Reference service in a digital environment: an exploratory case study

Abstract

Access to library collections is becoming more and more complex as libraries supplement their books, journals, and print indexes with resources in various electronic formats including databases accessed through the Internet and electronic full-text sources. There is no doubt that the library user will benefit as the services are expanded to include among other technological innovations. The services expanded beyond the walls of the library and its physical collection, the new forms of instructional media will be potentially useful to academic reference librarians for different reason. First of all, because there are more and more students requiring a general, basic instruction that overcome the librarians’ ability to provide these information with lecture or demonstration classes or face-to-face at the reference desk. Secondly, because printed materials such a workbooks or manuals are expensive and time-consuming to edit. Finally, because teaching many classes repeatedly, and in the basic forms of research instruction may cause loss of interest and enthusiasm, and fatigue for the staff. Developing other forms of reference should be done to save time, both for students and librarians, to provide consistent instruction, and to reduce stress. Understanding the reference service in digital environments would make important theoretical and pragmatic contributions toward information services design and operation. The proposed exploratory case study aims to gain such knowledge. The most important goal of this study is to maintain the dialogue about the reference service and to examine some of the ways in which this service might be improved. This study attempts to provide evidence of the necessity of digital reference service at the University of Parma Faculty of Law. One possible outcome of this project is that digital reference will become more relevant to the University of Parma librarians and decision makers.