Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries

Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries

With the increasing availability of electronic information services and the emergence of the Web the notion of traditional reference services has been altered. Libraries in the US have begun to offer Web–based reference services which are termed ―digital‖ or ―virtual‖ reference services and those in...

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Main Author: Abu Bakar, Ahmad Bakeri
Format: Conference or Workshop Item
Language:English
Published: 2011
Subjects:
Z665 Library Science. Information Science
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/10897/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/10897/1/Myths_and_Realities_of_Digital_Reference_Services__Perspectives_of_Libraries_from_Developing_Countries.pdf
id iium-10897
recordtype eprints
spelling iium-108972012-01-06T09:56:03Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/10897/ Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries Abu Bakar, Ahmad Bakeri Z665 Library Science. Information Science With the increasing availability of electronic information services and the emergence of the Web the notion of traditional reference services has been altered. Libraries in the US have begun to offer Web–based reference services which are termed ―digital‖ or ―virtual‖ reference services and those in other countries such as UK are following suit. This paper aims to determine whether developing countries in Asia and Pacific region have caught up yet with the realities of offering digital reference services in real time with a 24/7 operating mode. To what extent has this phenomenal change affecting reference services gripped the libraries of developing countries? Do developing countries in the Asia and Pacific region are implementing the digital reference services in their libraries like what is happening in the developed countries? In order to address this issue a survey of the current practices related to reference services in libraries of developing countries in the Asia and Pacific region was studied. Data for this study were gathered from selected academic libraries websites located in the region. The levels of reference services are judged using a scale that measures their maturity. A library that operates traditional services where a user is provided with answers through personal contact, normal mail, or telephone is treated as having zero maturity. A score of 1 is assigned to a country when libraries have begun providing email reference. An email link on the library website is an indicator of this level of virtual reference service. A score of 2 is assigned to a country in which libraries are providing email reference together with a web form, while a score of 3 is assigned to a country when libraries are using a web form together with online chat. When libraries have a web form, online chat and other mode of online communication designed solely for reference service, a score of 4 is assigned. A score of 5 is assigned to a country where their libraries offer digital reference services in real time with 24/7 operating mode. The findings showed that not a single country in the Asia and Pacific region was able to offer virtual reference services in real time on a 24/7 basis. Some of the academic libraries offering virtual reference services have online chat but for a limited time only as shown in the case of academic libraries of the Philippines 2011-06-22 Conference or Workshop Item NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/10897/1/Myths_and_Realities_of_Digital_Reference_Services__Perspectives_of_Libraries_from_Developing_Countries.pdf Abu Bakar, Ahmad Bakeri (2011) Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries. In: Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Conference on Library & Information Education and Practice, 22 - 24 June 2011, Putrajaya, Malaysia.
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution International Islamic University Malaysia
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
language English
topic Z665 Library Science. Information Science
spellingShingle Z665 Library Science. Information Science
Abu Bakar, Ahmad Bakeri
Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries
description With the increasing availability of electronic information services and the emergence of the Web the notion of traditional reference services has been altered. Libraries in the US have begun to offer Web–based reference services which are termed ―digital‖ or ―virtual‖ reference services and those in other countries such as UK are following suit. This paper aims to determine whether developing countries in Asia and Pacific region have caught up yet with the realities of offering digital reference services in real time with a 24/7 operating mode. To what extent has this phenomenal change affecting reference services gripped the libraries of developing countries? Do developing countries in the Asia and Pacific region are implementing the digital reference services in their libraries like what is happening in the developed countries? In order to address this issue a survey of the current practices related to reference services in libraries of developing countries in the Asia and Pacific region was studied. Data for this study were gathered from selected academic libraries websites located in the region. The levels of reference services are judged using a scale that measures their maturity. A library that operates traditional services where a user is provided with answers through personal contact, normal mail, or telephone is treated as having zero maturity. A score of 1 is assigned to a country when libraries have begun providing email reference. An email link on the library website is an indicator of this level of virtual reference service. A score of 2 is assigned to a country in which libraries are providing email reference together with a web form, while a score of 3 is assigned to a country when libraries are using a web form together with online chat. When libraries have a web form, online chat and other mode of online communication designed solely for reference service, a score of 4 is assigned. A score of 5 is assigned to a country where their libraries offer digital reference services in real time with 24/7 operating mode. The findings showed that not a single country in the Asia and Pacific region was able to offer virtual reference services in real time on a 24/7 basis. Some of the academic libraries offering virtual reference services have online chat but for a limited time only as shown in the case of academic libraries of the Philippines
format Conference or Workshop Item
author Abu Bakar, Ahmad Bakeri
author_facet Abu Bakar, Ahmad Bakeri
author_sort Abu Bakar, Ahmad Bakeri
title Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries
title_short Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries
title_full Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries
title_fullStr Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries
title_full_unstemmed Myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries
title_sort myths and realities of digital reference services: perspectives of libraries from developing countries
publishDate 2011
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/10897/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/10897/1/Myths_and_Realities_of_Digital_Reference_Services__Perspectives_of_Libraries_from_Developing_Countries.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T20:20:15Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T20:20:15Z
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