ABSTRACT
The modern academic library is characterized by technological innovation, optimum Internet connectivity, and boasts of numerous electronic resources and services that are accessible remotely. Library patrons can now ‘visit’ the library and conduct research without ever entering the library building. Furthermore, enabling technologies have led to the exponential growth of distance education programs in many higher education institutions. Students can now participate in college and university programs without leaving their geographical locations because technology facilitates virtual delivery of academic programs. This has in turn led to the emergence of virtual academic communities. These virtual communities require the services and resources of various academic support units much in the same way as traditional campus communities. In order to remain relevant within this milieu, academic libraries are changing rapidly and being transformed to meet the changing needs of the evolving academic communities they serve. To that end, libraries are increasingly providing services and support to virtual patrons, by facilitating access to and navigation of electronic resources and 186providing value-added support services that optimize effective use of these resources. The public service areas that have undergone the greatest technology-enabled transformation to meet the needs of virtual patrons are access, reference, and instruction. As technology changes, it will continue to define the capability of libraries to meet the changing needs of library patrons. This paper reviews some of the recent developments in electronic access, reference and instruction in light of services to virtual patrons, particularly college and university students. The paper focuses on virtual patrons in an academic setting and includes results of a survey on the perceptions and use of Web-based library resources and services by students of Penn State University's World Campus, a virtual campus with an enrollment of over 5,900 students. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1–800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: < docdelivery@haworthpress.com> Website: <https://www.HaworthPress.com" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2004 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]
