Ask MN The Librarian Is In Minitex Reference

Ask. MN: The Librarian Is In! Minitex Reference Outreach & Instruction Carla Steinberg Pfahl pfahl 001@umn. edu

What is Ask. MN about? • An online service for information and research help available to Minnesota residents and students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. • The service is staffed by experienced librarians from Minnesota and Question. Point’s 24/7 Reference Cooperative.

Ask. MN’s Purpose Create a cooperative network for libraries to more easily contribute and participate in an online reference service for the benefit of its communities.

Staffing • Over 90 librarians from 30 participating libraries staff Ask. MN (solo librarians > large multi-branch systems) – Academic – County Systems – Public – Regional Systems • Each staff member staffs chat for a 1 – 2 hour shift per week • Off hours handled by Question. Point’s 24/7 Reference Cooperative

What is the 24/7 Reference Cooperative? • Made up of libraries across the U. S. and U. K. – Libraries similar to any library in Minnesota that provide a digital reference service to their patrons – Come together to answer questions from their patrons and other library patrons when that patron’s library is unavailable • Includes QP’s Back Up Staff – Paid librarians with an MLS/MLIS and at least 5 years experience in a library setting

30 Participating Libraries! Academic Libraries • • • • • Augsburg University Bethany Lutheran College Bethel University College of St. Scholastica Concordia University – St. Paul Hamline University Lake Superior College Macalester College's Wallace De. Witt Library Mc. Nally Smith College of Music Minnesota State University – Mankato Normandale Community College Northwestern College St. Catherine University St. Cloud State University of Minnesota – Duluth University of Minnesota - Morris University of Minnesota – Twin Cities University of St. Thomas Public Libraries • • • Anoka County Library Carver County Library Cloquet Public Library Dakota County Library Duluth Public Library Fergus Falls Public Library Great River Regional Library Hennepin County Library System Lake Agassiz Regional Library Minitex Rochester Public Library Saint Paul Public Library Washington County Library

Question. Point Account • Chat – state and cooperative levels • Qwidget – state and cooperative levels • Email – institution level • Text – institution level (*this is an extra service that can be added on to your QP account)