Reference Services Review: Volume 29 Issue 3

Visionary pragmatism in an e‐library environment

Ilene F. Rockman

Recent technological and organizational changes in library services and the book publishing industry have underscored the need for libraries to re‐examine their core values in an…

Developing a model to provide digital reference services

James A. Stemper, John T. Butler

Developing digital reference services within a large library system requires managing fundamental organizational issues before applying technological strategies. Using the…

An analytical survey of chat reference services

Stephen Francoeur

There has been in recent years a surge of interest about new software products that make it possible for libraries to offer assistance to online users via chat. Such software…

Live virtual reference: more work and more opportunity

Rory Patterson

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Library uses Library Systems & Services’ (LSSI) Virtual Reference Desk (VRS) to provide live reference via the Internet. Energy Library…

Digital reference: a case study of question types in an academic library

Wendy Diamond, Barbara Pease

An analysis of reference questions received by the digital reference service of a medium‐sized academic library over a two‐year period showed that the service could handle the…

Teaching an online information literacy course

Kate Manuel

Academic librarians have been creating Web‐based tutorials in support of their institutions’ distance education course and remote students for some time. For‐credit, distance…

The new black bag: PDAs, health care and library services

Jean P. Shipman, Andrew C. Morton

Many health‐care professionals are reaching for their palm‐size computer or personal digital assistant (PDA) as their latest indispensable health‐care instrument. How can…

Locally developed Web‐enabled databases: new roles and opportunities for libraries

Paul T. Adalian, Judy Swanson

By moving beyond static Web page development, the Cal Poly Library created new, interactive Web services for students and faculty using the power of Java and the robustness of…

The impact of an automated storage and retrieval system on public services

Linda Shirato, Sarah Cogan, Sandra Yee

In June 1998, the Bruce T. Halle Library opened on Eastern Michigan University’s campus and began using an automated storage and retrieval system for low‐use books and…