24/7 Reference

24/7 Reference clarifies the role of cooperative reference in today’s information environment with an in-depth look at the world’s largest collaborative reference service--the 24/7 Reference Cooperative. The largest 24-hour live chat service in place today, the Cooperative was created through the coordinated efforts of over 1,400 participating libraries in the U.S. and the UK, and this text explores its continued successes, challenges, and critical role in the rapidly expanding Web 2.0 world. Author Susan McGlamery of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) includes statistics from the local, regional, state-wide and international level regarding the use of virtual reference service, and outlines the key indicators that determine its success and the success of similar reference projects. Real life examples from the network of librarians participating in the Cooperative, as well as those who participate in the QuestionPoint Global Reference Network, are included to provide a global perspective on how libraries can best use the latest technologies to serve their users.