why does digital reference matter? library of congress joseph janes the information school of the...
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Why Does Digital Reference Matter?
Library of Congress
Joseph JanesThe Information School
of the University of Washingtonjwj@u.washington.edu
what we do
examine the information needs of our communities and individuals
survey and understand the tech & info environment
devise, evaluate, plan, manage and refine the most efficient and effective ways of meeting those needs
or else
expansion
of our traditional strengths into a new technological domainservice orientationdetermining needs & understanding
contextmultiple modes of searchingevaluation of resourceswhen to stopeducation about the processtool-making
expansion
to where it is arguably more important than ever
• more stuff, wider diversity of stuff• easier to find something – not
necessarily good stuffbroader service capability-- but not mindlessly
test
of things we took for granted• interview• quality, accuracy, satisfaction,
evaluation• traffic, volume, clientele
questions
What is the current state of practice in electronic question negotiation, in both synchronous and asynchronous modes?
Who is best served by digital reference services, and by which methods of interaction?
What makes a reference interview successful?What is the role of non-verbal information? How
important is it, in what situations? What parallels exist or can be created in email, web form, and chat environments?
Is there a relationship between the method of interaction and the success of that interaction?
demonstrate
the multiplicity of ways in which we can serve
• in person• by voice• email• synchronous digital interaction• whatever comes nextthe medium is only part of the message
– it ain’t all about the chat
an opportunity
for improvement of the quality of service
• training• competencies• transcripts
share
opportunity to take advantage of the shared experience of lots of librarians on multiple levels (QP, WA VRS, etc)
not without some potential issues• (over)specialization/generalization• equityquestions re funding, quality,
interoperability, standards
relevance
part of the fight for it, for the very future of libraries
no us, nobody elseour continuing, ongoing relevance,
importance, centrality in the information lives of our communities, which is under question now
why does DR matter?
it won’t, if…• we do it badly• we do it alone• we do it in only one way• we do it in secret, in hiding• we do it too slowly• we do it from a position of fear
why does DR matter?
it will, if….• we serve more people better and
more efficiently than beforebecause it isn’t “digital reference”;
it’s “reference” (or something else), and that’s what matters
Why Does Digital Reference Matter?
Library of Congress
Joseph JanesThe Information School
of the University of Washingtonjwj@u.washington.edu
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