Ask A Librarian from Tutor.com

Submitted by Katie Bane on Fri, 07/06/2012 - 07:35

July/August 2012

In June, Tutor.com announced the launch of Ask A Librarian Online Reference Center. This new service is a cost-effective way to add reference librarians to your staff. The virtual reference also helps bring a higher return on a library’s investment in their website and online catalogs and resources. Tutor’s virtual reference service connects students, teachers, business people, and researchers to a librarian in the library or at home for help with research and research challenges. The librarian uses virtual chat and an interactive online environment to share information and resources from your databases.

Comments

How about actually hiring a librarian instead?

Katie,

Don’t you think tutor.com’s “Ask a Librarian” service will reduce employment opportunities for reference librarians?

Submitted by Michael Henry Starks (not verified) on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 09:43.

Tutor.com explains on its

Tutor.com explains on its website that it employs real, live professional librarians with MLS, MLIS or equivalent degrees to answer questions via live chat. No, the Tutor.com librarian is not in a physical library in the physical presence of the patron, but a professionally credentialed librarian is assisting the patron, even if it is remotely.

Submitted by Katie Bane on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 13:14.

Ask A Librarian

Hi! This is Jennifer from Tutor.com. We wanted to follow up on the comment regarding Ask A Librarian. Many of our clients use Ask A Librarian to complement their own virtual reference program which is staffed by their own librarians during certain hours and our librarians during particularly busy times or after-hours such as overnight for a 24-7 service. Tutor.com also offers libraries the ability to staff their program 100% of the time just on our technology platform.

Submitted by Jennifer (not verified) on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 16:28.