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Managing an Established Virtual Reference Service

SUMMARY Virtual reference, no longer a “new thing,” has become an integral part of reference services. While implementing a new virtual reference service may not be as difficult now as it was in the past, established services must still grapple with several difficult philosophical, managerial, and policy issues. This article discusses how the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries has dealt with four areas common to developing virtual reference services: getting too many patrons at once, problem patrons, training and quality assessment, and expanding and improving the service.