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Title:
Implementing Digital Reference Services
Review:
My first thought on reading the title of this book was "At last, a
book offering practical help and advice" and I have to say the book
does deliver. It's full of information, models and tips valuable to
anyone new to or working in the field of digital reference.
Digital reference is a hot topic in the UK and although this book is
focused on services in American library and information centres, it is
relevant to an international audience. The issues addressed will be
similar and there are lessons to be learned from the successes and
hurdles experienced by the various authors. There are sections which
deal with legal issues, such as privacy and copyright, so the level of
detail there may not be as relevant. The book is based on papers
delivered at the Third Annual Virtual Reference Desk Digital Reference
Conference held in 2001; papers have been compiled and updated.
The book is organised into six parts:
1. Identifying the need for digital reference services -- which
outlines the issues involved in designing services by focusing on
two very different examples
2. Managing key digital reference issues -- concentrates on the broad
themes of copyright, privacy and the use of artificial intelligence
3. Implementing a real-time reference service -- looks at the
different options for delivering live reference, from the basic
email to more complex chat systems
4. Conceiving and implementing collaborative reference services --
details the pros and cons of working collaboratively and considers
issues such as user needs and standards
5. Using key findings from research in digital reference -- attempts
to "bridge the gap" between theory and practical by describing how
current research can help to inform future development and
discussing key research results
6. Evaluating digital reference service quality -- considers the
various approaches to evaluation and presents a literature review
and results from a national project
The book itself is presented well - A4-ish size and a decent typeface.
This makes it easy to read for lazy readers like me - so many
library-related books have tiny text which makes my eyes water!
Probably more of a desktop reference book than a take-on-the-train book
just because of its size; but one that you can dip into now and again.
Some of the highlights for me were:
* A comparison between ask-a-librarian and ask-an-expert services,
interesting given the reaction to Google Answers when it was
launched (librarians come out on top, reassuringly!)
* A set of recommended policies and procedures for delivering live
services
* The focus on real services, giving an insight into how projects and
services were delivered, with detail such as timescales,
specifications and lessons learned
The book offers a practical insight into issues around planning,
delivering and evaluating, with reference to the research base. It
addressed and answered a lot of the questions I had and I found the
range of services described interesting. My overall impression is a
book well worth reading if digital reference interests you at all.
Free Pint Reviewer:
Alison Turner is Library Partnerships Co-ordinator with the National
electronic Library for Health <http://www.nelh.nhs.uk>, a service
based in the National Health Service in England, with the aim of
promoting evidence-based decision-making. Alison has worked in health
libraries for 9 years, and previously worked in the academic and
research sectors.
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