Data indicate: people love personalized assistance; more complex questions come virtually than in physical spaces; convenience and expertise mattersVirtual reference seems to sit as this fascinating intersection of the practice of reference and librarianship, the changing place where most people/users typically "are" when working and thinking, and also the way that our needs for connection and affirmation have shifted with our use of digital spaces. I've been thinking about what it means that people actually want to connect more online and over more complex problem-solving -- and I don't have a specific answer, but a number of questions:
- How does a shift from an interaction in a communal physical space to a one-on-one digital space relate to broader shifts in the United States away from institutional affiliations and more towards customization and personalization? (Beyond the tech aspect, I'm thinking here of some of Robert Putnam's arguments in his 2000 book Bowling Alone
- If virtual reference librarians are not wholly bound by physical spaces anymore, what is their relationship to the physical or institutional library? Would their success in virtual reference pave the way for new types of virtual help/assistance/relationships/advising? What do virtual reference librarians have to learn from e-counselors, for example, or vice versa?
- How does the degree of "personal thumbprint" in the virtual reference interaction - such as including a name and photo of the librarian - impact the success of the virtual reference encounter? (There's probably a strong parallel here to therapy/counseling practices, which AFAIK show that a little disclosure can be helpful for building rapport but too much personality/ego presence from the clinician can worsen the efficacy of the interaction)
- What does "roving reference" look like online? Is it those annoying little chat boxes on sites trying to sell you something!? I hope not.. are there other possibilities for meeting online users where they are, perhaps?
I really enjoyed the talk in class and am curious to see how virtual reference continues to shift and evolve, and whether some new format beyond text-based online chat is inevitable/emerging right now.
How did you know BOWLING ALONE is on my requests list at AADL? :) I bet this week's reading illuminated the "roving" reference idea (one of your colleagues described it as what the Old Navy employees do, though doubtless headset-free in libraries due to budget cuts). Excellent point about personal identity -- I can comment on that from our work developing webinar criteria and presenters -- we often introduce folks showing their picture to "ground" the audience in who that person is. (Bandwidth issues in rural K-12 & libraries and the fact that most webinar presenters aren't doing anything visual worth capturing means we almost always turn off the video camera feature.) It also introduces new data for the trolls out there ... so looking at the impact of personalization on online dating sites, for example, might be interesting ...
ReplyDeleteI do a lot of online training with libraries spread across US and Canada. I found that when I started using a webcam during our training sessions (which 100% is not needed!) it really helped me to develop a better relationship and rapport with my trainees. I think there is a lot of value in adding a personal element.
ReplyDeleteYour idea of looking to other virtual assistance/counseling/etc to see what is applicable to virtual reference is a very interesting idea. It seems very likely that there are things to be gained by observing and adapting from other specialist in the area of virtual help. This is a really thoughtful suggestion.
You questions and folks discussion about the degree of personalization in virtual librarianship are particularly interesting given a lot of the "traditional" roles and professional personalities of librarians. I'm thinking of the historical texts we've read and even some of the newer readings - despite a consistent call about customer service and connecting with your patrons, there is still very much the reinforcement of a somewhat anonymous "librarian" identity. A lot of personal disclosure and current online culture (social media, blogging, sharing personal info and photos) I think is a bit foreign many libraries - though I can see that changing as I think it has to to "meet users where they are" online and increase engagement through personal librarian profiles online "Meet Your Librarian" or having people be able to contact a specific librarian based on their profile (compatibility, personal id, etc.).
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