Digital Reference Common Interest Group (DIGREF)

Digital Reference is charged to:

• Promote collaboration and sharing of experience, expertise, and best practices about digital reference services via periodic meetings, regular electronic communications, and a UC listserv.
• Encourage and facilitate with due attention to privacy, ongoing data collection and assessment (usage data, question logs, user feedback, etc.) in order to better understand the value of these services to our users, to inform the refinement and priorities of reference and instruction programs, and to track the usability of interfaces and resources.
• Provide leadership and assistance to UC staff who are currently providing services locally, experimenting with relevant technologies, and/or have an interest in developing collaborative processes, procedures, and systems for delivering digital reference services.
• Monitor software developments and consider applications for UC libraries. Recommend a best system for UC libraries to adopt as it becomes available.
• Serve as a liaison with software vendors to articulate UC needs and negotiate trial arrangements as appropriate to encourage progress in the development of the needed software.
• Identify the role of the CDL in licensing or other issues relevant to digital reference services.

Membership/Composition/Term

One member from each campus and the CDL should be designated to serve as representative on the Digital Reference Common Interest Group. Each representative will be responsible for regular communication with the other members and within their campuses. The CIG is expected to respond to requests from HOPS to review reports and other documents in a timely fashion and to bring issues, concerns and new initiatives to the attention of HOPS. The Chair of the Digital Reference Common Interest Group is elected for a 2-year appointment.