2012 Best Practices for Government Libraries

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BEST PRACTICES 2012
A Virtual Reference Reality: Behind the scenes of a small research
business that knows no boundaries? The Need for Virtual Reference
By Kate Follen, MLS, President, Monroe Information Services
For organizations with hundreds of locations scattered all over the country or globe,
there is often only a handful of libraries and librarians. Too often, only those in
close physical proximity to the library benefit from the array of services offered.
We are currently facing a society in which corporate, business and government
organizations are cutting their libraries. It is now more important than ever to
prove our value and illustrate how essential librarians are to an organization’s
success. How can a librarian become indispensable to an entire organization if only
a portion of the organization has access? The answer to this question is
bombarding us on a daily basis.
Social media, email, wikis, online meetings, online document sharing, an everincreasing
digital library -- today’s technology offers us an environment in which a
single library with a very small staff can offer reference services to an entire
organization. The Virtual Reference model has been around for a while, but
technology keeps evolving and with each evolution the Virtual Reference Desk
becomes easier and easier to implement. I know this because I run a Virtual
Research and Reference company providing information to everyone from Fortune
500 companies to little Mom and Pop shops. I do this with a very small staff of
contractors who work on an “as-needed” basis. I do it with very little overhead and
the possibilities continue to amaze me.
My favorite part of the library and of being a librarian has always been the
reference desk. So, a logical entrepreneurial choice for me was to open what some
call a “Research for Hire” or “Information Brokerage,” I like to think of it as a
Virtual Reference Desk. The beauty of this business is that people will always have
questions that need to be answered and as the online resources develop and
multiply it becomes more and more necessary to seek expert assistance to weed
out what is relevant. The need will never cease to exist.
Making it Happen with Minimal Resources
I am a small business owner. I generally juggle between 30-40 research requests,
at a time. I keep a list of 5-10 contract research analysts on speed dial. I attend
approximately 15-20 customer meetings per week in possibly 15-20 different states
or countries. I research. I cultivate opportunities. I do administrative tasks. I
attend professional development classes. I play the role of Project Manager,
Marketing Director, Sales Manager and Accounts Payable Manager. I run a
successful business and I do it without leaving the house. In fact, I do it without
having met most of my customers and co-workers in person.
Thirty years ago, the business I run would have been impossible. Today, I walk
into my office and turn on my three computer screens and the world is at my
fingertips. Here are some of the tools I use to make my business possible.