Hello,
I am currently writing a paper on Digital Reference for the Networked Services Policy Task Group, sponsored by Resource, UKOLN, and CILIP. The Task Group, originally under the auspices of EARL, UKOLN, and the LA, is planning a series of papers on technology issues in public libraries, including such topics as digitisation; authentication; metadata; partnerships; resource sharing; security; website standards, following on from the very successful original series which can be found http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/public/earl/issuepapers/.
An important component of the Digital Reference paper will be examples of UK models of digital reference, whether it be through email, web form, or especially chat or videoreference (anyone still doing MOOs out there?). I am also interested in local collaborative services.
We have the excellent example of Gateshead’s chat service (http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/libraries/index.html) ; Ask A Librarian (http://www.ask-a-librarian.org.uk) is still going strong, adding new libraries and conducting a chat trial, under Co-East sponsorship; and there is the interesting service, Follow the Sun: the Three Continents Help Desk, a joint initiative involving LSE and Australian and American libraries (http://www.lse.ac.uk/itservices/help/Helpdesk/rehds.htm).
Please send examples of any other services to [log in to unmask]
Thanks,
Linda
Linda Berube
Co-East http://www.co-east.net
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