Implementing Digital Reference Services: setting standards and making it real is a collection of papers from the Third Annual Virtual Regerence Desk (VRD) Digital Reference Conference held 12-13 November 2001 in Orlando, Florida, USA, which have been brought together to form a comprehensive survey of current practice for practitioners. The papers focus on the theoretical and practical issues of digital reference in libraries and information services, with special emphasis on the theme of quality standards and evaluation. Illustrated by a wide range of case studies, together they bring together a wealth of shared experience by experts and successful practitioners in the field. Part One provides case studies for digital reference services; Part Two covers the management of digital reference; Part Three: real-time digital reference services; Part Four: collaborative reference initiatives; Part Five: research in digital reference; and Part Six evaluating digital reference.