Describes the ChemWeb virtual community for chemists focussing on virtual conferencing.
This article discusses the use of computer‐mediated communication (CMC) within the library and information world and suggests that participation in “virtual communities” may…
Abstract
This article discusses the use of computer‐mediated communication (CMC) within the library and information world and suggests that participation in “virtual communities” may become an increasingly significant dimension of information work. Participation in “virtual community” can, for instance, be related to the delivery of a variety of services to users within all sectors, to computer‐supported collaborative work within information services, and to both informal and formal activities for professional updating, learning and development. The article identifies some concepts and issues in these areas as a means of introducing the papers in the VINE 109, which each address aspects of the “virtual community” topic.