Thirty-one chat reference conversations were linguistically analyzed, compared to twenty-three instant messaging (IM) conversations held between students, and further correlated to students' satisfaction with the reference interaction. Conversations between librarians and students in chat reference are more formal than those solely involving students, and the use of some linguistic patterns are correlated to user satisfaction. Language and "Chat Reference" Chat reference, here defined as a subset of virtual reference (which would further include email reference) is an increasingly common service offered by academic libraries to their patrons. It enables librarians to provide synchronous reference service online by "chatting" with patrons, and in many cases sharing files and web-pages through special software. Recent findings suggest the use of chat software and instant messaging (IM) among Americans of undergraduate age to communicate among one another is very prevalent and is increasing; 1 libraries providing reference through similar media, then, is rational and appropriate.

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Increasingly libraries are expected to play a role in scientific data curation initiatives, i.e., "the management and preservation of digital data over the long-term." 1 This case study offers a novel approach for identifying researchers who are receptive toward library involvement in data curation. The authors interviewed researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and, after analysis, created eight design "personas." Each persona represents an aggregation of researcher attributes and can be used to target strategic relationships for nascent or emerging data management initiatives. These personas are applicable to any academic library seeking to provide data curation support.

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