Digital information support for domestic violence victims

✍ Scribed by Lynn Westbrook

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 280 KB
• Volume: 58
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1532-2882
• DOI: 10.1002/asi.20520

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

With domestic violence directly impacting over 5 million victims in the United States annually, the growing e‐health and e‐government networks are developing digitally based resources for both victims and those who aid them. The well‐established community information and referral role of public libraries dovetails with this digital referral network model; however, no study of the actual service provided by public libraries is available. This examination of e‐mail reference responses to requests for safe‐house contact information revealed major gaps in cyber‐safety awareness and uneven implementation of professional standards for virtual reference service. Implications for information system design, professional standards, education, and future research are discussed.