Hello orty8-ga,
Certainly there are many library and information professionals who
treat these terms as interchangeable. See, for example:
"QuestionPoint Glossary" [containing the entry for "virtual reference":
"See digital reference."]
OCLC
http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/questionpoint/glossary/
"Library Matters [University of Maryland Libraries Staff Newsletter"
(April 11, 2003) [page 10: "Virtual/Digital/Chat/E-Mail Reference:
What Does It All Mean and Why Should We Care?", by Joan Stahl -- "So,
what's the difference between digital reference and virtual reference?
The short answer is 'Nothing.'"]
University of Maryland Libraries
http://www.lib.umd.edu/PUB/PUBLICATIONS/LM/LM041103.pdf
However, some professionals do insist on a distinction, saying that
virtual reference is synchronous, with librarian and patron
communicating simultaneously, which digital reference is or may be
asynchronous.
Online posting, "Re: [DIG_REF] Defining digital reference...", by Anne
G. Lipow (Feb 7, 2003)
<dig_ref> via Yahoo! Groups
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dig_ref/message/6949
Online posting, "Re: [DIG_REF] Defining digital reference...", by
Salazar's (Feb 12, 2003)
<dig_ref> via Yahoo! Groups
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dig_ref/message/6961
"Minutes - September 4, 2002" [discussion of these terms under "VI.
Goal Setting", in paragraph beginning, "Anne Dickason asked if the
questions submitted to the reference department via the Web page is
technically considered virtual reference."]
Lake Oswego Public Library
http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/library/lab/minutes/09042002.htm
I hope that these pages are enlightening as to the different opinions
on the meaning of these terms.
- justaskscott-ga
Search terms used on Google, in various combinations:
"virtual reference"
"digital reference"
glossary
"digital * virtual"
"digital * * virtual"
"virtual * digital"
"virtual * * digital" |
