Abstract
In the current digital environment, academic library databases are growing large enough to meet the needs of most users. However, the increasing availability of information has also led to data overload, with many users unable to find what they need accurately and quickly. In addition, quality reference service is key to user satisfaction in the highly competitive digital environment. However, lack of funds, staffing, and operation complexity have become obstacles for many reference services. Taking Hong Kong Baptist University Library (HKBUL) as the case, this study uses the 5E Instructional Model (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate) and the AIDAS market communication model (attention, interest, desire, action, satisfaction) to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of existing reference services. Based on the findings, the authors propose how digital technologies (such as mobile, social media, and artificial intelligence) can improve reference, especially transforming toward contactless virtual reference services.
TopIntroduction
With the competition of various online digital resources and ubiquitous mobile Internet access, users tend not to visit libraries in person (Chiu & Ho, 2022a, 2022b; Ding et al., 2021; Sung & Chiu, 2022; Yu, Tsoi, et al., 2022; Zhang et al., 2020, 2021). The increasing use of off-campus electronic resources and the decreasing use of traditional academic library reference services (Fan et al., 2020; Guo et al., 2022; Liu et al., 2022; Tsang & Chiu, 2022) have transformed libraries from reading places into extensions of classrooms and learning spaces (Chan et al., 2020; Deng et al., 2019; Leung et al., 2022; Yip et al., 2019; Zhou et al., 2022). Further, during the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries and educational institutions were forced to shut down, hindering users completely from face-to-face services (Huang et al., 2021, 2022; Yi & Chiu, 2023; Yu, Lam, & Chiu, 2022), bringing two challenges to traditional reference services of academic libraries. First, data in the digital world is growing exponentially every year, making it hard for librarians to provide comprehensive reference services in traditional ways, which hints at further automation and using artificial intelligence (Lin et al., 2022). Second, face-to-face reference services have become inconvenient because users usually work online and do not regularly visit libraries (Dong et al., 2021; Leung et al., 2022).
Hong Kong Baptist University Library (HKBUL) is the library chosen for this case study. As the library of one of the eight public universities in Hong Kong, it was founded in 1956, and its e-book collection had exceeded 100,000 items by 2013. Facing the serious challenges of the digital age, HKBUL, while developing electronic information resources, also provides facilities and study spaces for the university’s learning and research activities (Huang et al., 2021, 2022). In addition, it also sets up special branches, such as the Library of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the European Documentation Center, to build the core advantages of the library.
This study evaluated HKBUL’s existing reference services to explore new technologies and approaches better suited to the current and future reference services. To achieve this purpose, this study used the 5E Instructional Model (Cheung et al., 2022; Jiang, Lam, et al., 2023; Lam et al., 2023; Xie et al., 2023) and the AIDAS marketing communication model (Cheung et al., 2023; Jiang, Chiu, & Chan, 2023) to analyze the existing advantages and disadvantages of the existing reference services in terms of learning support and communication effectiveness. Based on the findings, we propose how contemporary technologies can improve HKBUL’s reference services, especially transforming toward contactless virtual reference services in the post-COVID era.
Key Terms in this Chapter
(Library) Virtual Reference Services: References services carried out without face-to-face interactions, usually through electronic means such as phone, email, instant messaging, online chats and video, etc.
AIDA Marketing Communication Model: A model that describes marketing activities such as promotion and advertising according to individuals’ four cognitive stages when they acquire new products, services, or ideas: attention , interest , desire , and action ,
5E Instructional Model: An education model that divides students’ learning process into 5 stages: engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate.
(Library) Reference Desk: Also known as “information desk” which is a physical counter where trained personnel provide reference service.
AIDAS Model: An extension to the AIDA marketing communication model that appends satisfaction as the fifth stage, to consider whether a product or service meets consumers’ expectations after consumption.
Academic Libraries: Libraries belonged or attached to higher education institutions for supporting teaching, learning, and research of the institutions’ members.
Library Reference Services: Also known as “reader services” or “reference and information services” that refer to assistance to library users by trained personnel for information and service access.