UVa Library Press Releases 2001 - 2002

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LIBRARY PREMIERS REAL-TIME REFERENCE CHAT SERVICE

Contact: Melissa Cox Norris at (434) 924-4254 or mln4n@virginia.edu

October 24, 2001 - The University of Virginia Library announces Real-Time Reference, an online chat service that allows students, faculty, and staff to ask reference questions of librarians and get answers online in real-time. Topics such as how to best search VIRGO (the Library‰s online catalog), use Library databases and the proxy server, or where to begin research are examples of some of the questions that can be answered by librarians.

To "chat" with a librarian online, users can either go directly to the Real-Time Reference Web site at http://www.lib.virginia.edu/questions.html, or simply click on the "Questions? Ask a Librarian" button located on the Library's home page or from any other page on which the "Questions" button appears.

Hours of service are Sun-Thurs, 1-5pm and 7-10pm; and Fri-Sat, 1-5pm. When the service is not available, users are directed to the e-mail reference service in which answers are given within 24 hours.

Premiering this fall, Real-Time Reference is one way the Library is fulfilling the goal set forth by University President John Casteen in his 2001 State of the University address "to create an environment in which technology becomes ubiquitous and fully integrated into teaching, research, and student life."

For more information about Real-Time Reference, contact Carol Hunter at 243-8788 or by e-mail at crh5f@virginia.edu.

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