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Dear Colleague: Greetings! We are writing to invite you to participate in a research study of virtual reference services (VRS). Please consider participating in this project if you currently provide VRS in health-related information settings or you are associated with VRS systems in one of the following: * an academic biomedical/health sciences library * a hospital library * a special bio-health-related library * a VRS system with health-related services The purposes of the study are: 1) to identify the required VRS knowledge and skills for health-related information services, 2) to integrate them into the LIS curriculum, and 3) to disseminate the results so as to promote the improvement of VRS education, continuing education, and professional development provided in LIS programs. The data collection involves surveying information professionals who currently provide VRS in health-related information settings and the personnel associated with VRS systems. Questionnaires in Microsoft Word format will be sent to participants via email and will be returned the same way. The questionnaire is designed for ease of response and will take little of your time. The researchers will send each participant a report of the findings. The PI is Dr. Feili Tu, Assistant Professor of the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina (SLIS/USC). The CO-PI is Nancy Zimmerman, PH.D., Associate Professor of the SLIS/USC. Two SLIS graduate students, Julie Boller and Mary Kristen Jeffcoat, are serving as the support staff in this research. We would be deeply appreciative if you would participate in this study and we look forward to hearing from you. Please contact Dr. Feili Tu at [log in to unmask] to participate. Your contributions will make a difference to our study and our profession. Thank you. Sincerely, Feili Tu, Ph.D. Nancy Zimmerman, Ph.D. Feili Tu, Ph.D. Assistant Professor School of Library and Information Science College of Mass Communications and Information Studies University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208 Voice:(803) 777-1026 E-Mail: [log in to unmask] E come vivo? Vivo! (And how do I live? I live) -- La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini