Online students'use of virtual reference services

摘要

Central Michigan University (CMU) provides a unique opportunity to study the impact of the move from face-to-face to online classes on student use of virtual reference services. As enrollments in face-to-face, off-campus classes declined between 2010 and 2016, the number of reference questions asked of the distance librarians declined at a strikingly similar rate, despite the fact that online enrollments increased substantially during this period. This shiftin the distance-student population has already had implications for the organizational structure of the CMU Libraries.