2005 Conference

Toronto, Ontario
May 30 - June 3 / 30 mai - 3 juin, 2005
Delta Chelsea Hotel

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The Challenges and Opportunities of Virtual Reference: A Hands-on Experience
Diane Granfield & Mark Robertson
Tuesday May 31, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
Gerstein Library, University of Toronto

This workshop will provide an overview of virtual reference services with an emphasis on chat or real-time delivery. We will be exploring a number of issues involved in managing these services, including staffing models, training, privacy, evaluation, licensing, technical concerns and software. We will look at the interpersonal dynamics of the virtual reference exchange and how it compares to the interaction at the physical reference desk. Collaborative services are a prevalent administrative model and we will be considering the pros and cons of this approach. The session will also highlight recent research conducted on user preferences, behaviours and satisfaction. Hands on training will be included using the LSSI/Tutor.com software.

By the end of this course participants will be able to:

to make informed decisions about the potential of virtual reference services for particular library settings
understanding of some of the issues involved in setting up a virtual reference service
understand the pros and cons of various administrative structures for virtual reference services
use basic features of Tutor.com’s Virtual Reference Desk software

Course outline:

8:30-8:45	Introduction
8:45-9:00	Administrative Models of VR
9:00-9:30	Software: Licensing, Technical issues – incl. demonstration of Tutor.com
9:30-10:00	Privacy and other issues
10:00-10:15	Break
10:15-11:00	Transcripts Exercise
11:00-12:00	Hands-On with Tutor.com
12:00-12:30	Wrap-Up

Instructors: Diane Granfield & Mark Robertson

Diane Granfield is a reference and collections librarian in the Information and Learning Commons at Ryerson University. Ryerson University has been involved in a chat reference service for the past four years, building on an existing email reference service. She is a co-founder of the Ontario Collaborative Virtual Reference Project, one of the first VR collaborations in the country. This joint initiative provided real time virtual reference services for Ryerson, York and Guelph universities. She is coordinator of Ryerson’s virtual reference services and is currently on sabbatical conducting research into virtual reference.

Mark Robertson is a reference librarian at York University at the Scott Library. Prior to York University he was a librarian at the AIDS Committee of Toronto. Mark has been the virtual reference coordinator at York for three years. He is a co-founder of the Ontario Collaborative Virtual Reference Project, one of the first VR collaborations in the country. This joint initiative provided real time virtual reference services for Ryerson, York and Guelph universities. Mark is currently conducting research on users of virtual reference services with a focus on user preferences for getting research help.

Updated: April 21, 2005