Libraries from the Northern Collaboration, a group of academic libraries in the North of England, have signed an agreement with OCLC to use QuestionPoint software to provide a collaborative out-of-hours virtual enquiry service for students.
The agreement with OCLC provides Northern Collaboration members with the tools necessary to offer a complete virtual reference system. Participation in the global QuestionPoint 24/7 cooperative makes it possible for libraries from the Northern Collaboration to offer users around-the-clock support.
Having successfully piloted the service with seven institutions, the service is now being rolled out across the wider Northern Collaboration group. To date, 16 of the 26 institutions have signed up for the service.
