Web-Based Internal Communication Tools in ARL Reference Departments

This study is an exploratory survey of the Web-based internal communication tools used by reference departments in member institutions of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). In particular, Web 2.0 technologies contribute significantly to collaborative content creation and knowledge management, and reference departments have adopted them for various functions within staff workflow. The results of this study indicate that many reference departments have implemented Web 2.0 technologies for staff communication, to various ends and varying degrees of success. In addition to recommending best practices for their implementation, areas for further research are suggested