Ask a Librarian Blog

Hi blogmasters:
If you have a blog for your library, copy the below user-oriented text and paste it as an entry into your own library’s blog.  Go ahead – steal it.  We want you to.  You may wish to edit the text or add specific resources to spotlight or customize your own library’s services or user focus.  Just don’t forget to add a hyperlink that takes them directly to your library’s local page!  
Have a good week,
Traci
 
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Everyone’s headed back to school – from first-time kindergartners to non-traditional college students, teachers and faculty, parents, and even your library’s friendly staff, no one is immune to the Back to School bug.  And every fall, when classes roll in, Ask a Librarian – Florida’s statewide virtual reference service – helps countless users find what they need to make a strong start.  Not sure what you need?  No problem!  We can help you find books on certain topics, books for specific ages, grades, or reading levels, books in different languages, print size, and other formats, and much more.  You tell us where you are or where you want to be, and we’ll help you locate the resources to get you on your way.  Librarians across Florida are standing by and ready to help you through live chat.  What are people asking?
 
My 3rd grade daughter has to do a book report. Can you recommend any books for her?
Need help finding a book for my history class! It needs to be about colonialism.
I am a teacher looking for books appropriate for 5th graders (not too easy; not too hard).
As an education major, how can I find age-specific books for children? Are there any resources to get me started?
 
Your library has tons of resources available, in print and online, to help everyone move to the head of the class.  No matter what you’re looking for, we’ll help you find it!
 
What can we help you with today?
 
Ask a Librarian provides Florida residents with live chat services with a real Florida librarian from 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday (ET), and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday (ET).  You can also send an e-mail your local library’s staff.

The not-so secret tools, tips and tricks of the Ask a Librarian interns. How to provide assistance to statewide customers with grace and ease.

One of the most difficult tasks on Ask a Librarian is assisting users from institutions other than your own with “local” questions. Learn from the Ask a Librarian Interns Kira Smith and Renee Patterson, how to answer questions you didn’t think you could with relative ease. The interns will be joined by Traci Avet, the AAL Virtual Reference Coordinator and together they will take you through the resources, tips and tricks on helping users from institutions other than your own.

Register at:  http://www.tblc.org/ws_info.php?ws=1141