Many libraries today, whether they are academic, public, special, etc., provide reference service to patrons using chat and instant messaging applications. Virtual reference (also called "digital reference") is library reference service offered online or electronically. This type of reference is extremely helpful to distance learners who are not able to come to the library as well as patrons who feel somewhat intimidated by approaching the reference desk and asking a librarian for help. It is also useful to those who simply have very busy lives and can obtain reference help on-the-go.
There are several different types of virtual reference. There are: email reference, chat reference, and SMS (text messaging via cell phones). Unlike email reference which is asynchronous, chat reference is synchronous. That means that it happens in real time and the user does not need to wait for a response as they do with email.
There are different types of software that are available that enable chat reference. While some libraries use AOL instant mesenger (AIM), there are applications that are designed specifically for virtual reference in libraries. Some examples are:
QuestionPoint: Developed by OCLC, QuestionPoint integrates chat, email, and chat widget (will talk about widgets next) into one complete reference management system.
Ask a Librarian: Ask a Librarian is Florida's statewide collaborative live virtual reference service. It is currently an official service of the Florida Electronic Library and has about 103 participating libraries in the state of Florida, including public libraries, school libraries, and college/university libraries. The University of South Florida libraries uses Ask a Librarian for providing virtual reference service to patrons. Take a look at the USF Libraries Ask a Librarian page.
Text a Librarian: An American Library Association (ALA)-approved text messaging reference software provider, powered by Mosio.
KnowItNow 24x7: Ohio's statwide live reference service with email followups. This service is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Note: Webforms are also used to enable digital reference service. USF Libraries' e-journal access and database access problem forms are an example of this. See here: USF Libraries Service Forms
Information Literacy: This type of reference service and flexibility of librarians for providing research help can be marketed to students during teaching sessions or by an embedded librarian in the online environment. It is very useful for distance learners since it does not require the patron to be in the physical library in order to receive reference assistance. When it comes to chat in general, it can also be a way that an information literacy instructor makes themselves available to students for questions. There are many platforms that would make this possible. Even if a librarian simply has a Facebook page, there is a chat function built into that social networking tool. A librarian could let students know when they are available for chat, kind of like virtual office hours, and students could contact the librarian for questions.
I learned more about Ask a Librarian, which is very helpful to me since I have heard the librarians in my library talk about it on a variety of occasions but was never quite sure what it was or how it was being used. If I encounter it in the future as a librarian, I will have some background info. and that is always helpful.
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