The Virtual Reference Desk (VRD) is pleased to announce that three digital
reference services have been recognized for excellence in Internet-based
information provision. The VRD annual Exemplary Service Awards recognize
outstanding digital reference and AskA services for their contributions to
the field of online Q&A, and for the provision of high-quality
information. The 2001 Virtual Reference Desk Exemplary Services are:

* QandAcafe, a service of the Golden Gateway Library Network (CA)

* Ask a Librarian, a service of the Houston (TX) Public Library

* InfoPoint Digital Reference Service, a service of the University of
Minnesota Libraries - Twin Cities

Each service will receive a VRD Exemplary Service award at the Virtual
Reference Desk's 2001 Annual Conference, "Setting Standards and Making It
Real," on November 12, 2001 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, FL. In
addition, a VRD Director's Award will be given to KnowItNow, a live
reference service provided by the Cleveland Public Library and members of
the CLEVNET consortium.

For more information on the "Setting Standards and Making It Real"
conference, please see our conference pages at
http://www.vrd.org/conferences/VRD2001/. VRD is a project of the ERIC
Clearinghouse on Information & Technology and the U.S. Department of
Education.