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{{Short description|Library reference method}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2008}}
'''Digital reference''' (more commonly called '''virtual reference''') is a service by which a [[library]] reference service is conducted online, and the reference transaction is a [[computer-mediated communication]]. It is the remote, computer-mediated delivery of reference information provided by library professionals to users who cannot access or do not want face-to-face communication. Virtual reference service is most often an extension of a library's existing reference service program. The word "[[reference]]" in this context refers to the task of providing assistance to library users in finding information, answering questions, and otherwise fulfilling users’ information needs. Reference work often but not always involves using [[reference work]]s, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc. This form of reference work expands reference services from the physical reference desk to a "virtual" reference desk where the patron could be writing from home, work or a variety of other locations.
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Providing remote-based services for patrons has been a steady practice of libraries over the years. For example, before the widespread use of chat software, reference questions were often answered via phone, fax, email and audio conferencing. Email is the oldest type of virtual reference service used by libraries.<ref name="Kern" /> Library services in America and the UK are just now gaining visibility in their use of virtual reference services using chat software. However, a survey in America revealed that by 2001 over 200 libraries were using chat reference services.<ref name="Chow">{{cite book |last=Chowdhury |first=G.G. |title=Librarianship: an introduction |place=London |publisher=Facet |year=2008|display-authors=etal.}}</ref>
The rapid global proliferation of information technology (IT) often leaves libraries at a disadvantage in terms of keeping their services current. However, libraries are always striving to understand their user demographics in order to provide the best possible services.<ref name="Chow" /><ref name="Bro">{{cite book |last=Brophy |first=P. |title=The library in the twenty-first century |edition=2nd |place=London |publisher=Facet |year=2007}}</ref> Therefore, libraries continue to take notes from current [[cyber-culture]] and are continually incorporating a diversified range of interactive technologies in their service repertoires. Virtual reference represents only one small part of a larger library mission to meet the needs of a new generation, sometimes referred to as the "Google Generation", of users who have grown up with the internet.<ref name="Row">{{cite journal |last=Rowlands |first=I. |title=The Google generation: the information behaviour of the researcher of the future |journal=ASLIB Proceedings |volume=60 |issue=4 |pages=290–310 |year=2008 |url=http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1733495&show=abstract |doi=10.1108/00012530810887953|url-access=subscription }}</ref> For instance, virtual reference may be used in conjunction with embedded [[Web 2.0]] (online social media such as [[Facebook]], [[YouTube]], [[blogs]], [[del.icio.us]], [[Flickr]], etc.) applications in a library's suite of online services.<ref name="Xiao">{{cite journal |last=Xiao |first=N. |title=Web 2.0 as catalyst: Virtually reaching out to users and connecting them to library resources and services |journal=Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship |volume=55 |issue=Fall |year=2008 |url=http://www.istl.org/08-fall/article2.html}}</ref> As technological innovations continue, libraries will be watching to find new, more personalized ways of interacting with remote reference users.
The range of cost-per-transaction of reference interactions has been found to be large, due to the differences in librarian salaries and infrastructural costs required by reference interviews.<ref>Murfin, Marjorie E. "Cost Analysis of Library Reference Services," Advances in Library Administration and Organization, 11, 1993, pp. 1–36.</ref><ref>Eakin, Lorraine, & Pomerantz, Jeffrey. "[https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/pla.0.0035 Virtual Reference, Real Money: Modeling Costs in Virtual Reference Services]," portal: Libraries and the Academy, 9, 2009, pp. 133-164.</ref>
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*Accept imperfection in conversations without spending time to go back and make corrections. Most words are recognizable through context.
*Become familiar with and use accepted IM abbreviations such as LOL (Laugh Out Loud).
At times, IM becomes challenging because of lack of non-verbal cues such as eye contact, and the perceived time pressure. Moreover, formulating the question online without the give and take of nonverbal cues and face to face conversation presents an added obstacle. In addition, to provide effective reference service through IM, it is important to meet higher level of information literacy standards. These standards include evaluating the information and its source, synthesizing the information to create new ideas or products, and understanding the societal, legal, and economic issues surrounding its use.<ref>Desai, Christina M. & Graves, Stephanie J. "Instruction via Instant Messaging reference: what’s happening?", The Electronic Library 24 (2) ( 2006): 174-189.</ref>
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# Virtual reference queries are sometimes followed-up with telephone, fax, in-person and regular mail interactions, even though these modes of communication are not considered virtual."<ref name="MARS">{{cite journal |author=MARS Digital Reference Guidelines Ad Hoc Committee |year=2004 |title=Guidelines for Implementing and Maintaining Virtual Reference Services |journal=Reference and User Services Quarterly |volume=44 |issue=1 |pages=9–14 |url=http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/virtrefguidelines.cfm}}</ref>
In January 2011 [[QuestionPoint]] and the ALA were in talks about offering a National Ask A Librarian service across the whole United States
==Other countries==
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==External links==
* [
▲* [http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Online_Reference Online Reference Section of the Library Success Wiki]
* [http://liswiki.org/wiki/Chat_reference_libraries Chat reference libraries] at the Library and Information Science (LIS) Wiki - list of libraries providing chat reference services
* [
* [
===Software vendors===
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===Providers===
;United States
* [[Ask a Librarian on duty]], Florida state's virtual reference service, provides live chat with co-browsing and email functions.
* [https://www.librarieshawaii.org/connect/staff/ask-a-librarian/ Ask a Librarian], Hawaii's statewide email reference service.
* [http://www.answerland.org/ Answerland], Oregon's statewide online chat and email reference service.
;United Kingdom
▲* [http://library.open.ac.uk Open University Library] LivePerson
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100925091720/http://nls.uk/info/readingrooms/askalibrarian.html Ask A Librarian (NLS)] provided by the National Library of Scotland
* [
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120118194016/http://www.nls.uk/using-the-library/ask-a-librarian National Library of Scotland's 'Ask a Librarian' service]
* [
;Spain
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