State of Virtual Reference

1
State of Virtual Reference

• January 2004

2
Libraries using VR

• Gerry McKiernans Registry of Virtual Reference
• (http//www.public.iastate.edu/CYBERSTACKS/LiveR
  ef.htm)
• Joseph Janes global census of Virtual Reference
• (http//www.vrd2003.org/proceedings/presentation.
  cfm?PID162)
• Hundreds of libraries doing VR alone or in
  consortia.
• More VR software providers than ever.
• Other big trend Patrons using IM.

3
Collaborations

• Almost 100 collabs on Bernie Sloans pages.
• (http//alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/b-sloan/collab.htm)
• QuestionPoint
• Night Owl (NCSU, UNC, Duke)
• State Services (MASSanswers, AnswerZone,
  AnswerOnline, AskAway,KANanswer, Answerland),
  Regional, National (ASERLs project, CDRS)
  International (Ask A Librarian- Finland, AskNow-
  Australia)

4
Organizations

• Virtual Reference Desk. (http//www.vrd.org) They
  host the VRD conference.
• MARS Ad Hoc Committee on Virtual Reference
  working on guidelines, policies and standards for
  librarian behavior and administration of Virtual
  Reference.

5
Other Virtual Services

• Ask a Locator- A network of expert-based
  services (for instance, ask an ornithologist)
  (http//www.vrd.org/locator/subject.shtml)
• LSSI and 24/7- rent a librarian services.
• RIP AskERIC- Educators Reference Desk
  (http//www.eduref.org/)
• Why isnt there an EbscoHost VR service??

6
Standards

• Interoperability between systems
• Interoperability with email
• Librarian Performance guidelines
• Administration practices
• Major Players
• RUSA- quality, behavior, administration
• NISO Netref community (hardware, software,
  metadata, organization schemes)- stems from work
  on WRC

7
Listservs

• DIG_REF http//www.vrd.org/Dig_Ref/dig_ref.shtml
• Livereference http//groups.yahoo.com/group/livere
  ference/