The Virtual Reference Handbook

Instant messaging, email, and chat reference are already here, but have you adapted your traditional reference interview and information provision skills to these new formats? Diane K. Kovacs has assembled this handbook to help reference librarians develop the communication skills and resources they need to work effectively in the digital reference environment. The handbook demonstrates how to adapt traditional face-to-face reference interview skills to the virtual interview, and how to interpret and use new communication techniques - chat slang, instant messaging shorthand, emoticons, etc - to better serve your users. For both chat and email transactions, the author outlines strategies for analysing the question, conducting the interview, developing a search strategy, and delivering sources in the best information formats for users. Packed with guidance throughout on how to deliver content that is truly timely and value-added, this practical guide offers everything reference librarians need to move from the face-to-face to the virtual transaction with ease.