91´«Ã½

Chicago—91´«Ã½ Editions announces a new iteration of our popular eCourse, . Sujin Huggins will serve as the instructor for a 4-week facilitated eCourse starting on Monday, January 9, 2017.

Estimated Hours of Learning: 24

Certificate of Completion available upon request



Learning outcomes

After participating in this eCourse, you will:

• Understand the basic tenets and nuances of virtual reference
• Identify and manipulate tools used to conduct virtual reference
• Analyze and conduct virtual reference interviews
• Understand and perform a variety of search strategies in the virtual environment

Reference services do not just occur face-to-face anymore—they occur over email, Twitter and Facebook—the ways are endless. Reference 2.0 (virtual reference) is unavoidable in the current digital landscape and is increasingly being offered by public and academic libraries throughout the U.S. It is also the least intuitive of the various forms of reference delivery for those who are not as comfortable with or proficient in the use of these tools.

In this eCourse, expert Sujin Huggins will walk you through the standards, processes, and pitfalls of virtual reference. You’ll learn how to facilitate the active use of these services where they are offered.

eCourse outline

Week 1: The Nature of Virtual Reference

• Contents:
  • Defining virtual reference: What it is and what it isn’t.
  • Exploring RUSA guidelines for effective virtual reference service
  • The differences between virtual reference and face-to-face reference
  • Issues and challenges with virtual reference delivery
• Materials:
  • Slide presentation (multimedia)
  • Articles and websites for reading
• Assignments:
  • Short reflection on your personal and professional experience with virtual reference
  • Short response to assigned articles

Week 2: Virtual Reference Tools and Platforms

• Contents:
  • The nature of Reference 2.0
  • Subscription-based platforms
  • Free commercial applications for Instant Messaging
  • Mobile or internet-based phone for SMS delivery
  • Streaming media – including blogs, wikis, social networking applications
  • Virtual world reference
• Materials:
  • Slide presentation (multimedia)
  • Articles and websites
• Assignments:
  • Inventory and analysis of Reference 2.0 services at a selected library (can be based on your home institution if available). Worksheet provided.
  • Short response to assigned articles and supplementary resources

Week 3: Conducting a Virtual Reference Interview

• Contents:
  • Strategies for conducting a virtual reference interview: best practices and pitfalls to avoid
    • Establishing rapport
    • Negotiating the question
    • Testing the waters/involving the patron
    • Closing the transaction
• Materials:
  • Slide presentation (multimedia)
  • Articles and web resources
  • Chat transcripts
  • Library websites based on the criteria discussed in this week’s presentation.
  • Role -play conducting a virtual reference interview with an assigned classmate. Post the transcript
• Assignments:
  • Analyze 3-4 of the virtual reference transcripts provided.
  • Virtual reference service report. Select a library that offers virtual reference service and ask a question as a patron using that service. Analyze the effectiveness of the transaction and a brief analysis

Week 4: Search strategies in virtual reference

• Contents:
  • Exploring online reference collections and open-access resources
  • Effective search strategies for time-sensitive responses
  • Providing answers in various virtual forums/instructing the user
  • Course wrap up and reflections
• Materials
  • Slide presentation (multimedia)
  • Articles and web resources
  • Tips from reference librarians
• Assignments
  • Question quiz: categorizing the answer; visualizing the answer; suggesting an answer
  • Short learning reflection

About the Instructor

Sujin Huggins is an Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University. She holds MLIS and PhD degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sujin teaches courses in youth services librarianship and children's literature, reference and online services, and community informatics. Prior to pursuing the doctoral degree, she worked as a librarian at the National Library of Trinidad and Tobago.

Registration for this 91´«Ã½ Editions facilitated eCourse, which begins on January 9, 2017, can be purchased at the . Participants in this course will need regular access to a computer with an internet connection for online message board participation, viewing online video, listening to streaming audio (MP3 files), and downloading and viewing PDF and PowerPoint files.

publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. 91´«Ã½ authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact 91´«Ã½ Editions at editionscoursehelp@ala.org.

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