Twelve Years of Online Reference Services at Georgia Tech: Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going
Publication Date
July 2007
Abstract
The article offers information about the Georgia Institute of Technology Library in Atlanta, Georgia, which is a pioneer in delivering virtual reference. The Library has initiated the ASK a Librarian service in 1994, an e-mail-based electronic reference service which became popular and has received 297 questions during the first year of its implementation. It has also launched the real time or virtual reference in 1999 using the America Online's Instant Messenger chat software. In August 2003, the library purchased Questionpoint to use as a virtual reference system, which enabled the referral of e-mail questions to other librarians and good tracking of questions.