NEW APROACHES TO REAL-TIME REFERENCE SERVICES AND THE ROLE OF LIBRARIANS: AN OVERVIEW

Reference and information services has always been the main component of 
library information Service. Reference services provide personal assistance to information 
users in searching, accessing and use of information resources to meet their needs. This 
paper discusses the new approaches to real-time reference services and the role of librarians 
explaining that “The real-time reference service is a service by which a library reference 
service is conducted online or using any social media platform. The models and various 
aspects attached to real-time reference were also highlighted including email and web forms, 
Ask A services, online chat reference, video conferencing, GoToMeeting apps, Blue jean, 
Zoom, digital robots, and collaborative real-time reference. The real-time reference is a 
new powerful method for delivering reference services to serve the users. With the help of 
digital technology and e-resources, reference librarian fulfill the needs of the users. The 
paper concluded that librarians should accept innovation to discharge their service or the 
situation would force them to accept it