Transcript NCknows: Goals and Dreams

NCknows:
Goals and Dreams
Goals
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This project will enable staff from public and academic libraries to cooperate
in provision of virtual reference service to North Carolinians. The end users
will be able to communicate via the Internet in live “chat” sessions with
reference librarians. A single web interface will be developed as the starting
point. The virtual reference software to be used, and the organizational
model for sharing the work among partner libraries, will be based on efforts
already in place throughout the country. The project will provide an
opportunity to evaluate whether a collaborative virtual reference project is
beneficial to users and libraries. – from Project Proposal
Is this an effective way to provide reference service to North Carolina? –
evaluators
Your definition of success?
Questions we want answered.
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Can we provide ref across library types?
Does the tech work? Might there be a better way technologically?
Is there a need?
If you or your library have more, let Jeff Pomerantz know.
Future of Reference
• Professional Goals
• Assumptions:
– Research needs still unmet, room for improvement
– Users are on Internet
– Librarians are the natural resource for improving research
• How to best use this experiment to reinforce our traditional mission.
• How will this new technology enable us to expand our mission:
Imagine
• Meet Lee Smith
• Ask the Author (children able to interview YA authors during school
hours- archived transcripts, book deal, riches...)
• Speak to a North Carolina Business Information Specialist, every
Tuesday 8-10
• How to find Native American info for Mrs. Holloway’s 3rd grade class
(Saturday meeting specifically for her class)
• Orientation to library resources for NC homeschoolers
• Advantages:
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Online equivalent of current projects but with outreach to non-traditional users.
Involves networking with small communities that are hard to cater to regionally but may
make sense statewide (homeschoolers, for instance)
Maximize use of expert/speaker’s time for wide audience.
Each instance is a marketing opportunity.
Imagine
• NC Government Resources portal, NC medical info in libraries
website, NC Business Librarian portal.
• Listserv with daily “question and answers”, highlighting various
different approaches and generating conversation about different
sources.
• “Cross-fertilized” learning about practical resources and reference
ideas between libraries as a result of a statewide collaboration.
• “Experts with 15 minutes” network.
• Bring science back to library science!