Disadvantages of email reference queries

[danforth]

Simpler to use, and more accessible for people without sophisticated
software, equipment, etc would be the text based Virtual Envirtonment that
we have used of
our Librarians' Online Support Team.  It can contain a number of tools, and
allow patron and librarian to communicate in real time.  Technically, all
that is needed is telnet, or a simple to load client.

You can see information at:

http://www.wlu.edu/~cmorton/lost.html   

Isabel


At 09:32 PM 9/22/96 -0700, you wrote:
>An online reference librarian who receives an email query from a user
>can be at a disadvantage in comparison to is or her "real time"
>counterpart.  The online librarian cannot assess a user's needs face to
>face, through direct and spontaneous communication, observation, and
>other non-verbal communication cues.  In order to clarify a user's
>question and ascertain his or her needs, an exchange of several email
>messages may ensue before the librarian is able to provide instruction,
>retrieve the appropriate information, or provide a referral.
>
>Do listserve members think an effective reference/user interface can be
>implemented online; one which allows for direct and spontaneous
>communication, and a timely provision of service?  Could
>videoconferencing provide such a format?
>
>
>William Van De Mark
>MLS/Long-distance program
>Syracuse University
>billvdm at frontiernet.net
>
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Isabel L. Danforth     Reference Librarian, Wethersfield Public Library
danforth at tiac.net     	Co-Director of Librarians' Online Support Team
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