American Library Association's Digital Reference Guidelines
The definition formulated by the American Library Association's (ALA) 2004 MARS Digital Reference Guidelines Ad Hoc Committee contains three components:
- "Virtual reference is reference service initiated electronically, often in real-time, where patrons employ computers or other Internet technology to communicate with reference staff, without being physically present. Communication channels used frequently in virtual reference include chat, videoconferencing, Voice over IP, co-browsing, e-mail, and instant messaging.
- While online sources are often utilized in provision of virtual reference, use of electronic sources in seeking answers is not of itself virtual reference.
- Virtual reference queries are sometimes followed-up with telephone, fax, in-person and regular mail interactions, even though these modes of communication are not considered virtual."
In January 2011 QuestionPoint and the American Library Association were in talks about offering a National Ask A Librarian service across the whole United States of America. At present the Ask services in the US are run at a local level.
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