Outsourcing virtual reference?

[Sloan, Bernie]

In a posting earlier this afternoon (in comments directed at Steve Coffman's
recent AL article) Walt Crawford mentioned paying vendors to handle virtual
reference questions...

That prompts me to ask an intentionally provocative question:  "What's wrong
with outsourcing virtual reference services?"

No, I am not espousing doing this. I can think of arguments both pro and con
for outsourcing. But I think it's a topic that's worth discussing.

Bernie Sloan
Senior Library Information Systems Consultant, ILCSO
University of Illinois Office for Planning and Budgeting
616 E. Green Street, Suite 213
Champaign, IL  61820

Phone: (217) 333-4895
Fax:   (217) 265-0454
E-mail: bernies at uillinois.edu