Digital reference service

Digital reference service is helping to change the face of reference services across libraries. This service has had a huge impact on libraries. Traditionally, library reference services were limited to the materials that a library owned. Now electronic means of communication are changing the way research can be done. The internet is also expanding traditional library collections and improving location and access to reference resources (e.g., ready reference materials and pathfinders through websites, access to catalogs and electronic reference sources through telnet). [Lankes, R. David. “AskAs: Lesson from K-12 Digital Reference Services.” Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 38, no. 1, Fall 1998: p. 63-71.] In addition to the ability to access more materials using the internet, reference services are not limited to the time that a library is open.

Digital reference service allows patrons to get information from a library at any time. Patrons can either access the library’s website, or use the late-night reference services that many libraries are beginning to utilize. These late-night references allow patrons to ask questions of reference librarians through programs such as “Ask a Librarian” or “IM a Librarian,” where patrons can send an instant message to librarians. This service also offers many more opportunities to do research, because a patron does not have to be local or even come to the library itself. It is popular with students who like the idea of not having to physically come to the library for information and/or instruction. [Johnston, Patricia E. “Digital Reference as an Instructional Tool.” Searcher, vol. 11, issue 3, March 2003: p. 31-33.]

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