Hello,
I'd like to draw your attention to a new publication that provides
suggestions and guidelines for building and maintaining Internet-based
question/answer information services (also known as digital reference
services). The _AskA Starter Kit: How to Build and Maintain Digital
Reference Services_, published by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information &
Technology, contains a set of six self-instructional modules that guide
readers through the common steps involved in creating and managing digital
reference services. The steps include surveying the organization's
environment, creating a digital reference plan, training staff, testing the
service, launching the service, and evaluating service quality. The
evaluation chapter explores issues in evaluating digital reference services
based on practices used in traditional library reference evaluation.
This handbook is written primarily for libraries, professional associations,
government agencies, academic institutions, and organizations that
specialize in a given subject area or skill. Real-life experiences from
existing digital reference services like AskERIC, the National Museum of
American Art Reference Desk, NASA's Ask the Space Scientist, KidsConnect,
Ask Dr. Math, and Morris County Library's electronic reference service,
provide helpful hints for new services.
A complete press release is available at:
http://www.vrd.org/StarterKit/SKPress.html
Order information is available at: http://ericir.syr.edu/ithome/pubsorder.html
Thank you,
Abby Kasowitz
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Abby Kasowitz
Coordinator, Virtual Reference Desk Project
[log in to unmask]
www.vrd.org
Information Institute of Syracuse/
ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology
315-443-3640
800-464-9107
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