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By Michelle Fiander - February 2002
Michelle Fiander, Manager of the Web Reference Center, writes us a letter from North America explaining what Virtual Reference is and how it came about.
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Hi, I’m Michelle Fiander. I manage the world’s first (at least as far as I know, it’s the first…) Web Reference Center for libraries. At the Web Reference Center librarians answer questions from library patrons who have logged into a virtual reference service, usually through their local library’s Web page. The Center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, and we are available to respond to questions from any geographic location at any time. Given the novelty of the Web Reference Center and virtual reference services, I thought I’d tell you a bit about the technology and process behind the Center.
Virtual reference (also called Web reference and real time reference) started a couple of years ago when libraries began experimenting with Web-based customer service software originally designed for answering questions on ecommerce sites like LL Bean [1] and Land’s End [2]. This software, often referred to as Web Contact Center Software, allowed a Customer Service Representative (CSR) to communicate with a customer by phone or by Chat while at the same time sending relevant Web pages to the customer. The result was that the CSR and customer could discuss a product while looking at images or textual information about it. In addition, some of this software also incorporated the ability to send documents in just about any format to the customer, and to annotate documents with or for the customer. Of most interest to librarians was the provision of synchronous communication and sharing of Web-based and other information.
Librarians were interested in the capabilities of this commercial software because, as most of us realized, in-house reference statistics were, and still are, dropping [3]. Further, with the advent of the Internet and Web-based delivery of formerly print resources, library users are relying more and more frequently on information accessed via computer—whether it is from the library or not. Given the typical library patron’s reliance on and interest in retrieving as much information as possible online, and given librarians’ collective awareness of this situation, it’s not surprising that Web Contact Center Software interested some librarians. These librarians quickly envisioned themselves slipping into the Customer Service Representative seat, but instead of responding to questions about the size, color and utility of products, the librarian would answer typical reference questions in a show-and-tell environment that mimicked in-house reference services. Barely two years after these wishful thoughts entered our minds, many libraries, largely in the US--but also in Canada and Australia—have created virtual reference services. Depending on how you classify and count these services, anywhere from 300 to 500 libraries are offering virtual reference services that go beyond email based Ask-A Librarian services [4].
The software being used to support virtual or real-time or Web reference services varies in its power, features and flexibility [5]. For example, some libraries are using software that allows them to send Web pages, but which does not allow the librarian and patron to view the page together. Other libraries are using software that only supports Chat communication, but not Web page or document pushing or sharing. In some cases, the software being used by libraries to support virtual reference is out of the box and not modified extensively for library use. In other cases, software providers, intermediary companies or individual librarians are modifying software to better support the special needs of library reference work.
Software developers, to greater and lesser degrees, are modifying their software for library applications. At LSSI, for example, we are striving to make the software work better in a library environment and are concentrating on issues related to both programming and design. For example, we are building reference tools to support co-browsing of proprietary databases because this issue is vital to good reference service for almost any type of library.
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| The Virtual Reference Desk, courtesy of one of Steve Coffman's presentations given at The Virtual Reference Desk 2nd Annual Digital Reference Conference |
As the field has grown, virtual reference discussions and lectures have become very popular at library conferences, and there is even a conference devoted exclusively to the issue. The VRD (Virtual Reference Desk) Conference [6], begun only three years ago, has become a primary venue for librarians and educators interested in virtual reference. Although the conference is in its infancy, the number of attendees has grown each subsequent year. Further, the conference gets great reviews, and speakers are interested in the topic and enthusiastic about promoting virtual reference strategies. Anecdotal as my account of VRD is, it indicates a strong interest among a significant group of library professionals looking for a way to reach out to library patrons in a variety of settings for a variety of purposes.
Despite the growth of virtual reference, not everyone is keen. On listservs, in discussions with colleagues, and at conferences, I’ve heard nay-saying which presumes an awful lot about virtual reference. Many of those who discount virtual reference, for example, think it will thrive simply because it is based on a hot technology. However, if virtual reference thrives, I doubt it will be simply because it a technological response to information needs. It will thrive because patrons use it. The train took over the horse; the car took over the train; but we still use trains and horses. Regardless of how virtual reference develops, and I hope it does because it’s mighty convenient, there will continue to be a role for in-house reference services and face-to-face interactions for quite some time. I’m not much of an either/or thinker and believe there is room for both virtual and face to face reference and that both have a valuable role to play.
As far as where my interest lies right now, it lies in improving and developing virtual reference, and the Web Reference Center. Of primary importance to me as I do this are meeting the needs of the patron and doing a good job as a reference librarian. To do this, I’ll continue to follow the rules that have guided my in face-to-face reference services: help patrons as they need to be helped; indicate the source of an answer or any information shared; be courteous and helpful; keep as informed as possible about resources and techniques to respond to queries.
Even though I’m working in a new and innovative arena, I see virtual reference neither as panacea nor as something to be dreaded. Virtual reference is challenging some of our traditional methods of doing reference, but even before virtual reference arrived on the scene, methods of information delivery, information itself, and information seeking behavior were changing before our eyes; and libraries have, for the most part, embraced this change by, for example, developing digital libraries and extensive collections of electronic materials. Despite this, we have not dramatically changed our methods of reference service [7]. Just as librarians have adjusted collection development policies and budgets to accommodate electronic materials, we must now adjust the ways we assist patrons who prefer to, or must, work online.
Before I sign off, I hope you won’t mind if I reminiscence…just for a moment. When I was in library school, seven and a half years ago, our director was fond of saying something to the effect of: “We’re not the only game in town anymore.” While I understood at the time that the ‘we’ encompassed libraries and librarians, and that the ominous, shadowy ‘other’ implied in his statement was the Internet, I had no idea how prophetic his statement would be. At the time I was baffled by the Internet and could barely comprehend, let alone use, Gopher or Veronica. Would this thing catch on, I asked myself? Heck, no! At least not with this semi-computer-literate, fledgling-librarian. But then, during the summer between my first and second years of the MLS program, the Web and Netscape appeared! Imagine my surprise when I found a gene sequence for a researcher at the medical library where I was interning by cleverly using Netscape! Easy? You betcha! Within a period of months, my opinion of the Internet as a valuable information resource changed.
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| Cleveland Public Library's Know It Now
virtual reference service. CPL has a very active service which includes Homework help as well as service for adults. Further, CPL has established a partnership with Cleveland area hospitals so that health related questions are answered by health professionals, nurses, rather than librarians. [8] |
The Internet is still not the source of every thing, but it is the source of a lot. Add to this the fact that the Internet as place has given way to the Internet, via the Web, as a delivery mechanism, and the possibilities are expanded dramatically. The same thing will happen with virtual reference. Right now it’s new. It has utility, but it’s not perfect. As time passes, the technology to support virtual reference will become easier to use, just as the Internet became easier to use. Along with this, users’ skill levels will rise, just as the skill level of Internet searching has risen during the past ten years. Further, just as our expectations of the Web and its concomitant technologies have risen, so too will our expectations of virtual reference software and virtual reference interactions. Even in these early stages of virtual reference, plenty of people and organizations are working in collaborative situations. The Library of Congress Collaborative Digital Reference (CDRS) Project springs to mind, as do the many library consortia gathering together to pool financial and staff resources in order to support virtual reference. And, finally, some Master of Library and Information Science programs are beginning to think about teaching virtual reference in their regular curriculum. Eventually virtual reference and collaborative virtual reference will be a de facto part of the library landscape.
That’s all for now. So long!
and Gerry McKiernan’s LiveRef(sm): A Registry of Real Time
Digital Reference Services
.
Note that although these are sites are terrific resources, they
are not definitive.
Michelle Fiander
Manager, LSSI Web Reference Center
20250 Century Blvd. Suite 200
Germantown, MD 20874-1114
USA
Michelle Fiander holds an MLS and has been Manager of the Web Reference Center at LSSI since May 2001. Prior to work in virtual reference she was an academic reference and cataloging librarian.
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For citation purposes:
Fiander, M. "Virtual Reference: A Letter from North America", Cultivate Interactive, issue
6, 11 February 2002
URL: <http://www.cultivate-int.org/issue6/reference/>
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