it's not virtual reference (OR how not to be a robot)

[morphed from original post at the strange librarian]

I love virtual reference. I think it helps change the stereotype of libraries (you know the one) and gives us more value to our customers via additional access points. But i've often debated on what to call it. "Virtual reference" doesn't get at what we do. It doesn't have connotations of "real people" having "conversations" with "real people."

@Cil2009, I heard Michael Whitchurch of Brigham Young University say that calling something "virtual" makes it feel less real. Let’s see:

virtual reality: you can’t touch it.
virtual banana: you can’t eat it.
virtual tourist: you can’t drink the water
virtual reference: we’re robots

wha!?

So if it's not "virtual reference," what is it? Some folks have said "it's all reference." and while i agree, i think there needs to be a special note for VR. It takes some different skills to do well, and not everyone is doing it- those who are should get extra props for giving their customers additional access to their libraries.

But what do we call it? "virtual reference" means nothing to anyone besides librarians (and sometimes not even then). We help people online. We answer questions remotely. HEY! Remote Reference! But we’re still stuck on reference, which, in my opinion is one of those jargony library things that no one understands but librarians. (Nor should they, we should be using language that makes sense to our customers, not expecting them to bend to our wills.)

Remote... Information help? Maybe. It’s a work in progress. But i’m all for not making you guys, our fantastic librarians, not sound like robots. Or our service sound like a search engine.

So we’re not robots. interesting thing about that. I always say the way to not sound like a robot is to have a conversation. Don’t just push information at them. But conveying emotion and interest is hard when all you have is words. But wait, books are full of more emotion than movies are… oh, that’s because you’re filling in the blanks with your imagination… and because a good book tells you what’s going on. Like a librarian should tell their customer what’s going on. instead of "here’s a link to Queen Victoria..." try "Oh that’s great! I think we can find what you’re looking for in xx, i’m going to search that to see what i can find... give me 2 mins, brb." wow, what a difference. conversation. transparency. and no robots in sight.

You've heard me say it a thousand times in training- but what do you all think?