Instant Answers@WPI

Offline? Leave your email with your inquiry and we will respond ASAP.

We offer real-time reference assistance using your own chat software & account. We support the following:

AOL Instant Messenger	wpiref	If the buddy's orange, we can chat!	Download
MSN Messenger	wpiref		Download
ICQ	230-866-381		Download
Yahoo! Messenger	wpiref		Download
Google Talk	WPIlibrary		Download
If we are not online, use our Ask Library-Questions form and we'll get back to you ASAP.

Questions about Instant Answers @ WPI?

Is this a robot or a real person? When is the service available

A real live WPI reference desk staff member is available to answer your questions during general reference desk hours.

Offline or after hours? Leave your email with your question in the embedded chat box and we will respond ASAP or try MassAnswers 24/7 quick chat staffed by public librarians in the United States.

How do I know if a librarian is online?

In the embedded chat box at the upper right, there will be an indicator of status.

If the AIM buddy icon is orange, we are ready to chat with you: (even if you use a different service).

What is the library's privacy policy concerning chat sessions?

All Instant Answers@WPI sessions are recorded. Use of Instant Answers@WPI constitutes consent for the library to use the transcipt of the interaction for research purposes, however identifying information about the user will be deleted.

How do I begin an Instant Answers@WPI chat session?

In addition to entering your question into the little chat box in the upper right, there are a couple other ways...

Add our screenname, wpiref, to your buddy list and double-click on our name, OR
Click on the IM button and type wpiref in the To: box.
If using AOL AIM, click on the buddy icon above, if orange, a box will appear which is already addressed to wpiref.
If using Yahoo! Chat, click on the Yahoo! Chat icon above, and a box will appear which is already addressed to wpiref.

What kinds of questions can I ask?

The service is intended to offer brief reference assistance. Those seeking more extensive research assistance will be urged to make an research consultation appointment with a reference librarian. Circulation transaction requests, such as renewals or placing holds, will not be handled through this service and you will be referred. Feel free to use our Ask Library-Questions form for this and we'll get back to you within one business day.

Maintained by lib-webmaster@wpi.edu
Last modified: Oct 03, 2008, 10:17 EDT