Marie Radford at next meeting of Virtual Reference SIG

I'm very excited that Marie Radford has agreed to speak to the Virtual Reference SIG that I'm involved with (read about the SIG on our wiki). Here's a copy of the announcement:

Virtual Reference SIG (sponsored by METRO)
May 8, 2006, 2-4 p.m.

Newman Library
4th floor conference room
Baruch College
151 E. 25th Street
New York, NY
(please note that this meeting will NOT be held at METRO's office)

All are invited to attend. RSVP's are not necessary.

Marie L. Radford, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

"thanx a lot 4 ur help!" Interpersonal Communication in Live Chat Virtual Reference

This presentation discusses research that applies interpersonal communication theory to live chat reference encounters. Research results will be presented from focus groups with VR librarians and teenagers as well as an analysis of 300 transcripts randomly selected from OCLC's newly acquired 24/7 chat reference service. Results reveal that a wide range of interpersonal skills important to traditional face-to-face reference success is present (although modified) in the chat environment. Positive behaviors that facilitate open communication, as well as negative behaviors, that are barriers to communication have been identified. Recommendations for chat practice will be presented along with a guide for clients of live chat Ask-A-Librarian services.

This research is supported by a grant from IMLS, Rutgers University, and OCLC, Online Computer Library Center.

Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at the Rutgers University School of Communication, Information and Library Studies. Prior to joining the RU faculty, she was Acting Dean and Associate Professor of Pratt Institute's School of Information and Library Science. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication, Information Studies & Library Science from Rutgers University and an MSLS from Syracuse University. Prior to arriving at Pratt in 1996, she was Head of Curriculum Materials at William Paterson University of New Jersey Library. Her research interests are: interpersonal communication in traditional and virtual reference encounters, evaluation of digital resources and services, cultural studies, and media stereotypes of librarians.

Dr. Radford has given numerous presentations at regional, national and international communication and library conferences. She has published in College & Research Libraries, The Library Quarterly, Library Trends, JELIS, and the Journal of Academic Librarianship. Her book The Reference Encounter: Interpersonal Communication in the Academic Library, was published by ACRL/ALA in the "Publications in Librarianship" series in 1999. Her newest book WebResearch: Selection, Evaluation, and Citing, 2nd ed.," was just published by Allyn & Bacon (2006). She is active in the American Library Association and other library and communication associations. Her website is http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~mradford and she blogs at http://librarygarden.blogspot.com

A magic library?

This posting for a library internship caught my eye today. The Conjuring Arts Research Center, located in midtown Manhattan? I've worked in Manhattan for 18 years, lived here for 14, and been a librarian here for 7 years, and this is the first time I've heard of this institution and its library.

Sounds like a cool place to work. I wonder if Ricky Jay stops by often?

Wiki of blogging libraries

Help maintain the new wiki version of the list of blogging libraries that Amanda Etches-Johnson has set up. Previously, she had been keeping the list on her blog, blogwithoutalibrary.net.

Baruch's cell phone project

Another quick breather from work on my master's degree essay...Campus Technology has an article in the current issue titled The Road to 24/7: Campus Technology that gives an overview of the cell phone project our college has been piloting for the past year. As you'll see in the article, the news for librarians is that the service pulls real-time data out of our catalog to let students know when keys to library study rooms are available and which laptops in the library are not checked out.