ILS504 - Reference & Information Resources and Services

Virtual Reference

          _________________________________________________________________________

The question you asked the librarian.

I asked the librarian if there was any research on Information Commons and Library Commons

Evaluate the reference behavior with reference to good reference behaviors

• 1.0    Approachability – In a remote reference interview, the librarian should demonstrate a high degree of interest
  My librarian at first didn’t seem very approachable. It took a while for him/her to answer my initial request for help – about 3 minutes.
  
• 2.0    Interest- Maintains or re-establishes "word contact" with the patron in text-based environments by sending written or prepared prompts, etc., to convey interest in the patron's question.
  At first, it seemed like the librarian was very disinterested. I felt a bit like I was feeding information to help the interview along.
  
• 3.0    Listening/Inquiring.- Uses reference interviews or Web forms to gather as much information as possible without compromising user privacy.
  I didn’t feel like my librarian was conducting much of an interview.
  
• 4.0 Searching - Uses appropriate technology 
  N/A
• 5.0 Follow-up
  None aside from wishing me luck. 
  

A transcript of your session with the service

Send file:
•    2:23 ref-desk Hi, how can I help you?
•    2:23 me Hi I am doing a research paper on Information Commons and Library commons and need more info
•    2:25 ref-desk I see
•    2:26 me Do you know of any studies linking these two ideas?
•    2:26 ref-desk Not off the top of my head...
•    2:26 ref-desk there are a couple of well-regarded books on the commons idea and libraries
•    2:27 ref-desk have you found those already?
•    2:27 ref-desk They might be a good source for citations and related articles
•    2:27 me I have the Bailey book " Transforming Library Service."
•    2:27 ref-desk Right
•    2:27 me and the Gordon book, Information Tomorrow
•    2:28 ref-desk also the Info. Commons handbook by Beagle?
•    2:28 me Watson-Boone "Constancy and Change..."
•    2:28 me No I don't think I have seen that one
•    2:28 me Can I get it online?
•    2:29 me Or at least parts of it?
•    2:29 ref-desk I don't find that online
•    2:30 me Do you know of any databases I might use?
•    2:30 ref-desk Have you searched the information science literature, I guess?
•    2:30 me I have been using Project Muse and ERIC
•    2:30 ref-desk I see.
•    2:31 me Are there specific databases for info science?
•    2:31 ref-desk Those would be good sources. I might try some of the databases listed on our subjecty page for info science...
•    2:31 ref-desk http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/guides/civilrights/
•    2:31 ref-desk sorry - wrong one!
•    2:31 ref-desk just a sec
•    2:31 ref-desk http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/browsesubjects/?subject=51&subject_group=105
•    2:31 ref-desk So are you an NCSU faculty, staff, or student?
•    2:32 ref-desk Without NCSU ID, you won't be able to access many of these resources I just sent you.
•    2:32 me No, I go to Southern CT. State University
•    2:32 me Oh, okay
•    2:32 ref-desk Sorry.
•    2:32 me If you have the name of the databases maybe we have them

•    2:33 me I figured I would ask another university as the public libraries seem stumped

•    2:33 me Does your university have a commons?
•    2:33 ref-desk We do -- a learning commons
•    2:34 me Is it in the library or in a separate building?
•    2:34 ref-desk It is in the library and staffed/maintained by library staff     solely
•    2:34 me Well, thanks for your help
•    2:35 ref-desk You're welcome, I hope you find what you need!
•    2:36 me Thanks! By

A discussion of your reaction to the service

This was the first time I have used a chat reference service so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I am aware of the RUSA Guidelines for good reference behaviors and they include remote behaviors as well. I am not a fast typist, but there seemed to be long spells where I wasn’t sure what was happening. At times I saw a message that said the person was typing so that made me feel like s/he was still there. My librarian didn’t really conduct much of an interview, but did ask if I had used one specific book. Overall, while it wasn’t very helpful, it gave me some insight into what chat reference is like.

A comparison of in person reference transaction and the Chat reference transaction.

By far, I much prefer the in-person transaction than the chat reference. When I did the in-person, I could see the librarian, she was very friendly, asked great questions and co-browsed, which I found very interesting. She seemed happy to help and I came away for several journal articles. My chat transaction was very off-putting. Because I couldn’t see the librarian, I had a hard time feeling like there was anyone on the other end of the computer. I think it would have helped if the librarian would have told me what s/he was doing so I had some idea of what was going on at that end. All in all, chat is something I would do on a regular basis although I would definitely need to work on my skills.