Help for chat with a librarian

Contents

• What do I need to know about this service? I have not used it before.
• How do I request an e-mail transcript? Can I be anonymous?
• What happens if I choose to be anonymous?
• How do I end the chat?
• What problems might occur during the chat?

What do I need to know about this service? I have not used it before.

This service lets you chat with a librarian from your library or another library that is helping yours:

• At the top, you see whether chat is available or not available.
• If chat is not available now, you see information about service options. You may have the option to send your e-mail address and question to your library now so a librarian can respond later through e-mail.
• If chat is available now, you type questions and messages in the bottom box. You press Enter or click Send to send a message.
• Each message that you and the librarian send is added to the transcript in the top box. The newest message appears at the bottom of the transcript.
• You can click on any URL in the transcript to open a new window containing the Web page for the URL.
• If you request a transcript, the service sends it to your e-mail address when you end the chat.

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How do I request an e-mail transcript? Can I be anonymous?

To request a transcript, provide your e-mail address anytime after you send your first message. You can choose to be anonymous.

During the chat, do the following to provide your e-mail address and request a transcript. You can repeat these steps if you need to make changes.

1. Click .
2. Type your e-mail address in the pop-up box.
3. Check the box if you wish to be anonymous.
4. Click Submit.

After the chat, do the following to provide your e-mail address and request a transcript. You do not need to do this if you provided your address during the chat. You are anonymous if you provide your address only after the chat.

1. End the chat.
2. Click the Email transcripts link.
3. Type your e-mail address in the pop-up box and click OK.

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What happens if I choose to be anonymous?

If you provide your e-mail address but choose to be anonymous, the service sends the transcript but the librarian does not learn your e-mail address and cannot provide additional information to you later.

If you do not choose to be anonymous, the service sends the transcript and the librarian can send additional information to you later if necessary. The librarian would use your address only for that purpose.

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How do I end the chat?

To end the chat:

1. Click X.
2. Click OK to confirm.
3. If you have not already requested an e-mail transcript, click Email transcripts to request one.
4. Click Start New Session to remove your transcript.

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What problems might occur during the chat?

Your communications connection with the librarian might stop working. Each time that you send or receive a message, the message should be added to the transcript. If you send a message but it does not appear in the transcript within 30 seconds, your connection may be lost. You may need to end your chat and start a new one.

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