NETSPEAK
| When: | Wednesday, April 5, 2006; 3:00pm-4:30pm |
| Where: | University of Maryland, College Park (Directions)
McKeldin Library Room 6137 |
| Speakers: | Joseph Rawson & Caroline Gillespie University of Maryland University College |
| RSVP: | To help us plan the event, please RSVP to Kim Ricker |
| This event is co-sponsored by the UM Libraries' Digital Reference Committee & Information Literacy Team | |
FAWC 2NITE AAMOF i am TNA, CYT :-)
Have you interacted with a user via chat, instant messaging, or e-mail and found yourself confused because you were confronted with a series of acronyms, abbreviations, initialisms, or emoticons that you did not understand? Are you unsure what an initialism or emoticon is?
As the younger generation becomes our library users, they bring with them an ease with communicating over the Internet by chat, e-mail, and instant messaging. Are librarians ready for this? Are we fluent, or at the very least, familiar with Netspeak? Can we convey the subtleties and emotions of verbal communication in a non-verbal environment? Is it necessary that we be able to?
While many libraries currently engage in interactive chat and e-mail reference with their users, library literature suggests that instant messaging and text messaging may be the next wave of reference. If it is the next wave of reference, we had better be prepared.
This presentation will:
- Focus on the reference librarian’s need to learn the language of Netspeak in order to continue to be relevant and understood by our patrons and continue to provide vital reference services in new ways.
- Examine actual reference transactions that utilize Netspeak and determine how or if they help to reduce the amount of time spent in an online reference interaction, such as interactive chat.
- Discuss the basics of Netspeak and how it is used in online communication as well as controversies over its possible degradation of the English language and whether it actually makes the reference interview more difficult.
- Address methods to avoid miscommunication of ideas and feelings, as well as techniques to make the user feel comfortable and understood while using the virtual reference desk.
- Examine resources that will enable librarians to learn the basic ins and outs of, as well as stay up to date with, Netspeak in the future.
SPEAKERS
 | Joseph Rawson is the 24/7 Services Coordinator Librarian at the University of Maryland University College. Mr. Rawson has experience providing reference services and library instruction at UMUC and the Providence Public Library in Providence, RI. He received his M.L.I.S from the University of Rhode Island (2001) and a B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University (1986). Prior to his career as a librarian, he spent many years as an education, event, and member services director for builder and Realtor trade associations running educational programs, conventions and working with faculty to develop course curriculum. |
| Caroline Gillespie received her BA in History (2001) and MS in Information Studies (2004) from the University of Texas. Prior to becoming a librarian, Caroline was a high school teacher in Austin, Texas. Caroline is currently a Reference and Instruction Librarian at the University of Maryland University College. |  |
More Information:
