The Virtual Reference Handbook: Interview and Information Delivery Techniques for the Chat and E-Mail Environments

Kovacs, Diane K. The Virtual Reference Handbook: Interview and Information Delivery Techniques for the Chat and E-mail Environments. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2007. 132 p. $78 CDN. ISBN 1-55570-598-7. The Virtual Reference Handbook by Diane K. Kovacs provides a comprehensive overview of the skill set needed to provide virtual reference, as well as instruction and exercises to obtain these skills. Kovacs covers everything from keyboarding skills, to the ability to handle multiple users in a virtual reference environment, to building reference skills. This volume is better suited for those with limited exposure to reference and a low level of technological skills. Virtual reference is used often to describe librarian-patron communication via the Internet, and can include asynchronous reference (e.g. e-mail, online forms) or synchronous reference (e.g. chat or instant messaging). Other terms, such as digital reference (a more encompassing term), or chat reference may also be used in the literature to refer to virtual reference. As this type of service has seen a proliferation in libraries in the last 10-15 years, reference librarians have had to pick up a new skill set. Ronan and Turner point out in their survey results published in Chat Reference: A SPEC Kit that 69% reported that staff require additional training, primarily in the use of the specific software and chatting techniques (p. 10). Since this survey, various organizations and researchers have identified core competencies needed by virtual reference staff to provide an effective service. Luo provides a solid review of virtual reference competencies in the literature, and discusses them in the context of competencies identified through librarian interviews (2007). Competency lists allow for the development of training resources, such as Virtual Reference Training: The Complete Guide to Providing Anytime, Anywhere Answers by Hirko and Ross (2004). Also, articles have been published providing support for training in this area (Carter, 2002/03; Fagan and Desai, 2002/03; Westbrook, 2006, etc.). Kovacs covers the competencies as described in the literature, provides methods to obtain the required skills, and context through librarian interviews. The book is divided into four chapters. The first chapter discusses the reference interview, highlights differences between face-to-face, chat, and email reference, and lists the technical, communications, and reference competencies to be discussed in the next three chapters. Chapter two covers technological competencies from basic keyboarding skills to more complex issues, such as the operation of chat software, and downloading and installing browser extensions. Chapter three focuses on communication competencies and addresses basic reference communication skills, and skills that are more specific to virtual reference, such as the ability to craft responses that communicate effectively with the patron. The last chapter discusses reference competencies associated more specifically with virtual reference, but most would also be applicable to face-to-face reference. As stated at every exercise, there is an online component to the book. However, after entering the URL provided, the instructions to log in to area chatrefbook on www.kovacs.com puzzled the reviewer as there appeared to be no area called chatrefbook. The writing is characterized by an informal tone and contains typographical errors and ungrammatical sentences: Because my experience is limited to specific kinds of patrons (university students and teachers in master or doctoral degrees) there is not much room left to make assumptions and the areas is clearly defined when the patrons identify themselves but! When I am talking about making assumptions, these are about the purpose of the research that can vary from a simple homework to a thesis or a field project and my answer will differ in depth based on this action, (p. 9). …

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