Collaborative e-reference services around the
world 2008
This is a list of collaborative
e-reference services around the world. The list was compiled as a
background document for
The Open Session 'Virtual Versus Face-2-Face - A Personal
Service Deliverede to the "Invisible" User Via Library
Portals
organised by IFLA's
Section 'Reference and Information Services' in Oslo 13th August 2005.
Updated September 2008.
This list is compiled by
Gitte Larsen,
Department of Continuing
Education & Consultancy, The Royal School of Library and
Information Science in Denmark.
Please note that the list is not exhaustive, but just a 'snapshot' of major
collaborative e-reference services, that play a significant role
in their regions.
For corrections or suggestions for new
relevant sites to be added to this list, please contact Gitte
Larsen - e-mail. gl@db.dk
Denmark
http://www.biblioteksvagten.dk
"Biblioteksvagten" is a
Danish e-ref-service, which is run by 45 public libraries and 15 research libraries in
collaboration. The service
is reached by chat, email,
telephone or by filling in an online form in Danish or in
English.
Finland
http://www.libraries.fi/en-gb/ask_librarian/
"Ask a librarian" is a
Finnish e-ref-service, which is run by 35 public libraries and
13
research and special libraries in
collaboration.
The service is reached by filling in an online form. Users from abroad are welcome to send in questions concerning Finland.
Germany
http://www.internetbibliothek.de/index_user.jsp
Die Deutsche Internetbibliothek (only in German) is a
collaborative service run by 80 libraries (most of them are
public
libraries). The aim is to build a catalogue of links (at the
moment with some 5800 entries). The service also
offers
collaborative e-mail
reference service (only in German)
Germany
Germany
http://www.hebis.de/ben/themenuebersicht.php?we_objectID=160
"Hessiches
BibliotheksInformationsSystem" is a collaborative project
of several libraries in the region of Hessen and Rheinhessen in
Germany. Among these are 13 university libraries and 17 special
libraries. The service is reached by chat, email or telephone.
Lapland
http://intro.rovaniemi.fi/Lapponica?formid=lapff&sesid=1132147036&ulang=eng
The
Lapponica sources and expertise is focused especially on Lapland
and issues concerning other northern areas. The questions
submitted to the information service will be answered by
librarians and curators from libraries and museums in Lapland
and the Nordkalottens kultur och- forskningscentrum (Culture and
Research Centrum)
The Netherlands
http://aladin.bibliotheek.nl/jeugd/
"Al@din" is a collaborative project of the Dutch public
libraries. The service, which is in Dutch only, is contacted by filling in an online form. A database is available for searching among questions that have already been
asked by other users.
Norway
http://www.biblioteksvar.no
"Biblioteksvar.no" is run by 31 public libraries in collaboration and can be
reached by chat, email and SMS.
Spain
URL:
http://www.pregunte.es/
(Spanish version)
http://www.pregunte.es/consulta/inicio.cmd?FORMULARIO=inicio&ACCION=cambiarIdioma&IDIOMA_EN_SESION=en_GB
(English version)
Pregunte: las bibliotecas responden" is an Spanish online public
information service. This collaborative service is run by more
than 40 public librarians throughout Spain and it is a
multilingual platform, therefore the system information is
available 24 X 7 in any of the official languages of Spain (Spanish,
Basque, Catalan, Galician and Valencian).
Spain
http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/cultura/ba/responde/
"La Biblioteca Responde" is a collaborative
project of The Andalusian Library and provincial and municipal
libraries in Almeria, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén,
Málaga and Sevilla. Questions are submitted through an online
form.
Spain
http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/bibliotecario/
Sweden
https://www.eref.se/
"Fråga biblioteket" is an
e-ref-service, which is run by Swedish public libraries in
collaboration. It offers multilingual service in Swedish,
English, Finnish, Spanish and several other languages and can be reached by chat and
email.
Switserland
http://www.snl.admin.ch/slb/dienstleistungen/swissinfodesk/index.html
Swiss Infodesk is an e-mail service run by the Swiss
National Library. The
service contains a vast, unique store of information all about
Switzerland. And the people working there are qualified
information specialists who know how to find the answer to just
about any question concerning Switzerland. The site is available
in German, French and Italian. Questions can also be asked in
English.
UK
http://www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk/enquire/index.html
"Enquire" is an English live e-ref-service available 24
X 7. 97 libraries throughout the UK are working together with international library partners to provide
the service.
Questions are submitted and answered through a chat
session.
UK
http://www.askcymru.org.uk/askcymru/en/index
This collaborative email service is
run by more than 50 librarians in research, public and college
libraries throughout Wales. The questions are forwarded to
libraries with the relevant expertise. Questions can be
addressed in English and Welsch.
 
http://www.oclc.org/questionpoint/default.htm
This around-the-clock reference
service is provided by a cooperative of participating
QuestionPoint libraries provided by OCLC.
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Currently, over
1,000 libraries
participate in the
24/7 Reference
Cooperative.
Libraries
participate in the
Cooperative either
individually or as
part of a larger
group, such as a
regional service or
a statewide service.
The Cooperative also
includes special
libraries that
provide subject
expertise.
Collectively,
libraries that
participate in the
Cooperative, whether
as individual
libraries or as part
of a larger group,
are referred to as
“Members”
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Cleveland
http://www.knowitnow24x7.net/
The service "KnowItKnow24X7 is a collaborative project
offered by 28 public libraries throughout Cleveland. It is 24 X
7 and questions are
submitted and answered through a chat session.
Colorado
http://www.askcolorado.org/
"AskColorado" is a live e-ref-service, which is
available 24 X 7. It is provided by
libraries from public, academic, school and special libraries
throughout Colorado. The service is reached by chat in English
as well as Spanish.
Florida
http://www.askalibrarian.org/ask/
"Ask a Librarian" is provided by library staff from public, academic, school and special libraries throughout Florida. The service offers live online chat Sunday-Friday and can be reached by email 24
X 7. A database is available for searching among questions that have already been
asked by other users.
New Jersey
http://www.qandanj.org/
QandANJ is supported by the
New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State
College, managed by the
South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative, staffed by member
libraries in the New Jersey Library Network and funded by the
Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal
agency whose mission is to create strong libraries and museums
that connect people to information and
ideas.
24x7 chat service -
different types of librarians are on duty.
Ohio
http://www.ohiolink.edu
The "OhioLINK" service is a state-funded
consortium of the libraries of 84 Ohio colleges and universities
and the State Library of Ohio. Questions are submitted through a
chat session. Note that this service is intended for students,
faculty and staff members at OhioLINK
member institutions only.
Oregon
http://oregonlibraries.net/
"Oregon Libraries Network" is a collaborative project of 8 academic libraries and 9 public libraries. It can be reached by live chat
24 X 7 and email.
New York
http://vrd.askvrd.org/default.aspx
"Virtual Reference Desk AskA Service" is a
collaborative project of the School of Information Studies at
Syracuse and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
The questions are answered by a team of school, public,
academic, and special librarians and master of library science
students. Questions are submitted through an online form. Please
note that membership is required in order to use the
service.
Texas
http://www.answerzone.org
"The Answer Zone" is a live reference service, which is delivered by
8 public libraries in Texas: Carrollton Public Library, Denton
Public Library, Euless Public Library, Fort Worth Public
Library, Frisco Public Library, Irving Public Library, North
Richards Hills Public Library and Plano Public Library. The service provides short factual answers and helps finding reliable and authoritative websites.
Questions are submitted through a chat session.
Washington -
Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-digital.html
"Ask a Librarian", which is provided by The
Library of Congress, is a global, collaborative e-ref-service.
It offers assistance using digital services and collections
and questions are responded within 5 business days. Questions
are submitted by filling in an online form.
Washington
http://www.kcls.org/aall/pickerpage.cfm
The "Ask a Librarian" service is run 24x7 by the
King County Library System, which consists of 43 community
libraries. Questions are submitted through a chat session, by
email or by telephone.
Canada
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/vrc-rvc/index.html
"Virtual
Reference Canada" is a bilingual (English and French)
collaborative service, which is administered by the Library
and Archives Canada. Its members are public, government,
university and special libraries
throughout Canada. The service
can be contacted by filling in an online form - the answer is received
by email.
Please note that a membership is
required in order to use the service
http://www.talonline.ca/askaquestion/publiclibraries/
"The Ask A Question Virtual
Reference Service" is a project which is run by Alberta's
major public and regional libraries in collaboration. It
contains a 'Question and Answer Archive' and is reached by
filling in an online form.
China
http://www.library.sh.cn/english/service/askform/ask.htm
"The Virtual Reference Desk"
is the first collaborative reference service in China. It is
organised by the Shanghai Central Library together with
university and research institute libraries in Shanghai. The
service is reached by selecting one of the 15 reference
librarians and filling in an online form or by e-mail.
Singapore -
http://www.elibraryhub.com/libraryServices/referencePointForm.asp
"Reference Point" is run by the National Library Board
in Singapore, which consists of the National Library, 3 Regional
Libraries, 18 Community Libraries and 18 Community Children's Libraries. The service is reached by filling in an online form.
Australia
http://www.asknow.gov.au
"AskNow" is Australia’s first collaborative service offered by the National Library and the eight state and territorial
libraries. The service is contacted by filling in an online form.
Directories of
E-ref-services
For more information about collaborative e-reference services we refer to
the following directories:
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/LiveRef.htm
- a registry of real time digital reference services compiled by
Mr. Gerry McKiernan, Illinois.
http://www.teachinglibrarian.org/chatsites.htm
- an index of chat reference services compiled by Mr. Stephen
Francoeur, New York.
© Gitte Larsen, Royal School of
Library and Information Science, Copenhagen - Last updated:
September 18 2008
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