Virtual Reference Web Tools

Although I have worked at the Reference Desk in an academic library for about 2 years, and I am an avid user of Skype and Instant Messaging, I have mainly provided in-person reference services, and occasionally provided e-mail reference services. Because my work is currently in an academic library, I can usually answer questions by using one of the 200 databases to which Portland State University subscribes:

http://www.lib.pdx.edu/systems/eresources/resourcesByAlpha.php

Some questions are better answered by resources found on the open web, and I often use Google to find sources, but there are several good tools other than subscription databases and Google.

Refdesk.com provides search boxes for Google, MSN and Yahoo, as well as a search box to search multiple dictionaries simultaneously. There is even a search box for Amazon, and it appears that links to Amazon from the Refdesk site generate financial support for the Refdesk website.

LibrarySpot offers a vast set of reference tools, including Acronyms, Almanacs, Associations, Ask an Expert, Biographies, Business, Calculators, Calendars, Countries, Current Events, Dictionaries, Directories, Encyclopedias, Genealogy, Government, Grammar/Style, Historic Docs., How To, Images, Legal, Maps, Medical, Music, People, Public Records, Quotations, States, Statistics, Thesauri, Time, White Pages, Yellow Pages and Zip Codes.

These are just two of the many sites that can assist reference librarians to answer questions. Many libraries have their own "electronic reference shelves," a web page devoted to the most-used e-resources helpful in answering questions often asked in their particular venue.

"Ready Reference" tools are those used to answer the most frequently asked questions. The Librarian's Index to the Internet offers a myriad of links to "Ready Reference & Quick Facts"~ it includes links to other websites for librarians.

The Library of Congress provides links to sites that can help answer reference questions on its Virtual Reference Shelf website. Anyone can send a question to the "Ask a Librarian" online reference service, provided by the Library of Congress. Although I have used my local County Library's "Ask a Librarian" service, I have not used the Library of Congress's service. It would be interesting to see how they rate, comparatively, as far as quality and speed. . .