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About Ask a Librarian
Library users can contact a librarian with their questions online through instant message (IM) or email, by telephone, and in-person at the reference desk.
- Who staffs this service?
- How long does it take?
- Who can use Ask A Librarian?
- Are Ask A Librarian questions confidential?
- Why do you need my email address and other personal information?
- Can I return to my question at a later time?
- What is IM and how does it work?
- Who can I contact for further information regarding Ask A Librarian?
The Ask A Librarian service is staffed by UIC librarians and staff at the Richard J. Daley Library and the Libraries of the Health Sciences at Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana.
How long does it take?Instant Messaging (IM) happens in real-time, although there may occasionally be slight delays if the librarian is helping other patrons. Librarians are available for IM Monday through Friday, from 11am to 4pm.
Email questions are typically responded to within 24 hours, except on weekends and holidays.
Telephone and in-person assistance are available during reference hours.
The service is available to UIC affiliates and those with questions relating to specific resources and services of the UIC Libraries. If you have a research, database or library-related question, librarians and subject specialists will help you find the answer or refer you to an appropriate service or resource.
Are Ask A Librarian questions confidential?Yes.E mail transcripts are recorded by OCLC’s QuestionPoint virtual reference management service and
are tracked for statistics that may be used in research or service improvements.
However, all personal information is removed after 90 days and the archives are regularly
purged of old email and chat transcripts.
For your privacy and security, the UIC Library does not log IM transactions. However, commercial IM services
and clients may, so please familiarize yourself with their privacy policies.
We need certain information to serve you most efficiently. An email is required so we can contact you and/or send a transcript of your chat. Many of our resources are available off-site only to UIC users, so knowing your status will help us steer you to resources that will best serve your needs.
Can I return to my question at a later time?Your email exchange is saved for a limited time for your reference. IM transcripts are not logged by the UIC Libraries, but may be recorded by your IM service or client.
What is IM and how does it work?Instant Messaging, or, IM offers real-time communication, and is more akin to genuine conversation than email's "letter" format. The UIC Library has IM accounts on AIM, Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger and UIC IM all with the screen name uiclibrarian. No IM account? You can IM with us right from our Web page. Just type your question in the window and hit enter.
Who can I contact for further information regarding Ask A Librarian?If you still have a question, simply submit it through any of the Ask a Librarian access points.
