Whither the "Virtual Reference Desk"?

[Jerry Kuntz]

The past couple of weeks I've been doing a lot of surfing collecting
links for a "virtual reference desk" page, eg sites with links to
sources for frequently asked questions at reference desks...must report
that what I've seen has been disappointing: poorly organized and
maintained sites (including some of the most "famous", i.e. frequently
mentioned reference sites.)
What's the story? Are reference librarians really not using these
virtual reference desk sites in favor of search engines and subject
guides? Is maintenance such an overwhelming task?

			Jerry Kuntz
			Electronic Resources Consultant
			Ramapo Catskill Library System
			jkuntz at mhv.net

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