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.     

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.     

A History of the Developments in Virtual Reference Services at the College of Charleston Library

This article provides an overview of the evolution of virtual reference services at the College of Charleston. E-mail reference has been in use since the mid-1990s. Chat using QuestionPoint began in 2003, and the college joined the 24/7 Chat Reference Academic Cooperative in 2005. Instant messaging reference started the following year, and text messaging reference commenced in 2007. In 2008, the library decided to end participation in the 24/7 Chat Reference Academic Cooperative and to cease using QuestionPoint's e-mail function. Emerging technologies will impact the ways and means of providing virtual reference in the future. This article will examine the rationale driving each development and the library's experiences providing service with the various platforms in the context of the greater world of virtual reference services.     

Communication,Face Saving,and Anxiety at an Academic Library's Virtual Reference Service

This study investigates the communication between patrons and librarians at a large research university's virtual reference service. Reference transactions were analyzed for type of transaction and evidence of deflection, deference, and rapport building to determine if face-saving communication by librarians appeared to lower patrons’ stress and anxiety levels during the course of the virtual reference transaction. The transactions analyzed showed that despite the fact that few patrons self-disclosed feelings of library anxiety, there was evidence of deferential speech and rapport building, two essential elements of face saving, between patrons and librarians.     

Enhancing Virtual Reference: Techniques and Technologies to Engage Users and Enrich Interaction

Virtual reference service has become ubiquitous in academic libraries. The increased adoption of chat technology brings to light some of the challenges of providing high-quality reference service. The lack of a personal connection, increased transaction time, and technical problems are often cited. Techniques, such as conducting a reference interview or using online communication conventions, can make virtual reference as effective as face-to-face reference. Additionally, inclusion of video or Web annotation in the virtual reference session can add an element of personalization that might otherwise be missing. Virtual reference can be an emotionally rich, engaging, and effective form of reference service if these techniques and technologies are adopted.     

Dust off Those Encyclopedias: Using Reference Sources to Teach the ACRL Framework Concepts

What if the ideal tools for teaching undergraduate students the most critical information literacy concepts have been sitting in the stacks all along collecting dust? Reference sources are an optimal medium to introduce all six of the Association of College &; Research Libraries' (ACRL) Framework's central concepts for information literacy. Additionally, by understanding a reference source's place in the information search process, students learn to consciously avoid the common pitfall of neglecting exploratory research before specifying research inquiries. Thus, incorporating reference sources thoughtfully into instructional design contributes to the development of both information literacy and metacognition.