions.     

分布式虚拟环境中的聊天机器人的研究

该文探索了通过自然语言界面从基于Web的应用中获取知识的一种方法。介绍了一些著名聊天机器人程序着重给出了基于AIML的聊天机器人A.L.I.C.E的运行机制,并分析了其适合于分布式应用的特点。通过对其进行改进将其结合进分布式虚拟环境中,构造了一个基于Web的分布式虚拟环境中的聊天机器人。