{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,2]],"date-time":"2025-08-02T17:56:59Z","timestamp":1754157419294,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2005,3,1]],"date-time":"2005-03-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1109635200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2005,3,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>Aims to investigate the impact of the internet on reference services in public libraries in England.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>A literature review provides the policy context for UK public library services and highlights developments in digital reference. A questionnaire was administered in 2003 to a sample of the public library authorities in England, investigating the use of the internet for receiving or answering reference enquiries, the use of electronic reference sources, and the nature of public library web sites.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>Thirty responses were received, representing a response rate of 60 per cent. All respondents used e\u2010mail to answer reference enquiries, but there was low use (and in some cases awareness) of other technologies. The librarians' attitude towards digital reference services, considering aspects such as improved access and increased efficiency, was predominantly positive. Some concerns were raised, such as the administration of public access computers. Patrons could access more electronic reference sources within the library than they could remotely. The majority of public libraries had web sites, most commonly offering access to the library catalogue and community databases. The results of this study are compared with two previous surveys.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper concludes by identifying the need for public library managers to assess the changing role of professionals and para\u2010professionals in delivering reference services, and to provide appropriate training. It also notes that despite the discussion of real\u2010time reference, asynchronous digital reference is still more common in England.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>There has not been a survey of this type for English public library authorities. The sample represents 20 per cent of the target population.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/00330330510578787","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2005,3,14]],"date-time":"2005-03-14T22:44:13Z","timestamp":1110840253000},"page":"25-38","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Impact of the internet on delivery of reference services in English public libraries"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"39","author":[{"given":"Margaret","family":"Jay","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Sheila","family":"Webber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b1","unstructured":"Audit Commission (1997), Due for Renewal: A Report on the Library Service, Audit Commission, London."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b2","unstructured":"Audit Commission (2002), Building Better Library Services, Audit Commission, London."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b3","unstructured":"Batt, C. (2003), \u201cBattling for Britain's public library network\u201d, Library and Information Update, Vol. 2 No. 5, pp. 38\u20109."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Berube, L. (2003a), \u201cAsk Live! UK public libraries and virtual collaboration\u201d, Library and Information Research, Vol. 27 No. 86, pp. 43\u201050.","DOI":"10.29173\/lirg146"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b5","unstructured":"Berube, L. (2003b), Digital Reference Overview, UKOLN, Bath, available at: www.ukoln.ac.uk\/public\/nsptg\/virtual\/."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Berube, L. (2004), \u201cCollaborative digital reference: an Ask a Librarian (UK) overview\u201d, Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, Vol. 38 No. 1, pp. 29\u201041.","DOI":"10.1108\/00330330410519189"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b7","unstructured":"Boyer, J. (2003), \u201cVirtual reference at the NCSU Libraries: the first one hundred days\u201d, Information Technology and Libraries, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 122\u20108, available at: www.ala.org\/ala\/lita\/litapublications\/ital\/2003boyer.htm."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chowdhury, G.G. (2002), \u201cDigital libraries and reference services: present and future\u201d, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 58 No. 3, pp. 258\u201083.","DOI":"10.1108\/00220410210425809"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chowdhury, G. and Margariti, S. (2004), \u201cDigital reference services: a snapshot of the current practices in Scottish libraries\u201d, Library Review, Vol. 53 No. 1, pp. 50\u201060.","DOI":"10.1108\/00242530410514793"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b10","unstructured":"Coffman, S. (2003), \u201cWe'll take it from here: developments we'd like to see in virtual reference software\u201d, Information Technology and Libraries, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 149\u201053."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Curry, A. and Harris, G.J.E. (2000), \u201cReference librarians' attitudes towards the World Wide Web\u201d, Public Library Quarterly, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 25\u201039.","DOI":"10.1300\/J118v18n02_08"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b100","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Davies, M. (2001), \u201cCreating a virtual reference library: experiences at Suffolk Libraries and Heritage\u201d, Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 43\u201056.","DOI":"10.1108\/EUM0000000006942"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b12","unstructured":"Department for Culture, Media and Sport (2003), Framework for the Future: Libraries, Learning and Information in the Next Decade, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, London."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b13","unstructured":"Duffy, A. (2004), \u201cWorld Library and Information Congress: Berlin, 1\u20109 August 2003\u201d, Refer, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 9\u201012."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Elliott, M. (2000), \u201cFeature: Essex Libraries' Enquiry Management System\u201d, LT World, No. 10, p. 10.","DOI":"10.1049\/em:20000308"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b15","unstructured":"Frank, D.G., Calhoun, K.L., Henson, W.B., Madden, M.L. and Raschke, G.K. (1999), \u201cThe changing nature of reference and information services\u201d, Reference and User Services Quarterly, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 151\u20107."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b16","unstructured":"Gross, M., McClure, C.R. and Lankes, R.D. (2001), \u201cAssessing quality in digital reference services: overview of key literature on digital reference\u201d, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, available at: http:\/\/quartz.syr.edu\/quality\/VRDphaseIILitReviw.pdf."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Henley, C. (2004), \u201cDigital reference services for young library users: a comparison of four services\u201d, Library Review, Vol. 53 No. 1, pp. 30\u20106.","DOI":"10.1108\/00242530410514775"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jackson, M.G. (2002), \u201cA rush to serve: digital reference services and the commitment to 24\/7\u201d, Advances in Librarianship, Vol. 26, pp. 299\u2010317.","DOI":"10.1016\/S0065-2830(02)80027-7"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Janes, J. (2002), \u201cDigital reference: reference librarians' experiences and attitudes\u201d, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Vol. 53 No. 7, pp. 549\u201066.","DOI":"10.1002\/asi.10065"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b20","unstructured":"Kautzman, A.M. (1999), \u201cDigital impact: reality, the web, and the changed business of reference\u201d, Searcher, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 18\u201024."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Klobas, J.E. and Clyde, L.A. (2001), \u201cSocial influence and internet use\u201d, Library Management, Vol. 22 No. 1\/2, pp. 61\u20107.","DOI":"10.1108\/01435120110358943"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lamont, M. (1999), \u201cCritical human factors in emerging library technology centers\u201d, Library Hi Tech, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 390\u20105.","DOI":"10.1108\/07378839910289457"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lankes, R.D. (2004), \u201cThe digital reference research agenda\u201d, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Vol. 55 No. 4, pp. 301\u201011.","DOI":"10.1002\/asi.10374"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b25","unstructured":"Lankes, R. and Shostack, P. 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(1998), \u201cReference service in a digital age\u201d, Reference and User Services Quarterly, Vol. 38 No. 1, pp. 47\u20108."},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lochore, S. (2004), \u201cHow good are digital reference services? A comparison of library\u2010based and expert services\u201d, Library Review, Vol. 53 No. 1, pp. 24\u20109.","DOI":"10.1108\/00242530410514766"},{"key":"key2022012919563264100_b31","unstructured":"McClure, C.R., Lankes, R.D., Gross, M. and Choltco\u2010Devlin, B. 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