RUSA Standards and The Virtual Librarian Service Part I

RUSA Standards and The Virtual Librarian Service

Part I

RUSA is the Reference and User Services Association: a division of the American Library Association. The RUSA Guidelines for Implementing and Maintaining Virtual Reference Services were originally promulgated in 2004 and revised in 2009 being approved by their Board of Directors March 2012.
On August 20 2012 the Virtual Librarian Service librarians met to review and assess the virtual librarian service against the RUSA Guidelines. Our services are not a perfect match to the intentions of the Guidelines. The Guidelines are intended for physical campus libraries adding or expanding into virtual reference service.

The Virtual Librarian Service works primarily with educational institutions who require an online library service and resources to be embedded into their Academic program and accreditation standards and branded by them. It was felt, even so, that the review might be a worthwhile activity. A lot has changed in the virtual library world since 2009 and these Guidelines themselves may be outdated. That said, the Virtual Librarian Service librarians completed the review.
In summary, where there are comparables, The Virtual Librarian Service meets or exceeds the RUSA Guidelines.