Evaluating Virtual Reference from the Users' Perspective.
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| Title: | Evaluating Virtual Reference from the Users' Perspective. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Nilsen, Kirsti1 knilsen@uwo.ca, Ross, Catherine Sheldrick2 ross@uwo.ca |
| Source: | Reference Librarian. 2006, Vol. 46 Issue 95/96, p53-79. 27p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Reference services in academic libraries, *Interpersonal communication, *Internet forums, *Written communication, *Internet users, *Electronic reference services (Libraries), Internet in library reference services, Communication & psychology, Face-to-face communication, Performance standards, Human services |
| Abstract: | This article discusses the evaluation of virtual reference services from the user perspective. It is one outcome of a long-term research project, The Library Visit Study, which has been conducted in three phases at the University of Western Ontario for more than a decade. These studies have identified the need for, and essential components of, reference interviews and good reference behaviors. The third phase of this research focuses on the factors that make a difference to the users' satisfaction with their virtual reference experience and whether these are the same or different from the ones we identified as important in face-to-face reference. An examination of user accounts of virtual reference transactions indicates that the reference interview has almost disappeared. Among the reasons identified for staff failure to conduct reference interviews in the virtual environment are: the nature of written vs. spoken interaction; the librarian's perceived need to respond quickly in this environment; and the rudimentary nature of the forms used in e-mail reference. The article includes a list of behaviors that users identified as either helpful or unhelpful and concludes with some implications of the research for good virtual reference service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Reference Librarian is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 23638962 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Evaluating Virtual Reference from the Users' Perspective. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nilsen%2C+Kirsti%22">Nilsen, Kirsti</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> knilsen@uwo.ca</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ross%2C+Catherine+Sheldrick%22">Ross, Catherine Sheldrick</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><i> ross@uwo.ca</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Reference+Librarian%22">Reference Librarian</searchLink>. 2006, Vol. 46 Issue 95/96, p53-79. 27p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reference+services+in+academic+libraries%22">Reference services in academic libraries</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+communication%22">Interpersonal communication</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Internet+forums%22">Internet forums</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Written+communication%22">Written communication</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Internet+users%22">Internet users</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+reference+services+%28Libraries%29%22">Electronic reference services (Libraries)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Internet+in+library+reference+services%22">Internet in library reference services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+%26+psychology%22">Communication & psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Face-to-face+communication%22">Face-to-face communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Performance+standards%22">Performance standards</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+services%22">Human services</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This article discusses the evaluation of virtual reference services from the user perspective. It is one outcome of a long-term research project, The Library Visit Study, which has been conducted in three phases at the University of Western Ontario for more than a decade. These studies have identified the need for, and essential components of, reference interviews and good reference behaviors. The third phase of this research focuses on the factors that make a difference to the users' satisfaction with their virtual reference experience and whether these are the same or different from the ones we identified as important in face-to-face reference. An examination of user accounts of virtual reference transactions indicates that the reference interview has almost disappeared. Among the reasons identified for staff failure to conduct reference interviews in the virtual environment are: the nature of written vs. spoken interaction; the librarian's perceived need to respond quickly in this environment; and the rudimentary nature of the forms used in e-mail reference. The article includes a list of behaviors that users identified as either helpful or unhelpful and concludes with some implications of the research for good virtual reference service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Reference Librarian is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1300/J120v46n95_05 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 27 StartPage: 53 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Reference services in academic libraries Type: general – SubjectFull: Interpersonal communication Type: general – SubjectFull: Internet forums Type: general – SubjectFull: Written communication Type: general – SubjectFull: Internet users Type: general – SubjectFull: Electronic reference services (Libraries) Type: general – SubjectFull: Internet in library reference services Type: general – SubjectFull: Communication & psychology Type: general – SubjectFull: Face-to-face communication Type: general – SubjectFull: Performance standards Type: general – SubjectFull: Human services Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Evaluating Virtual Reference from the Users' Perspective. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Nilsen, Kirsti – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ross, Catherine Sheldrick IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 09 Text: 2006 Type: published Y: 2006 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 02763877 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 46 – Type: issue Value: 95/96 Titles: – TitleFull: Reference Librarian Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
