Electronic Reference Services
According to Cook, T (1990), the role of archival science in a postmodernist world challenges archivists everywhere to rethink their discipline and practice.The digital age has brought about noteworthy changes in the archival line of work. The digital age brought about the electronic record which in itself introduced new thoughts and concepts of the whole profession. An upbeat account of the United States Centre for Electronic Records Archive focuses on access and validation strategies. A wider perspective is taken from an Australian viewpoint showing how record keeping is increasingly electronic, but emphasizes the essence of traditional records management and informational skills.
The electronic record reference has become known to be digital reference (or virtual reference), a service by which the archives or a records repository reference service is conducted online, and the reference transaction is a computer based communication. It is the delivery of reference services provided by the archives to users who cannot access or do not want face-to-face communication. This form of reference work expands reference services from the physical reference desk to a "virtual" reference desk where the patron could be writing from home, work or a variety of other locations. Due to the electronic record the centrality of the reference room being the interface between the user and the records is now a notion of the past.
Electronic mail, instant messaging, chat and video conferencing are all part of the tools empowering archivists to move toward what has been termed “digital reference service.” In this new world of extended reference, archivists, materials, and clients are not all in the same place at the same time. White (2001) defines digital reference service as an information access service in which people ask questions via electronic means. In turn, knowledgeable individuals answer questions , and responses are transmitted via electronic means.
The electronic record reference has become known to be digital reference (or virtual reference), a service by which the archives or a records repository reference service is conducted online, and the reference transaction is a computer based communication. It is the delivery of reference services provided by the archives to users who cannot access or do not want face-to-face communication. This form of reference work expands reference services from the physical reference desk to a "virtual" reference desk where the patron could be writing from home, work or a variety of other locations. Due to the electronic record the centrality of the reference room being the interface between the user and the records is now a notion of the past.
Electronic mail, instant messaging, chat and video conferencing are all part of the tools empowering archivists to move toward what has been termed “digital reference service.” In this new world of extended reference, archivists, materials, and clients are not all in the same place at the same time. White (2001) defines digital reference service as an information access service in which people ask questions via electronic means. In turn, knowledgeable individuals answer questions , and responses are transmitted via electronic means.
References: Cook, T. 1990 Archival Science , Post Modernism: new formulations for old concepts (n.d) Cox, R.J O’Reilly, 2004, Christian Crumlish, The Power of Many: How the Living Web is Transforming Politics, Business, and Everyday Life (San Francisco, CA: Sybex, 2004), xiii. Janes, J. 2002. “Digital reference: Reference librarians’ experiences and attitudes,” Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, volume 53, number 7 (July) Nilsen, K O’Reilly Tim, “What is Web 2.0,” O’Reilly Media, http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html (accessed Mar. 14, 2009). Tibbo, H. R. 1995. “Interviewing techniques for remote reference: Electronic versus traditional environments,” American Archivist, volume 58, number 3 (Summer) White, M.D Yakel, E. 2000.Thinking Inside and Outside the boxes: Archival Reference Services at the Turn of the Century. Archiviria 49(Spring)