Digital reference services (also known as "AskA" services, as in "Ask-an-Expert") provide subject expertise and information referral over the Internet to their users. This ERIC Digest provides an overview of the growing digital reference movement and its implications on sponsoring organizations, and examines current practices…

The concept of digital reference is emerging as its own domain within the field of librarianship. This digest discusses issues that have surfaced recently in practice and research: provision of real-time reference service, collaborative efforts among networks of libraries and organizations, and development of quality and technical standards. Many…