Reference Services for Off-Campus Students and Faculty

Abstract

Although the literature on library service to offcampus students is extensive, the discussion of reference services or the general philosophy of reference work with offcampus student, faculty and staff is relatively small. In many cases the goals of reference service are implied in the discussion of overall library services or inferred in the descriptions of how reference work is actually carried out in one or another distance education program. Quality service and equality with on-campus programs should distinguish off-campus library support, including reference service. At the same time that off-campus or extension librarians are insisting on equality with on-campus programs, they recognize how different the environment for delivering reference services is for hose working with off-campus students faculty and staff. The principles of good reference service are the same, whether to on-campus or off-campus but major differences may exist in how reference work is executed. This paper addresses Ihe various ...