The Virtual Reference DeskSM
3rd Annual Digital Reference Conference
Setting Standards and Making it Real

November 12-13, 2001 Orlando, Florida, USA

Call for Student Papers

The Virtual Reference DeskSM invites graduate students in the fields of
library and information science to submit proposals for the VRD 2001
Student Paper Competition. The purpose of this competition is to highlight
exemplary graduate student research or thesis work in the area of digital
reference. Interested students are invited to submit a paper for
consideration by June 29, 2001, along with a letter from an advisor
verifying student status. All student submissions will be notified of
acceptance no later than August 15, 2001.

The author of the best student paper will win one free registration and
free transportation to the VRD 3rd Annual Digital Reference Conference in
Orlando, FL, where he/she will present the paper before an international
audience. The winner(s) will be honored during an awards ceremony at the
conference, and the paper will be published in the conference proceedings.

The third annual VRD conference will highlight digital reference service
in a variety of contexts: libraries and information centers, government,
business, education, etc. This conference will explore the nature of
Internet-based question-and-answer service as well as the specific issues
involved in providing all types of digital reference service. For more
information on the VRD annual conference, please see the conference Web
site at http://www.vrd.org/VRD2001.

Conference themes include:

        Technology for Digital Reference - Real-time/live reference,
software solutions

        Digital Reference Service Management - Service development,
policy, evaluation, staffing, marketing

        General Issues in Digital Reference - Partnerships, legal and
ethical issues, current research, case studies

        Digital Reference Resources - Search tools and services, online
resources, assessment methods

        Standards for Digital Reference - Quality criteria, technology
standards, interoperability

DEADLINES:
Student papers will be accepted until June 29, 2001 (see submission
instructions below). The winning student will be notified by August 15,
2001.

PAPER SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
Papers should be 8-12 pages, double-spaced. For parenthetical citations,
use the author-date system, as recommended by the APA Publication Manual.
Acquiring permission to quote or to use illustrative material from both
published (in copyright) and unpublished material is the responsibility of
each author.

Papers should reflect conference themes and can include descriptions of
projects or services, proposals for research to be conducted or results of
previously-conducted research, etc.

Please include author's name, institution, address, phone, fax, e-mail,
brief biographical information, and a letter from an advisor verifying
student status. Please e-mail your paper to the VRD Conference Committee
([log in to unmask]) by June 29, 2001.

The VRD 2001 Annual Digital Reference Conference is hosted by the
Information Institute of Syracuse, SOLINET, and the Information Institute
at the School of Information Studies, Florida State University. For more
information regarding the VRD 2001 Annual Digital Reference Conference,
please contact Marilyn Schick, [log in to unmask], 800-464-9107 or
315-443-3640. The Virtual Reference DeskSM is a project of the U.S.
Department of Education, operated by the Information Institute of
Syracuse, Syracuse University, 621 Skytop Road, Suite 160, Syracuse, New
York 13244-5290.