With the rapid expansion of information and the popularization and development of the Internet, information resources are developing in the direction of digitalization and networking. More and more users have the ability to use the network, and more and more rely on the network for information retrieval and utilization. Therefore, users can ask questions without any system, resource or geographical restrictions, hoping to get reliable answers as soon as possible. Reference librarians in traditional libraries can only answer readers' questions through the help of the information desk, or through telephone calls and face-to-face communication with users, but can't answer readers' questions online at the first time. Obviously, the traditional library has been unable to meet the needs of users. With the increase of online electronic information resources services and the construction of digital libraries, reference librarians can answer questions online and push valuable information to users in the form of pages, which not only allows users to know the information resources recommended by consultants, but also allows users to enjoy this picture intuitively. Some difficult problems can also be solved by "face-to-face" conversation with readers through the Internet. This new service model is the most promising online reference service today. In recent years, many online reference services based on network have appeared abroad, such as cooperative digital reference service (CDRS) launched by the Library of Congress and OCLC, and virtual reference desk (VRD) launched by the United States Department of Education. At present, some major libraries in China have adopted this service mode one after another, such as the cooperative online consulting service project of Shanghai Library, which has been gradually recognized by users. Especially in today's surging digital library construction, it has become inevitable to carry out digital online reference service under the network environment in order to answer readers' problems when using digital library to the maximum extent and at the fastest speed. Many libraries have taken online reference service as an important part of digital library construction.
Online reference service, also known as digital reference service, virtual reference service, network reference service and electronic reference service, refers to the reference service that meets readers' various information needs through FAQ database, e-mail, online chat and * * * simultaneous browsing.
1 Types of online reference services
The most basic online service is to collect questions and answers from most readers and build a FAQ database. Readers can refer to the relevant contents of the database before seeking the help of librarians. For example, the online service system developed by South China University of Technology provides online consultation for campus network users such as "how to use the library" and "how to find literature information", and librarians will give answers in the shortest time. This system usually only lists frequently asked questions, and readers are at a loss when they encounter problems that have not appeared in frequently asked questions.
At present, the relatively simple and popular online service forms include e-mail, spreadsheets, BBS system for information announcement, message boards and so on. Or a combination of several ways to achieve online reference service. The usual practice is to set up a "reference consultation" link on the Internet. For example, the cooperative reference service of Shanghai Library is a combination of spreadsheet and e-mail. When readers encounter problems, they can directly fill in the spreadsheet for the selected consultants, and then transfer it to the experts by e-mail after the system conversion. Experts will be allowed to answer readers' questions by email within one week. Tongji University Library adopts BBS to realize online reference service, and sets up a column in BBS system, so that readers can send questions directly through BBS, and consultants can also answer readers' questions through BBS. Anhui University Library adopts the form of message board, through which readers and consultants ask and answer questions. This method also uses simple database management for retrieval.
In the network environment, readers and reference librarians log in to the real-time reference system through the login server to simulate face-to-face consultation and questioning. This new service form is called real-time digital reference service or real-time interactive reference service. Including online chat and * * * browsing, some foreign library and information institutions also use this method for reference service. At present, the most widely used online chat technology is chat software technology, and about 500 libraries around the world provide chat reference services. This way is a real real-time way to answer readers' questions at the first time. At present, Ask a Librarian Live developed by LSSI in the United States, OCLC and QuestionPoint used by the Library of Congress in the United States, and the real-time Q&A system of Shanghai Jiaotong University Library in China have also adopted this technology. * * * In the same browsing mode, the common browsing technology is adopted, which can recommend valuable information to readers in the form of pages when necessary, so that readers can follow this page step by step according to the consultant's ideas and get the final answer. This method is intuitive and has high consulting value when it is difficult to describe it in words during the consultation process.
2 Features of online reference service
Online reference service is based on innovative knowledge. It is a knowledge-intensive and intelligent consulting service, so it has three characteristics. Targeted, that is, different users adopt different service strategies and provide different information and knowledge. Initiative, that is, according to the professional characteristics and research interests of users, actively recommend corresponding resources. Guide, through user interactive query and knowledge evaluation, cultivate user personality, trigger demand, and improve the utilization rate of digital resources. Flexibility, according to the needs of readers, we can flexibly choose the way of online consulting service. When there are consultants on duty online, we can have a conversation with readers through the real-time answering area provided online, or consult by telephone. When there is no consultant on duty online, readers can go directly to our FAQ database to see if there is an answer to their questions. Readers can also send questions to the consultant through the e-mail address of the information desk, and he will get the answer soon.
3. Contents and steps of online reference service in university libraries (hereinafter referred to as online reference service)
3. 1. Content of online reference service
3. 1. 1 Provision of professional literature
According to the professional needs of readers, provide full-text contents of various traditional media documents. These include professional books, professional reference books, professional newspapers, professional periodicals, professional academic conference proceedings, professional doctoral dissertations, unofficial government publications and other sources of information.
3. 1.2 Information Resource Retrieval
Taking database and resource library as information sources, it provides readers with professional database entry information, which is composed of various resources such as purchased database, self-built database and external database. The form of database is mainly title and full text.
3. 1.3 Special consulting service
Readers put forward special consultation to the library consultation department, and the questions raised by the library are collected and sorted out by professionals, and finally the expert-recognized consultation report is provided, and the special consultation finally forms a special consultation library for readers to choose and use.
3. 1.4 information navigation
Including the comprehensive navigation system of the knowledge range of each column of the digital library website, is also the concrete embodiment of the seamless link between different databases in different places in the distributed resource pool of the digital library. The navigation link website is mainly composed of characteristic resource library links of digital library alliance units committed to the construction of digital library resource library.
3.2 Steps to implement online consulting service
Create a user database
According to the characteristics of teaching and scientific research in colleges and universities, provide resources and services in a targeted manner; Understand the information needs in a targeted manner and establish various user databases. For example: database of key disciplines, users of key professional teachers, users of scientific research management, users of ordinary teachers and doctoral students. This database should be supplemented with information in time according to the changes of users, and strive to form a relatively perfect information base.
3.2.2 Establish a consulting service network.
The library can establish a three-level service network: the basic service, that is, the portal service, is provided by the staff in the front-line reading room and lending desk; Intermediary service, providing new resource introduction and resource search methods (focusing on the search method of network information resources), provided by consulting librarians; Professional service is an in-depth and instructive information demand service provided by subject librarians in a certain professional field under the guidance of experts. Services at all levels should make consultation records and regularly summarize them into the consultation case base.
3.2.3 Carry out online consulting services.
Design the framework of virtual information desk, which mainly includes modules such as "consulting librarian, subject librarian", "FAQ library", "consulting case library" and "consulting service briefing".
The module of "Consulting Librarians and Subject Librarians" is mainly about the information of consulting librarians and subject librarians, including their corresponding service contents and contact information, which is convenient for users to consult by telephone and email.
"FAQ Library" module mainly lists frequently asked questions about library service content, service items, collection resources and their utilization, and gives concise answers. According to the statistics of Tsinghua University and Peking University, the forms of FAQ mainly focus on literature retrieval, database retrieval, circulation reading and consulting services in our library. Ordinary readers will encounter these problems.
The "consultation case base" module mainly stores all kinds of consultation records and representative consultation questions, and gives the ways and results of finding the questions. The following is a case in the literature database established by the National Library.
Consultation content: China ancient garden architecture, China ancient city related literature. (Entrusting party: a university in Korea)
Organizer: Guo Tu Information Consulting Center.
Search results: 1. CD-ROM Retrieval of 44 Bibliography of Ancient Garden Buildings in China: Bibliography of Ancient Cities in China 140.
2. The related serial number of 155 is provided. 3. 55 kinds of publications were selected, and more than 50 pages of/kloc-0 were copied. 4. People's Daily full-text search found 1 document. 5. Paid services
3.2.4 Frequently asked questions can be collected according to library introduction, circulation reading, document retrieval and information service.
3.2.5 Summarize consulting cases, focusing on information utilization and retrieval methods.
3.2.6 Using the corresponding information service software, all modules of the virtual reference desk can be linked.
3.3.7 Maintain and update the virtual information desk, regularly add new problems and cases, and report new resources and services at any time.
4 online consulting services should have resources
4. 1 human resources,
Reference staff are the key figures of online consulting service in university libraries, and their enthusiasm and professionalism will be the link to narrow the distance between libraries and readers. Online service requires them to have a deep professional knowledge base and profound cultural accomplishment, as well as keen thinking ability and communication ability with readers. In order to improve the overall level of library's online consulting service, we must improve the comprehensive ability of online consultants in order to master online information retrieval and consulting skillfully. Comprehensive ability mainly includes four aspects: information ability, good information consciousness, mastering and using modern information technology; Scientific research ability, sensitivity of finding problems in the process of reference service, timeliness and effectiveness of summarizing and sublimating practical experience of reference service; Public relations ability, communicate with all kinds of information users and understand their real information needs; Communicate with relevant departments, carry out collaborative consultation, and actively publicize the purpose and content of service; The ability of unity and cooperation and the spirit of teamwork make each reference service project promote each other and complement each other.
4.2 Perfect technical conditions
The implementation of online consulting service requires sufficient network information sources, such as electronic publications, databases, online search information sources, internet information sources, etc. The acquisition of all these information sources must be supported by a sound software and hardware system of consulting services.
First of all, the system software should realize the initiative of consulting service in the form of modules, actively publish information, actively predict demand, and actively collect and process information; Convenience, rapid integration of various information, heterogeneous database retrieval, etc. ; At the same time, we should meet the requirements of personalized service, adapt to various types of users, and provide services according to users' special consultation. For example, the LSSI virtual information help desk software set up by the library of North Carolina State University in the United States, if the reader's question involves asking the librarian to search for a book in the catalog, then the librarian can send the searched related catalog screens to the reader's browser, and each screen can be continuously transmitted to the reader during the search process. The software also allows librarians to send any kind of files to readers: for example, word files, PDE files, etc. The software system is developed by PHP or CGI cross-platform technology, so the overall solution is best built in Unix system environment.
As the online consultation system is a cross-platform application system based on Web interface, it mainly provides interactive and personalized online consultation services for Internet users. Users must have an independent host or a virtual host with executive function, and install a Web server (IIS, PWS, etc. ). In addition, in order to ensure the timeliness and accuracy of online consulting service, it saves costs for remote users, avoids the side effects brought by equipment, and improves service efficiency. Before the website is used, the browser and monitor should be tested for server stability, security and webpage compatibility. At the same time, the system must meet the following conditions in operation:
1. This system supports multi-person consultation at the same time, and readers should be shielded from each other, that is, each reader only sees the consultant and his questioner is only the consultant, thus avoiding the situation that readers can't communicate with each other. Considering the specific situation, the system should avoid queuing for readers who enter the information desk and let readers wait one by one, but ask questions like online readers. The consultant can choose any online reader, or disconnect from some readers according to the situation.
2. Readers can choose different consultation methods, and consultants and readers can communicate by inputting words. You can also consider using sketchpad transmission to convey some contents that are difficult to express only by words, such as road directions, or to solve the input problems of some uncommon words.
3. Keep the consulting history; Every reader's question and consultant's answer will be automatically stored in the FAQ library, which is convenient for readers to query. When the consultant is not online, readers can also send their own questions to this question bank through spreadsheets.
4. Realize the management based on knowledge base. The system can classify the content, and readers can browse the question bank by category. In addition to the function of text matching retrieval, expert system retrieval and natural language retrieval will be used to help readers find related problems quickly.
5. Automatically record readers' information, which can classify and manage readers;
6. It has the function of automatically reminding readers to log in and displaying relevant information of logged-in readers.
Improving the speed of network operation is also a factor that can not be ignored in the implementation of online consulting service. Because the network speed directly affects the reading speed, and the reading speed is related to the configuration of network facilities and computers, the network facilities and computer configuration should have the function of processing all kinds of digital information, including text, data, charts, videos and sound information, and what standards should their functions meet, and how many meters per second is appropriate. Especially for dynamic digital documents on the Internet, such as hypertext system, such dynamic documents are highly volatile due to the changes of node content, information resource websites and the changes, transfer and disappearance of content between nodes. In addition, in the era of coexistence of various information carriers, it is inevitable to encounter the problem of format conversion. Readers always hope to have faster, cheaper and higher quality conversion technology to meet their storage needs. Therefore, strengthening the research on the standardization, upgrading cycle, related standards and protocols of library hardware facilities is conducive to the development of online consulting services.
4.3 Create conditions for the regular training of consultants
In order to improve the quality of online consulting services, consultants are required not only to learn to use new tools such as chatting and browsing, but also to combine old and new tools and know when to use what tools is appropriate to improve their consulting efficiency. It is necessary to train consultants accordingly, on the one hand, to expand their knowledge, on the other hand, to familiarize them with consulting service policies and consultation processes, so that they can become information experts.
To sum up, although online consultation service is conducted between librarians and readers, it is still a very laborious and slow way of communication, which requires the patience of both parties, but we must fully realize its importance, which is an indispensable part of digital library construction. It is also a reflection that library work is closer to readers and more targeted. When we deliver the webpage to readers to cheer them up, we will all feel encouraged and gratified, because it allows readers to truly enjoy satisfactory service.