Ask a Librarian
Encyclopedia
Ask a Librarian is Florida
's Statewide Collaborative Live Virtual reference
Service. Ask a Librarian began as a partnership between the College Center for Library Automation (CCLA) and the Tampa Bay Library Consortium (TBLC). Ask a Librarian was funded initially in 2002-2003 with Library Services and Technology Act
(LSTA) funds as a pilot project of the Florida Electronic Library. Ask a Librarian is currently an official service of the Florida Electronic Library.
The service was activated on July 28, 2003. Ask a Librarian currently has 103 participating libraries, including 49 public libraries and library systems, K-12 libraries, and 48 college libraries (four state universities, Florida's 28 community college
s, and private colleges). On August 19, 2007, Ask a Librarian answered Its 100,000th question. As of February 2011, Ask a Librarian has logged over 274,000 live virtual reference sessions and e-mail questions.
The service provides all of Florida's citizens with live virtual reference services via local library customized web sites from 10 am to midnight EST Sunday through Thursday, and from 10 am to 5 pm EST Friday and Saturday. Participating libraries utilize the software to provide local live virtual reference services to their patrons. An e-mail form is available to patrons 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. All e-mail is answered by the local participating library.
Ask a Librarian Mobile (www.askalibrarian.mobi or www.askalibrarian.org/m), debuted in January 2008. It provides email reference service to mobile devices.
On October 1, 2008, Ask a Librarian migrated to InstantService, a SaaS
provider of e chat and email management
solutions, to provide its new software platform, enabling Ask a Librarian to continue its year to year growth and serve more patrons. InstantService is now part of the Oracle/ATG Live Help solution.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
's Statewide Collaborative Live Virtual reference
Virtual reference
Virtual reference is the remote, computer-mediated delivery of reference information provided by library professionals to users who cannot access or do not want face-to-face communication. Virtual reference service is most often an extension of a library's existing reference service program...
Service. Ask a Librarian began as a partnership between the College Center for Library Automation (CCLA) and the Tampa Bay Library Consortium (TBLC). Ask a Librarian was funded initially in 2002-2003 with Library Services and Technology Act
Library Services and Technology Act
The Library Services and Technology Act was signed on October 1, 1996 by United States President Bill Clinton. LSTA is a United States federal library grant program. Its roots come from the Library Services Act that was first enacted in 1956. LSTA replaced the Library Services and Construction Act...
(LSTA) funds as a pilot project of the Florida Electronic Library. Ask a Librarian is currently an official service of the Florida Electronic Library.
The service was activated on July 28, 2003. Ask a Librarian currently has 103 participating libraries, including 49 public libraries and library systems, K-12 libraries, and 48 college libraries (four state universities, Florida's 28 community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
s, and private colleges). On August 19, 2007, Ask a Librarian answered Its 100,000th question. As of February 2011, Ask a Librarian has logged over 274,000 live virtual reference sessions and e-mail questions.
The service provides all of Florida's citizens with live virtual reference services via local library customized web sites from 10 am to midnight EST Sunday through Thursday, and from 10 am to 5 pm EST Friday and Saturday. Participating libraries utilize the software to provide local live virtual reference services to their patrons. An e-mail form is available to patrons 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. All e-mail is answered by the local participating library.
Ask a Librarian Mobile (www.askalibrarian.mobi or www.askalibrarian.org/m), debuted in January 2008. It provides email reference service to mobile devices.
On October 1, 2008, Ask a Librarian migrated to InstantService, a SaaS
Saas
SAAS is an abbreviation for* Social Accountability Accreditation Services* Software as a service * Student Awards Agency for Scotland* Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences* South Australian Ambulance Service...
provider of e chat and email management
solutions, to provide its new software platform, enabling Ask a Librarian to continue its year to year growth and serve more patrons. InstantService is now part of the Oracle/ATG Live Help solution.