Poster developed by: Lauren Bourdages and Stacey Nordlund; askON Text Interns
askON, a collaboration of public and college libraries in Ontario, provides a real-time chat information service that offers immediate, interactive, and knowledgeable online research/reference help. From September to December 2013, askON ran a text message-based virtual reference pilot program alongside their regular chat program, with the participation of 14 of their 28 partners (8 college, 6 public). The Pocket Reference poster session presents the past, present, and future of this pilot program, articulating its origins and staffing; analysing the data from the 4 month pilot; and exploring its future.
