Technology provides innovative reference services at University of Michigan libraries

Abstract

The concept of virtual library services has far-reaching implications for academic libraries nationwide. As students begin to demand a wider variety of information services and support — and the nature of this support is constantly in flux, librarians and libraries will be motivated to discover new ways of delivering services such as reference, instruction, and research support. While virtual services are no longer the vanguard of the information explosion, distance-independent education and other asynchronous non-classroom-based forms of academic instruction are on the increase. Some of these programs have already developed virtual library services, while others leave students to find more traditional means of accessing those services. In any event, virtual and remote library services — whether by phone, email, or Internet — will no doubt deserve further consideration as an effective means of providing access to resources without boundaries. The Interactive Reference Assistance (IRA) project is an example of one such service innovation at the University of Michigan.