Library chat reference service assists students
    Students and researchers with reference questions no longer have to leave their homes or computer labs to find the answer.
LSU Libraries recently implemented a chat reference service in which students on or off campus can ask a reference librarian a question in real time.
“The students won’t have to come to the library to ask reference questions anymore,” said Melanie Sims, Libraries’ reference assistant coordinator.
The service has been staffed and up and running since Jan. 28, and there have been 14 chat sessions with students and librarians so far. Library officials hope those numbers will increase as students become aware of the service.
The hours are 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“Depending on the amount of traffic we get, we will increase the hours and possibly add weekends,” Sims said.
When the chat service is unavailable, students can e-mail reference questions to the Library. Reference questions can be answered within 24 hours if it is not a University holiday or break.
“With this service, we are able to extend library service beyond library walls,” said Tom Diamond, head of Reference Services.
Sims said it will be easier than phone reference, and the librarians can send Web pages to the patron.
The Library will give first preference to students, faculty and staff when answering reference questions. Depending on the subject of the question, the response may take longer than 24 hours.
“The most popular question has been how to get items on reserve,” Diamond said.
After each session, a transcript of that session is e-mailed to the user as a reference.
To access the chat service, click on the “Ask a Librarian” link from the Libraries home page, www.lib.lsu.edu. The page will prompt the user to fill out a name, phone number and e-mail address before being sent to the chat service.
Kayla Gagnet