Virtual reference involves providing reference help to users remotely through chat or instant messaging. It offers synchronous help for users who cannot visit the physical library. Popular tools for virtual reference include Meebo, Trillian, and Question Point. Key parts of a virtual reference transaction include greeting the patron, asking questions to determine their information need, searching for and providing resources to help answer their question, verifying their understanding, and following up as needed. Librarians are advised to keep messages brief and frequent to maintain communication when helping patrons virtually.

1. Virtual ReferenceMelissa Bowles-TerryInstruction & Assessment CoordinatorUniversity of Wyoming Libraries

2. What is virtual reference?Francoeur, Stephen. Digital Reference Options. Presentation for WebJunction, 30 September 2009.

3. Why Try Virtual Reference?Provides synchronous help for remote usersMany library users (particularly teens and young adults) are very comfortable with the IM format. Consider your audience!

4. Popular Tools for Chat/IMMeeboTrillianQuestion PointLibraryh3lpSee more chat widget options: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/10_chat_widgets.php

5. Parts of the TransactionGreet the patronAsk open and closed questions to determine information needsSearch and provide instruction on how to use sourcesVerify that the patron understands search results and is finding appropriate informationFollow-up and/or refer, when appropriate, to other librarians or appropriate locations

6. Parts of the Transaction: Greeting

7. Parts of the Transaction: Questioning

8. Parts of the Transaction: SearchingWhen the searching gets complicated, a picture is worth a thousand words! Send users a screenshot of what you’re doing.

9. Parts of the Transaction: Check for Understanding

10. Parts of the Transaction: Follow-Up

11. Tips for ChattingKeep in touch – Send messages to the patron every 1-2 minutes. Silence is not OK.

12. BreakMessagesUp – Send about a line of text at a time. Writing whole paragraphs at once takes too much time.

13. IMHO – Chat/IM culture is typically informal. Mirror the patron’s level of formality/informality (but don’t use too many acronyms).

14. Be on the same page – Send the patron links and describe how they can get to the resources you are using during the search.

15. Come back soon – Patrons may want to look over information you send them and come back to you later. Give them the opportunity to do so.

16. Create a list of commonly used phrases to drop into your end of the chat.

17. If you have face-to-face patrons and chat at the same reference desk, consider whether face-to-face transactions take precedence over chat. If they do, then be sure to write a quick message to the chat patron saying, “I’ll be with you in 3 minutes.”Some WY Libraries Using Chat/IMLaramie County Library (http://www.lclsonline.org/services/askalibrarian/)Teton County Library (http://www.tclib.org/index.php/about_tcl/chat/) University of Wyoming Libraries (http://www-lib.uwyo.edu/services/ask.cfm)

18. Questions?Comments?

19. More Information: ReadingsReference and User Services Association Guidelines for Implementing and Maintaining Virtual Reference Services: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/virtrefguidelines.cfm

20. Trends in Digital Reference: http://www.teachinglibrarian.org/weblog/2009/02/trends-in-digital-reference.html (check out other posts on this blog, too, if you’re interested)

21. The Effects of Librarians’ Behavioral Performance on User Satisfaction in Chat Reference Services from Reference and User Services Quarterly: http://www.rusq.org/2008/01/06/the-effects-of-librarians-behavioral-performance-on-user-satisfaction-in-chat-reference-services-2/More Information: Video

22. HomeworkUse the Ask a Librarian virtual reference service at a library and see what the user experience is like. Be sure and ask a genuine question that you have, so that the experience will be as authentic as possible. Did the librarian welcome you? Stay in constant communication? Answer your question satisfactorily? Post in the comments about your experience. No need to state which library you visited, just share your experience with us.Here are a few libraries to try. Some libraries restrict virtual reference services to users of their particular library, so I’d suggest steering clear of those. The reference services below are open for anyone to use: New York Public Library: http://www.nypl.org/questions/chat.html

23. Duke University Libraries: http://library.duke.edu/services/ask/

24. University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries: http://www.library.wisc.edu/ask/

25. Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries: http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/libraries/services/ask.html