Chapter 1. Self-Assessment Activities
Chapter 2. Learning Activities
Chapter 3. Learning Activities
Learning Activity 3-1
Learning Activity 3-2
Learning Activity 3-3
Learning Activity 3-4
Learning Activity 3-5
Common Chat and E-mail Abbreviations, Emoticons and Emoting
The Virtual Reference Handbook: Interview and Information Delivery Techniques for the Chat and E-Mail Environments
Learning Activity 3-3. Practice and Observe E-mail Reference
This learning activity is a role-play and observation. You are the e-mail reference service user. You will be observing your own and a virtual reference librarian's responses and actions. You may connect to a real virtual reference service and ask a reference question. Or you may ask a colleague to play the virtual reference librarian while you ask a reference question using Instant Messaging. This is learning activity is based partially on Hirko and Ross's "Secret Patron" activity (2004: 57)
Choose one of the reference questions from the list provided in the Optional Reference Questions to Use for Learning Activities section in Learning Activity 3-2. *or* Write down a question or questions of your own. If you cannot decide, you might ask "What information do you have on Art?" This will give you a wide scope for testing the reference interviewing skills of the e-mail reference service. Decide your backstory: Art history science question - looking for water colors and when people started using them. Art learning how to paint with water colors Art chemistry what is the chemical make-up of water color paints? Toxicology? Be a student, hobbyist, medical student, or parent concerned about a child.
Decide if you will be a secret patron or if you will ask the virtual reference librarian if they have time to role-play with you and ask them questions about the process as you work with them. You may also choose to work with a colleague known to you through your local e-mail reference software.
Connect to the e-mail reference service that serves your academic or public library community or ask a question on a public e-mail reference service such as Internet Public Library: Ask a Question - http://www.ipl.org/div/askus/
Ask your question. Identify yourself if appropriate. Self-reflect: how does the librarian interview you as a user? Does the librarian elicit the pertinent details of your information need? If you are identifying yourself, does the librarian respond positively? Do you have to wait long for a response? How does the librarian handle your question initially? Canned message? Does the librarian identify him or her self?
Self-Reflect: What type of information do you the user need? Known Item or General Information? What type of question was asked? Directions, Policies, Ready Reference, Specific-Search, Research?
What does the virtual reference librarian ask you or otherwise respond? Does the librarian conduct a reference interview? That is, does the librarian attempt to determine your real question? Is the librarian approachable? Does the librarian show interest? How? Does the librarian explain or otherwise share a search strategy with you?
What will you, the user, do or say in response to the virtual reference librarian? How is the reference interview concluded?
Other things to consider for real-life practice that you do not need to respond to for optional role-play activity:
How do you, the user, indicate that you are dissatisfied or satisfied with the response to your question?
Consider the impression - attitude, intelligence, etc. - you think you convey as a virtual reference user.
Describe the reference person's attitude. (e.g., friendly, forthcoming, reluctant, irritable, short, etc. ) How do you 'know'?
What are you impressions or feelings? Describe what you noticed.
Turn-about: Ask a colleague or friend to role-play and e-mail with you as a user asking a question. You roleplay the part of the virtual reference librarian. Ask your colleague to critique your reference interview skills, etc. You might consider volunteering on the IPL e-mail reference service http://www.ipl.org/div/askus/ service as additional real-life experience and practice as a virtual reference librarian.