chapter3learningactivity5.html

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

by Kovacs, Diane K. Neal-Schuman Publishers (2007) published concurrently in the United Kingdom by Facet Publishers (2007)

Learning Activity 3-5. Participate in Professional Discussion Lists and Blogs for Virtual Reference Librarians

This learning activity is a selected collection professional discussion lists and blogs for virtual reference librarians. Subscribe to at least one discussion list and monitor at least one blog. As additional virtual reference blogs and discussion lists are identified they will be added to the book Web site.

E-mail Discussion Lists

DIG_REF

Discussion of digital reference/virtual reference services
Archives: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/dig_ref/
Subscribe: Send email to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU with the message:
SUBSCRIBE DIG_REF Your-first-name Your-last-name
Contact: Joann Wasik jmwasik@ericir.syr.edu, Blythe Bennett blythe@ericir.syr.edu , Jeremy Morgan richlist@ericir.syr.edu

ERIL-L

Discussion of electronic resource issues, especially for electronic resource librarians.
Archives: http://listserv.binghamton.edu/archives/eril-l.html
Subscribe: Send e-mail to listserv@listserv.binghamton.edu with the message: subscribe ERIL-L YourFirstName YourLastName
Contact: Abigail Bordeaux, bordeaux@binghamton.edu or ERIL-L-request@LISTSERV.BINGHAMTON.EDU

LiveReference

Discussion of live reference services. Subscribe: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LiveReference/
Contacts: Bernie Sloan, Lori Bell, etal livereference-owner@yahoogroups.com

Libref-L

Discussion of library reference concepts, issues and service.
Archives: http://listserv.kent.edu/archives/libref-l.html
Subscribe: Send e-mail to listserv@listserv.kent.edu with the message: subscribe Libref-L YourFirstName YourLastName
Contact: Diane K. Kovacs diane@kovacs.com

PUBLIB

Discussion of issues relating to public librarianship. "Particularly
appropriate issues for discussion on PUBLIB include, but are not limited to: Collection development, acquisitions, management and weeding, including traditional and new media Reference services"
Archives: http://lists.webjunction.org/publib/
Subscribe: Send the message "subscribe PUBLIB YourFirstName YourLastName" to listserv@sunsite.berkeley.edu
Contact: Sara Weissman weissman@main.morris.org or
Karen Schneider kgs@bluehighways.com

Web4Lib

Discussion of the practical use and philosophical issues of the World Wide Web in library contexts.
Archives: http://lists.webjunction.org/wjlists/web4lib/
Subscribe: http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/web4lib
Contact: Roy Tennant roy.tennant@ucop.edu or Thomas Dowling tdowling@ohiolink.edu.

Note: Many virtual reference consortia and software discussion groups exist. Membership is restricted to consortia members or librarians at libraries using specific virtual reference software. Inquire with your consortia or software company/organization.

Blogs

Virtual Reference Blog - http://askalibrarian.wordpress.com/
From their site: " Virtual Reference is a space for librarians and library staff to talk about chat, instant messaging, email and other online reference services. Virtual Reference is hosted by the Virtual Reference Committee of the Machine Assisted Reference Section (MARS)/Reference Services Section (RSS) of the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association. If you would like to join us at conferences or become a virtual committee member, contact Joe Thompson, jthompso@bcpl.net or Jana Ronan, jronan@ufl.edu."
The Shifted Librarian - http://theshiftedlibrarian.com/
Jenny Levine's blog about critical library technology, especially reference and communications related.
TametheWeb - http://tametheweb.com/
Michael Step hen's blog about teaching library technologies, much about reference and communications
LibDex - Library Weblogs - http://www.libdex.com/weblogs.html
Index of Web logs relating to libarianship and information specialists.

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