Facilitating Interaction: A Case Study on the Role of the Reference Librarian in Online Learning Environments

Libraries and librarians have been exploring the potential of using online environments to deliver their services. Email has been around for quite some time, but in the last few years there has been an explosion of virtual reference services using chat and SMS. This book is a case study of one virtual reference service, in which the librarian participants help paint a picture of what it means to work with their users online. A process of working on digital reference services is suggested in which librarians evaluate online questions, conduct some preliminary work on the question, answer it, and then provide suggestions to help the user further. The study suggests that in addition to their traditional roles as customer service oriented professionals and teachers, librarians in online learning environments become neutral facilitators of learning interactions.

Dr. John J. Doherty has read Arthurian Literature (University of Wales), Library Science (University of Arizona), and Curriculum and Instruction (Northern Arizona University, NAU). A former reference librarian, he is currently a part time instructor in Honors and Library Science at NAU and an Instructional Designer at the NAU e-Learning Center.