Starting and Operating Live Virtual Reference Services: A How-to-do-it Manual for Librarians

The minds behind Temple University's real-time virtual reference desk walk the reader through six key steps to starting and operating a virtual reference service: preparation and planning; selecting software; deciding on staffing patterns; training reference personnel; marketing your live virtual reference desk; and evaluating effectiveness. The authors identify five service models: basic; homegrown; advanced; collaborative; and corporate, and provide strategies and tips for each. Loaded with graphics, checklists and examples, this manual combines contemporary theory with the best examples of practical applications.