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SwissInfoDesk: the Virtual Reference Desk Project of the Swiss National Library

Jean‐Philippe Accart (Swiss National Library, Bern, Switzerland)

New Library World

ISSN: 0307-4803

Article publication date: 1 May 2006

782

Abstract

Purpose

Libraries and librarians must adapt their services and products to the evolutions of the information society, and more precisely to users' needs. Virtual reference desks are new online services developed by libraries, and this paper aims to give the example of SwissInfoDesk, the VRD of the Swiss National Library, launched in 2003.

Design/methodology/approach

After a short introduction on differences between virtual reference desks in North America and in Europe, the main approach is a focus on how SwissInfoDesk is built and developed, considering users' interests with a proposed list of topics on Switzerland.

Findings

The most significant differences between SwissInfoDesk and other VRDs are the multilingual aspects (four languages are represented) and the link between a directory of selected Swiss official websites and the reference desk itself.

Originality/value

SwissInfoDesk illustrates the ongoing changes in reference work and the new dimension of communication between information specialists and information‐seekers.

Keywords

Citation

Accart, J. (2006), "SwissInfoDesk: the Virtual Reference Desk Project of the Swiss National Library", New Library World, Vol. 107 No. 5/6, pp. 228-237. https://doi.org/10.1108/03074800610665220

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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