GBS Library's Virtual Reference is here!

Photo by JKonig. flickr. Used under creative commons license.

As of today, you can access the GBS Librarians from home if you're home from school or in another lab in the building.

If you're with your class in the social studies lab and you're not quite sure how to cite a source for your next paper, just go the the GBS Libguides and click in the GBS Reference chat box to ask a librarian for help. (Or you can access it from the box on the right). If the librarians are all teaching classes or are helping other students or teachers, leave your question & an email address. We'll get back to you as soon as we can.

Virtual Reference Desk hours are 7:30-4:15 on school days.

We're excited about this opportunity to further extend our services beyond the library's walls.

QR codes in libraries

Prior to a recent conversation the librarians had with with our Instructional Technology Coordinator, David Jakes, I never thought about QR codes, much less their application to libraries.  But a lot of people have, and they are doing some pretty neat things.   I especially like the way ACU Library uses them to enhance displays and provide more information about the books.

                           QR Codes to enhance displays & provide more information to patrons at ACU Libraries


Other libraries, such as the University of Huddersfield,  are using them to provide text reference services, which I think is really cool, as I love the idea of extending reference beyond the desk/phone model.

Not sure at  this point whether the QR codes will catch on here as they have in Japan, or if it's more of a fad.  Either way, it seems like an easy & fun way to extend interest in the library resources, say, via book trailers tied to books on a display, or as a way to promote services, such as reference and research help.