Virtual Reference Service Directory

Listed in this directory are consortia or regional groupings of libraries providing virtual reference. For each consortium, there is a link to the list of participating libraries. From that list, go to the home page for one of the participating libraries. If a zip code is required for service, it is usually easy to find on the library’s home page. For your Virtual Field Trips or Secret Patron activity, choose Web sites from a variety of consortia or regional listings.

NAME (URL FOR CONSORTIUM OR REGIONAL GROUP)

LIST OF PARTICIPATING LIBRARIES

Ask Now
http://www.asknow.org/

http://www.asknow.org/libraries.cfm
Public libraries in California

Ask Colorado
http://www.askcolorado.org/info/about.html

http://www.askcolorado.org/info/participating.html
Public, academic, school and special libraries

Ask Your Library
http://www.askyourlibrary.org/

http://www.askyourlibrary.org/infoLib.htm
Public and academic libraries in Connecticut

Boston Library Consortium
http://www.blc.org/  

http://library.brandeis.edu/247/links.html
Ten academic libraries

Keystone Library Network
http://www.keystoneu.net/kln/  

http://www.keystoneu.net/kln/site_map.html
Academic libraries in Pennsylvania

KAN Answer
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/KSL/KLNB/KANAnswerWeb/index.htm

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/KSL/KLNB/KANAnswerWeb/institutions.htm
Kansas statewide online information service

KnowItNow
http://www.knowitnow24x7.net/

http://winslo.state.oh.us/publib/libtable.html
Public libraries in Ohio

L-Net
http://oregonlibraries.net/index.shtml

http://oregonlibraries.net/libraries.shtml
Public, academic and school libraries in Oregon

LiveChat
http://www.ualc.net/livechat/

  
Utah Academic Library Consortium

MyWebLibrarian
http://www.myweblibrarian.com/

http://www.ilsdo.org/ab_systemmap.html
Regional library systems in Illinois

Maryland AskUsNow
http://www.askusnow.info/

http://www.askusnow.info/aun_partners.htm
Public, academic, and special libraries

Mississippi Electronic Libraries On-line
http://www.colin.edu/vcclib/

http://www.colin.edu/vcclib/members.htm
Community colleges in Mississippi

Ohio LInk  

http://www.ohiolink.edu/members-info/
A cooperative reference service provided by academic libraries in Ohio  

Q and A NJ
http://qandanj.org/

  
Public and academic libraries in New Jersey

Virtual Reference Canada http://www.collectionscanada.ca/vrc-rvc/index-e.html

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/vrc-rvc/s34-124-e.html
List of members does not provide links to their home pages. Large public libraries like Vancouver PL and Toronto PL have chat reference services.  

Washington State VRS

http://vrstrain.spl.org/virtual101/textdocs/wastatevrs.pdf
Public, academic, school and special libraries