Video Reference: An Expert’s Guide to Refining Your Services

Abstract

"In recent years, the approaches to providing research help have changed, and practitioners must learn new methods and refine their skills to keep up. While we used to respond to questions in-person and over-the-phone, we now have chat, text, and, most recently, video. Because of physical distancing, such competencies have become vital.

The user’s experience of remote reference is different than in-person. This presentation will focus on best practices for keeping the library user’s perspective central when providing video reference. In this interactive session, participants will reflect about current practices and how they can improve reference service, particularly from the user’s perspective.

Everyone providing video reference will benefit from this webinar. Participants will leave feeling more confident in their abilities to use different reference modes and to keep the patron’s experience in mind when providing reference remotely."