Personalized instruction and assistance services for distance learners: Cultivating a research relationship

Student preferences for remote access to information coupled with their preference for face-to-face assistance provide a unique challenge for librarians. Providing equitable library services for distance learners that meet these preferences becomes increasingly important as the number of courses offered online grows at a rapid pace. The author suggests that the presence of a librarian in the online classroom and the application of business models of relationship-based services to the online course environment can result in the development of exemplary library services for this population.