[WEB4LIB] RE: What's wrong with virtual reference?

[Dan Lester]

Friday, December 6, 2002, 8:57:53 AM, you wrote:

SB> And an individual user may prefer different forms at different
SB> points in time, depending on the context of his or her specific information
SB> need.

This is a key point, and one that those on either extreme of the
argument are prone to forget.

SB> The author states "...almost all forms of digital reference are slow --
SB> slower than telephone discussions, slower than one-on-one, face-to-face
SB> interaction." Regarding face-to-face interaction I guess maybe "slow" is in
SB> the eye of the beholder. From the perspective of the user who has to make a
SB> trip to the library to get "face-to-face", virtual reference may not seem
SB> quite so slow.

For comparable requests/service, the times may not be that much
different. I know from experience that we all count "reference
transactions" and "directional transactions" and so forth differently.
But if all of the "quick answer" questions, however labelled, that
you will never get over virtual reference, the numbers are probably
not as far apart as they might at first appear.

SB> Also, having to do with "slowness", the piece cites a couple of studies that
SB> say that the "average digital reference transaction runs nearly ten
SB> minutes," and then goes on to note that virtual reference sessions take
SB> "considerably longer than other forms of reference." OK, it's been a number
SB> of years since I've been behind a reference desk, but if face-to-face
SB> reference transactions take considerably less than ten minutes, what kind of
SB> service is being provided?

I still work four hours a week at reference, if for no other reason
than to remind myself that I'm a real librarian, plus trying to keep
in touch with the "real world" of users.  I'd say that most university
reference transactions (and excluding the "directional" and such) are
well under five minutes.  They're helping someone interpret a table in
Statistical Abstract, showing them how to find the author they are
looking for in Something About The Author, explaining how to use Soc
Abstracts on the web, and so forth.  We keep statistics on the
questions taking up to 5, 5-15, and over 15 minutes.  The vast
majority are under five minutes, and those taking over 15 are quite
infrequent.

SB> Finally, a general editorial thing that maybe only bothers me because I want
SB> to add this piece to my digital reference services bibliography. In the
SB> table of contents and at the beginning of the article one author is listed
SB> (Steve McKenzie), while the "about the authors" blurb at the end lists two
SB> authors (Steve McKenzie and Jonathan D. Lauer). I want to be able to give
SB> credit where credit is due.

At the top only the first author is listed.  Right below the first
horizontal bar they're both listed.  Interestingly, the second author
is in a smaller font size.  That's the first time I've ever seen
anything other than sequence indicating the relative importance of the
two authors.

cheers

dan

-- 
Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan at RiverOfData.com 208-283-7711
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
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