Web-based (Moodle) course - Register
to work -at-your-own-pace anytime - 15 CE from the MLA
Topic 1. Virtual Reference Technical Competencies -
Self-Assessment and Basics
Topic 2. Basic Technical Skills for the Effective
Virtual Reference Interview
Topic 3. Communications Competencies - Self-Assessment and Practice Virtual Reference Interviewing as
a User and Librarian
Topic 4. Maintaining Virtual Reference Communications
Skills and Knowledge
Topic 5. Reference Competencies - Self-Assessment and Basics
Topic 6. Virtual Reference Polices, Administration, Resources
and Document Delivery
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Overview
Virtual Reference Competencies: Technical, Communications,
and Reference Skills and Knowledge is a primarily asynchronous seminar, allowing participants to work through
course material at times convenient to them throughout the three Topic scheduled
course time. Participants may also choose to schedule online chat time with
the teacher, as they feel necessary. Specific material and learning activities
will be covered during each Topic of the course. Threaded discussion forums
are available for use in learning activities and other course-related conversations.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will:
- assess and improve your ability to type on a computer keyboard and make
use of other related input devices (mouse, trackball, touchpad, etc.)
- assess and improve your work with multiple software applications on a computer
with multiple windows, to move appropriately between windows/applications,
and to move quickly and mindfully between multiple activities chatting, searching
print or electronic sources, etc. (minimal multi-tasking)
- evaluate and add to your detailed functional knowledge of how to access
the Internet, use Internet e-mail, connect to Web sites
- increase your detailed functional knowledge of at least one Web browser
- cultivate your awareness of the basic technologies that any given virtual
reference service user may or may not be using, have access to, or be limited
by
- develop awareness of the chat software specifics for a given system you
are going to be using then develop:
- detailed functional knowledge of the specific chat software used by
your library or other organization for chat reference
- cultivate awareness of how to connect to and chat through Web-based chat
software, Instant Messaging, etc.
- add to your awareness of the options for document or information delivery
- practice sending files as attachments in e-mail
- understand when and how to make use of other file transfer options (e.g.,
Instant Messaging, ftp, Web posting)
- develop awareness of common computer file formats for information transfer/document
delivery (e.g., .txt, .doc .html .gif .jpg .mpg, .pdf)
- cultivate detailed functional knowledge of your local e-mail system and
its limitations as well as general awareness of the functionality of email
software used by others.
- make use of options to download, install, and use toolbars, search engines,
plug-ins, and other helpful browser extensions.
- assess your ability to use a document scanner to scan print materials to
be faxed and/or saved for transfer to the user (e.g., send as attachments
by e-mail, file transfer options)
- have the ability and awareness of the need to continue learning technical, communications,
and reference skills and knowledge
- have the awareness and understanding of good reference interviewing skills and techniques
- Detailed functional knowledge of good reference interviewing skills
and techniques
- have the ability to empathize with virtual reference users during a virtual reference
interview, and to understand something of the culture and social environment
of the Internet
- have the ability to explain library and research processes without using library
jargon
- have the awareness of the need to imagine and project a professional persona as
part of library participation in the Internet community – ‘library space’
on the Web
- have the ability to provide information without making value judgments, to maintain
and project professional objectivity
- have the ability to carefully and quickly read and respond to the text typed by
a library user and displayed on a computer monitor - communicating to the
user that you are ‘listening'
- have the understanding of the need and the ability to ‘be their’ for the virtual
reference user – avoiding 'silence'
- have the understanding of when and how to teach or instruct during a virtual reference
transaction
- have the awareness of when and how to provide follow-up, referrals, or to request
consultations with other professionals
- have the ability to work with multiple users in a virtual reference only environment
- have the ability to work with multiple users in a mixed virtual reference and face-to-face
environment
- have detailed functional knowledge of typing quickly and fluently on a computer
keyboard in order to communicate - typing fluency
- have the ability to be approachable -- to maintain and project a welcoming and enthusiastic
reference service attitude through text-based communications
- have the awareness of and ability to apply organizational policies relevant to
any given user of a specific virtual reference service
- have detailed functional knowledge of ready-reference sources of information,
such as encyclopedias, almanacs, indices, bibliographies and standard reference
works in print and electronic formats
- have the awareness of the best or core reference sources available in print and
electronic formats, and of the range of information resources that may be
used in the delivery of reference services for selected subjects and general
reference
- have the ability to conduct good reference interviews, to analyze reference questions
using knowledge of the structures, organization, and accessibility of information
in print and electronic formats
- have the awareness of the need to and ability to evaluate information resources
for their appropriateness in level, scope, and format for a given user
- have the ability to develop effective and flexible search strategies including keyword
and Boolean searching in library catalogs, licensed databases, and Web search
engines
- have the awareness of the scope and limitations of Web search engines
- have the ability to perform advanced searches in at least one major Web search engine
(e.g., Google, Ask.com, Yahoo!)
- have the awareness of the scope and limitations of and the ability to use freely
accessible Web reference tools (e.g., Wikipedia, IMDb, Crime Library)
- have the awareness of the need and the ability to evaluate information quality of
Web published information, but also to think critically about all sources
of information
- have the awareness of the fee-based or licensed databases accessible to both the
virtual reference librarian and any given user of virtual reference services
- Detailed functional knowledge of the fee-based or licensed databases
accessible to both the virtual reference librarian and any given user
of virtual reference services
- have the awareness of how and where to search local holdings information for print
and electronic resources
- have the awareness of how and where to search the catalogs of other libraries and
library organizations
- have the awareness of and ability to apply the available options for appropriate
information referrals
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Audience
Librarians and Library paraprofessionals who want to assess and improve their
technical, communications, and reference skills for virtual reference services or for those who are training
librarians and library paraprofessionals in technical, communications, and reference skills for virtual
reference services.
Some basic reference service experience is assumed. Level of instruction is
beginners or for those training beginners in providing virtual reference services.
Participants should know how to use e-mail and a current standard Web Browser
e.g., Firefox, or IE 6 or higher is preferred.
Tuition
and Registration
Register anytime to work-at-your-own-pace with a Web teacher through e-mail, chat and Moodle. $175. 20 hours.
Required
and Recommended Course Material:
All of the required readings for the course will be available on-line or in the text:
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About the
Web Teacher
Diane K. Kovacs is President of Kovacs Consulting - Internet &Web Training.She has been a Web Teacher and Consultant for nearly 20 years. She designs and teaches Web-based and in-person courses for organizations and individuals including UIUC GSLIS LEEP, ACR, MLA, NEO-RLS, NTRLS, SEFLIN, WNYRLC, and others. Diane has been designing and teaching Web-based and in-person MLA Approved CE Courses since 2001
Her most recent book is The Kovacs Guide to Electronic Library Collection Development: Essential Core Subject Collections, Selection Criteria, and Guidelines, 2nd Edition (2009) Neal-Schuman Publishers. The Virtual Reference Handbook: Interview and Information Delivery Techniques for the Chat and E-Mail Environments Neal-Schuman Publishers (2007) was published concurrently in the United Kingdom by Facet Publishers (2007).
Genealogical Research on Web was published in 2002. How to Find Medical Information on the Internet: A Print and Online Tutorial for the Health Care Professional and Consumer (2000) (Library Solutions Press) and Building Electronic Library Collections: The Essential Guide to Selection Criteria and Core Collections (Neal-Schuman) were both published in 2000.
Diane's first book The Internet Trainer's Guide was published in 1995. The Internet Trainer's Total Solution Guide was published in 1997. She has also co-authored with her husband Michael Kovacs, Cybrarians Guide to Successful Internet Programs and Services which was published by Neal-Schuman in 1997.
Diane Kovacs is the 2000 recipient of the "Documents to the People" award from the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association. She was also the recipient of the Apple Corporation Library's, Internet Citizen Award for 1992 and was the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science Alumni Association's first recipient of the Leadership Award in 1996.
Diane received an M.S. in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois in 1989 and an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from Kent State University in 1993. She has a B.A. in Anthropology also from the University of Illinois, 1985.