Overview
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.
Full Product Details
Author: Diane K Kovacs
Publisher: Facet Publishing
Imprint: Facet Publishing
Dimensions:
Width: 15.10cm
, Height: 1.70cm
, Length: 23.00cm
Weight: 0.115kg
ISBN: 9781856046268
ISBN 10: 1856046265
Pages: 152
Publication Date: 15 March 2007
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.
Reviews
This virtual reference handbook does exactly what is says on the tin. It is a very comprehensive and informative structured handbook, designed for self-paced learning and it even has its own accompanying website...On the whole, this is a very thorough book about virtual reference skills (i.e. exactly what it says it is). - MMIT It is hard to find a fault in this little gem...This is a title that I shall certainly put on my reading list for students, and I can unreservedly recommend it to anyone struggling to get to grips with virtual reference work. - Journal of Documentation In summary, Kovacs' Handbook is a mine of information for somebody who has very limited technical skills and who has never worked in a reference service. - Library Review The book is thoroughly researched with extensive bibliographies and recommendations for further reading provided. The publication is a valuable toolkit for those seeking to transfer their skills to the electronic era. - Library and Information Research
"""This virtual reference handbook does exactly what is says on the tin. It is a very comprehensive and informative structured handbook, designed for self-paced learning and it even has its own accompanying website…On the whole, this is a very thorough book about virtual reference skills (i.e. exactly what it says it is)."" -- MmIT ""It is hard to find a fault in this little gem…This is a title that I shall certainly put on my reading list for students, and I can unreservedly recommend it to anyone struggling to get to grips with virtual reference work."" -- Journal of Documentation ""In summary, Kovacs' Handbook is a mine of information for somebody who has very limited technical skills and who has never worked in a reference service."" -- Library Review ""The book is thoroughly researched with extensive bibliographies and recommendations for further reading provided. The publication is a valuable toolkit for those seeking to transfer their skills to the electronic era."" -- Library and Information Research"
Author Information
Diane K. Kovacs is an online trainer and Internet workshop leader for the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association.
