The Reference Interview Today

Learn and perfect the skills needed to conduct satisfying reference interviews in the modern technological environment with this easy-to-use guide.In today's technology-driven world, reference librarians must serve users who come into the building as well as remote users who ask via various digital means. With virtual reference and social networking tools now commonplace, reference questions have become more complex and interdisciplinary. The Reference Interview Today will help reference librarians decide which tools and strategies will best serve their diverse group of patrons-in person and in cyberspace.This text covers the skills needed for traditional face-to-face reference and how they can be applied in 2.0 media. Best practices for culturally diverse, disabled, and "difficult" patrons; strategies for public and academic libraries; and virtual technologies like Twitter and Second Life are described. Written by a practicing reference librarian, this invaluable book makes it easy to train paraprofessionals and serves as a guide for experienced librarians to hone their skills in new delivery methods.

Learn and perfect the skills needed to conduct satisfying reference interviews in the modern technological environment with this easy-to-use guide.

Introduction: You Don't Have to Learn It (All) Again1. Reference Face-to-Face2. Special Patrons and Questions3. Cultural Differences4. Live Online-Chat, Push, and Cobrowsing5. Short Bursts-Tweets, Text, and the Next Big Thing6. Asynchronous Reference7. Your Abilities with Disabilities8. Virtual Reference in Second Life and Virtual Worlds9. From Theory to Practice-New Librarians and Paraprofessionals10. Special Libraries-Law, Medical, Corporate, Private, and Archives11. I'm Asking for My?.?Child, Friend, Parent, BossIndex