IF YOU CAN MAKE IT THERE, YOU CAN MAKE IT ANYWHERE: PROVIDING REFERENCE AND INSTRUCTIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES IN THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

摘要

Despite the old-fashioned view of the academic library as a static institution, libraries can and do change in response to the needs of users and stakeholders. Perhaps the most dramatic shift in services has been the transition from a purely physical to a combination physical/virtual or even virtual-only environment. This article examines how twenty-first-century online academic librarians deliver instruction and reference services to their student body and faculty, and it explores the ramifications for the education of future librarians in U.S. library schools, including the areas of technology, instruction, interpersonal skills, and intellectual property.