How Libraries Participate
What our libraries have to say:
"The co-op and contract librarians have done a good job answering our users' questions, though I
can already see where we can improve our policy page to provide them with better information."
"I'm really excited about how AskMN is going to help our users."
"We've been impressed with the quality of service provided by our partners around the state and
in OCLC's cooperative." —Cody Hanson, University of Minnesota Libraries
AskMN was created as a way for libraries to provide digital reference service to their patrons
and community in a collaborative setting to allow for continuity of service, ease in starting
up the service, and centralized training and administrative support.
For membership information contact ask at askmn dot org.
Benefits to Your Library Users
- Provide library service beyond your library hours, 24/7
- Point of time and need contact
- Experienced, quality service
- Access to text and hot links of sites visited after their session
Benefits to Your Staff
- Offer cutting-edge reference skills for library staff members
- Improve staff reference skills through training, mentoring, and collaboration
- Centralized training and support
- Marketing and promotion handled centrally
- Connect with reference staff throughout Minnesota
Benefits to Participating Libraries
- Extend access to your collections, resources, other services to your patrons 24/7
- Serve your patrons in a new way
- Manage all of your reference (live chat, IM, telephone, email, and in-person) using the QuestionPoint question management tool
- Be part of an innovative and popular service
- Reach new patrons and improve service to current patrons
- Gather statistics and patron feedback from central location
- Limits local staffing commitment
- Provided with a customizable email submission form and IM Widget as part of the full online reference management system
- Network of cooperative librarians and access to extended resources