Introducing Reference Assistance via Instant Messaging

Cannell Library has begun to offer reference assistance via Instant Messaging, or IM. This is still a work in progress, so there may be problems from time to time, so please be patient as we us.

The instant message box on the Ask a Librarian page is called a widget. If the word balloon is green, that means there is a reference librarian available to help you.

If the word balloon is red, that means the instant message service is off. If you have a question you’ll need to call us at 992-2375, or send us your question using the form to the left of the instant message widget.

The best part is you don’t need to have your own IM account or IM software to use this service. Just type your message into the box where it says, “type here” and your off and running.

Give it a try when the service is active so we can test it out to see how well it works. If you should encounter any problems be sure to contact us by email or phone so we can try and fix them.