Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (Rutgers University, School of Communication, Department of Library and Information Science)

Over the past decade, many libraries successfully introduced live chat and instant messaging reference services to supplement traditional face-to-face services. These services are popular with the public, but are hard to maintain in today’s environment of reduced funding. The School of Communication and Information at Rutgers University will work with OCLC Online Computer Library Center to investigate new models that permit more collaborative and sustainable delivery of virtual reference services, including models that rely upon more extensive collaboration among librarians and subject experts. The research will generate findings and recommendations to help members of the library community better understand their options as they implement the next generation of virtual reference services.