FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2006
Contact: , Austin Public Library, (512) 974-7528
Fax: (512) 974-7442

Austin Public Library Launches New Ways to Communicate with
Austin Librarians to Get Your Questions Asked and Answered
Live chats with Librarians and a Library Blog

At the Faulk Central Library, the reference librarians are using new technology to assist customers to find information. “Chat with a Librarian” went live this week and allows customers to “chat” with Austin Public librarians to get answers to questions that can be found in online resources. Librarians answer questions about Library services, the catalog, the collection, and the online databases. Our real-time system works in two modes: chat and co-browsing. Chat allows the customers and the librarian to type back and forth in real time. Co-browsing enables the librarian to display web pages from the catalog, the online databases, and the Internet on the customer’s home screen. The average session lasts less than 15 minutes. The new service is available Monday - Friday, 2 - 5 p.m. as a pilot program. “We are testing the program to see if our customers like this form of access to information, and we will look at expanding the hours the librarians are available for a chat,” says David Spradling, Central Library Services Manager. To use this new free service visit www.cityofaustin.org/library and click on “Ask a Librarian.”

In addition to “Chat with a Librarian” the Faulk Central Library reference staff has gone online with an Austin Public Library (APL) Blog as part of the “Reader Blogs” on statesman.com. Readers of the APL Blog will find everything ranging from things we’re reading, watching and listening to; topics related to today’s events and news; field trips to other libraries; Texas authors and artists; and library tips, curiosities and controversies. The library staff will post library related links and promote the Austin Public Library as well. We invite our readers to comment on a post, ask a quick question or tell us your library ideas! We look forward to blogging with you! You can find the Library blog on austinpubliclibrary.statesmanblogs.com/.

For additional information call (512) 974-7400 or visit www.cityofaustin.org/library

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