Virtual Reference Competencies II: Practice and Expand Communications Skills and Knowledge

An ACRL Online Seminar
January 28 -February 16, 2008

Registration is now open!

Course Description:
Virtual reference service requires all of the same professional communications skills and knowledge as face-to-face reference service. The challenge is to apply, practice, imagine, and understand how to communicate professionally within the technology context and using good reference skills and knowledge.  In this course  participants will engage in learning activities, supported by readings as well as lecture and discussion to practice and expand the communications competencies required by effective virtual reference librarians.

"Virtual Reference Competencies II: Practice and Expand Communications Skills and Knowledge" is a primarily asynchronous seminar, allowing participants to work through course material at times convenient to them throughout the three week scheduled course time. Participants may also choose to schedule online chat time with the teacher, as they feel necessary. Specific material and learning activities will be covered during each week of the course. Threaded discussion forums are available for use in learning activities and other course-related conversations.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this seminar you will acquire:

• Ability and awareness of the need to continue learning technical, communications, and reference skills and knowledge
• Awareness and understanding of good reference interviewing skills and techniques
• Detailed functional knowledge of good reference interviewing skills and techniques
• Ability to empathize with virtual reference users during a virtual reference interview, and to understand something of the culture and social environment of the Internet
• Ability to explain library and research processes without using library jargon
• Awareness of the need to imagine and project a professional persona as part of library participation in the Internet community – ‘library space’ on the Web
• Ability to provide information without making value judgments, to maintain and project professional objectivity
• Ability to carefully and quickly read and respond to the text typed by a library user and displayed on a computer monitor - communicating to the user that you are ‘listening'
• Understanding of the need and the ability to ‘be there’ for the virtual reference user – avoiding 'silence'
• Understanding of when and how to teach or instruct during a virtual reference transaction
• Awareness of when and how to provide follow-up, referrals, or to request consultations with other professionals
• Ability to work with multiple users in a virtual reference only environment
• Ability to work with multiple users in a mixed virtual reference and face-to-face environment
• Detailed functional knowledge of typing quickly and fluently on a computer keyboard in order to communicate - typing fluency

Audience:
Librarians and Library paraprofessionals who want to assess and improve their communications skills for virtual reference services or for those who are training librarians and library paraprofessionals in communications skills for virtual reference services.

Some basic reference service experience is assumed. Level of instruction is beginners or for those training beginners in providing virtual reference services.

Participants should know how to use e-mail and a current standard Web Browser Firefox, Netscape 7.0, Safari or IE 5.5 or higher is preferred.

The instructor has been teaching virtual reference related concepts and skills online and in-person for more than 14 years. She is the author of The Virtual Reference Handbook: Interview and Information Delivery Techniques for the Chat and E-Mail Environments Neal-Schuman Publishers (2007) published concurrently in the United Kingdom by Facet Publishers (2007)  and The Kovacs Guide to Electronic Library Collection Development:  Essential Core Subject Collections, Selection Criteria, and Guidelines  (Neal-Schuman, January 2004).  Additional Biographical Information is available at http://www.kovacs.com/aboutus.html.

More information on Diane Kovacs

Course Requirements:
Your participation will require approximately three to five hours per week to:

• Read the online seminar material
• Post to online discussion boards
• Complete online exercises
• Complete a seminar evaluation form

Registration:
ACRL member: $135
ALA member: $175
CACUL member: Can$195 (charges will be made in U.S. dollars)
Nonmember: $195
Student: $60

Registration is now closed.

Member rates apply to personal memberships only. Want to join ACRL or ALA? Complete the online membership form, available on the ALA Web site. If you join ALA/ACRL within five days of registering, we will adjust your fee (please fax a copy of your completed registration form to ACRL at 312-280-2520).

Payment may be made by credit card or purchase order (PO) only.
If paying by PO, the PO number is required at the time of registration.

Class size is limited to 60 participants. Full refunds will be granted up to 14 days prior to the start of the seminar.