week 6 - chat reference

I find that the biggest difference among email, chat, and text reference is the length of the answer that the librarian can provide. When I'm doing email reference, I feel quite comfortable with providing detailed search information and explaining in detail how and why I chose certain resources. In chat reference, I feel more like I need to limit explaining my search and choices to the basics. I would only go into more detail if the patron wanted to know. In text reference, I feel like I can really only give an answer and maybe one source. This is why text reference only seems suitable for ready reference questions and not research questions. You wouldn't be able to fit all the information in such a limited amount of text!

I really liked using the Text A Librarian service. I thought it was really simple to use, especially compared to QuestionPoint. The only thing I didn't like was getting emailed every time a new question was submitted. I had to go back into my settings and change that! The only thing I thought was odd was the ability to add an answer to a question. If I was a patron, I would think it was odd that I received the answer I wanted and then later, out of the blue, I get another answer.