Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

 

Abstract

The purpose of this paper want to evaluate virtual reference and information services at university libraries in Indonesia. Evaluation of reference services can be seen from two aspects: from the aspect of the library that provides virtual reference services and from aspects of users of virtual reference services. This paper focuses on aspects of libraries that provide virtual reference services. The number of sample in this study is all university libraries in Indonesia, which are 629 universities. We limited our samples only the university libraries considering that the university is the spearhead of research for the development of science that requires the support of knowledge resources from the library. Thus, the role of the library in providing scientific resources is needed both directly and online. Following that, a web survey was conducted regarding the virtual reference and information service, such as having a virtual reference service in the form of chat, social media, or e-mail. The web observations were conducted from August-October 2018. Evaluation of virtual reference and information services, especially technology and virtual reference questions service in Indonesia is still at the initial stage or baseline, where many libraries still use telephone and e-mail as the most preferred media. However, there have been several libraries that carry the modern concept of reference services and adopted increasingly varied technologies. Virtual reference services need to be carried on and continued to provide learning for millennia generation. Virtual reference services in Indonesia are only adopted by major universities, both public and private, where the university web is already well develop, the library website is completed, and have qualified human resources. Reference questions are also still limited to questions about libraries in general, not yet discuss about scientific questions that support research at universities.

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