Ask Questions and Get Answers Online, in Real Time

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Ask Questions and Get AnswersOnline, in Real
Time
Susan Ware, Penn State Delaware County Campus,
saw4_at_psu.edu
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• Scope of Pilot Project
• Service Hours Sunday Thursday, 9pm-12am
• 4 student populations
• Undergraduates at branch commuter campus
• Undergraduates at branch dorm campus
• Undergraduates at main campus
• Graduate distance education students
• 8 librarians/3 service modes
• 2 using cable modem from home
• 1 using DLS phone line from home
• 5 using library office terminals
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• 
  

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• Service Features
• LSSI, Virtual Reference Service
• Chat
• Collaborative Browsing
• Stored Scripts, Web Links
• Application Sharing
• Transcripts, Archive
• Management Reports, Exit Survey
• No User Downloads
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• 
  

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• Marketing
• Freshman Orientation
• Student Newspaper
• Campus Newsletter, Kiosks, Bulletin Boards
• Flyers, Bookmarks
• Faculty Forum
• Recorded Live-Demo (Lotus ScreenCam) Transcript
• Library Instruction Sessions
• Library Homepage Links
• Satisfied Customer Referrals
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• 
  

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• The Net Generation
• College Students
• 82.9 use the Internet for research homework
• 54.2 participate in chat rooms
• 47 average 9hr/wk online
• frequent users of chat rooms and instant
  messengers
• widespread access to high-speed computer networks
• multi-taskers
• distance learning students have chosen to learn
  online
• 
  
• Source Higher Education Research
  Institute, 1998-1999

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• Complex Reference Instruction
• Pace Chat Co-Browse to
• Probe, Summarize
• open questions, closed questions
• Plan Revise Search Strategy
• keywords, Boolean, databases
• Demonstrate, Instruct
• coach, guide, critical thinking

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• Overall Service Issues
• Adequate Training, Practice
• Local Network Permissions/Support
• Response Time
• Software Reliability
• Reference Support Databases/Web Sites
• Staff Information Sharing in Distributed Service
• Academic Reward System/Promotion Tenure
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Handouts Marketing Promos
Virtual Reference Service Home Page
http//www.de2.psu.edu/faculty/saw4/vrs/ About
Penn State Virtual Reference Service
http//www.de2.psu.edu/faculty/saw4/vrs/about.html
Sample VRS Marketing Promos
http//www.de2.psu.edu/faculty/saw4/vrs/promos.htm
l More questions? Contact Susan Ware
(saw4_at_psu.edu)