As question answering services in the commercial sector proliferate, libraries are innovating with new forms of electronic reference (e-reference). The Library of Congress' Collaborative Digital Reference Service (CDRS) extends worldwide. Discussion includes reference service developments; "reclaiming" users; growth of library interest…

Investigates the effect of the Internet in references services in Malaysian academic libraries, and examines library professionals' perceptions of the importance of the Internet in reference work. Respondents felt the Internet has contributed positively to reference work and has enhanced their effectiveness and efficiency; however, a majority…

Discusses how to develop performance standards based on objective, observable criteria and describes how the reference department at the University of Nebraska at Omaha developed standards to meet their needs. Goals for performance are explained, and preliminary and final versions of the reference desk performance standards are appended. (Contains…

Librarians and library users were interviewed about their perceptions of actual reference encounters in academic libraries. Results demonstrate that a communication-centered approach to reference encounters provides rich insights into the interpersonal dynamics between librarians and users. An appendix presents some interview responses. (JMV)

Identifies a working set of standards by which to assess individual digital reference services (Internet-based human-mediated information services) and to define membership within a collaborative network of digital reference services. The standards are designed for the Virtual Reference Desk AskA Consortium. (Author/LRW)

This article addresses issues that relate to the changing functional relationship between the reference librarian and the user, based on the observation that the advance of information technology, particularly the Internet, has altered the values, attitudes, and beliefs of library users, and, as a consequence, their micro-culture. (Author/LRW)

In an electronic era, the evaluation of reference and related information services should still be based on the same principles used to evaluate traditional face-to-face reference services and printed reference tools. Traditional research methods can be utilized very effectively in an electronic environment. However, electronic technologies offer…

Looks at some of the new paradigms for reference service, in particular the ideological implications of the digital reference call-center model, demonstrates how they lead to a "deprofessionalization" of reference work, and provides examples of how extensive reading can help reference librarians provide better service and become an…

Reviews relevant literature dealing with reference service to children and summarizes the developmental stages of children that can influence the interactions between librarians and children. Includes data from observations and interviews of five librarians from a children's room in a Florida public library. (Author/LRW)

Discusses philosophical issues and human elements in reference desk scheduling for public and academic libraries, highlighting institutionalization of a desk scheduling policy, the relationship between scheduler and schedulee (impartiality, consistency, flexibility, collegiality, diplomacy, dedication to reference service), and conflict management…

Discusses changes in library reference service that have occurred with growing Internet use. Topics include the human factor that is still needed; the nature of reference questions; the goal of user self-sufficiency; the invisible nature of much of librarians' work; and providing real-time, interactive point-of-need service to remote users. (LRW)

Discussion of library reference services and the conflict between richness (complexity) of services and the reach (number of users that can be served) focuses on information technology that is used in electronic commerce and available on the Internet. Discusses changing roles of libraries and networked information environments. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the history and emergence of non-library commercial and non-commercial information services on the World Wide Web, often referred to as expert services. Describes the methodology used for a study of expert services and considers implications for further research and the development of digital reference services by libraries. (Author/LRW)

Purpose: Aims to investigate the impact of the internet on reference services in public libraries in England. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review provides the policy context for UK public library services and highlights developments in digital reference. A questionnaire was administered in 2003 to a sample of the public library…

Soon after AskALibrarian, Florida's Statewide Virtual Reference Desk, began to offer Chat Reference to the public in 2003, a Quality Assurance Workgroup was established to ensure that the service patrons received would be friendly, accurate, and adequate. To make certain that best practices were used in answering the real time questions, two…