1. A sk Questions and Get Answers Online, in Real Time Virtual Reference Service Ask a Penn State Librarian, Live Susan Ware, Penn State –Delaware County Campus, saw4@psu.edu

2. Scope of Pilot Project  Service Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 9pm-12am  4 student populations Undergraduates at branch commuter campus Undergraduates at branch dorm campus Undergraduates at main campus Graduate distance education students  8 librarians/3 service modes 2 using cable modem from home 1 using DLS phone line from home 5 using library office terminals Virtual Reference Service Ask a Penn State Librarian, Live

3. Service Features LSSI, Virtual Reference Service Chat Collaborative Browsing Stored Scripts, Web Links Application Sharing Transcripts, Archive Management Reports, Exit Survey No User Downloads Virtual Reference Service Ask a Penn State Librarian, Live

4. Marketing Freshman Orientation Student Newspaper Campus Newsletter, Kiosks, Bulletin Boards Flyers, Bookmarks Faculty Forum Recorded Live-Demo (Lotus ScreenCam) + Transcript Library Instruction Sessions Library Homepage Links Satisfied Customer Referrals Virtual Reference Service Ask a Penn State Librarian, Live

5. The Net Generation College Students –82.9% use the Internet for research & homework* –54.2 % participate in chat rooms* –47% average 9hr/wk online* –frequent users of chat rooms and instant messengers –widespread access to high-speed computer networks –multi-taskers –distance learning students have chosen to learn online * Source: Higher Education Research Institute, 1998-1999

6. Complex Reference & Instruction  Pace Chat & Co-Browse to: Probe, Summarize –open questions, closed questions Plan & Revise Search Strategy –keywords, Boolean, databases Demonstrate, Instruct –coach, guide, critical thinking Virtual Reference Service Ask a Penn State Librarian, Live

7. Overall Service Issues Adequate Training, Practice Local Network Permissions/Support Response Time Software Reliability Reference Support Databases/Web Sites Staff Information Sharing in Distributed Service Academic Reward System/Promotion & Tenure Virtual Reference Service Ask a Penn State Librarian, Live

8. Virtual Reference Service Ask a Penn State Librarian, Live Virtual Reference Service Home Page http://www.de2.psu.edu/faculty/saw4/vrs/ About Penn State Virtual Reference Service http://www.de2.psu.edu/faculty/saw4/vrs/about.html Sample VRS Marketing Promos http://www.de2.psu.edu/faculty/saw4/vrs/promos.html More questions? Contact: Susan Ware (saw4@psu.edu) Handouts & Marketing Promos