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Chat with a Librarian is Pennsylvania’s statewide live chat reference service and is free to all residents of Pennsylvania 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, even during holidays and breaks from school! You can connect in real time with a trained librarian who can help you find reliable information, answer research questions, or guide you in using library resources.
You can ask about school assignments, research projects, genealogy, databases, book recommendations, or general information searches. The chat is available through the POWER Library website, which is PA's online portal to digital resources provided by libraries across the state.
The service is staffed by PA librarians, and during off-hours, by partner librarians from other parts of the U.S. to maintain 24/7 coverage.
In short, Chat with a Librarian is a way for Pennsylvania residents (students, teachers, and the public) to get professional, personalized research help at any time.
What kind of Chat is best for me?
Chat: Asking general questions, getting help with databases, finding peer-reviewed sources, learning about citations
Email: Questions that don't need an immediate answer, topics that could take a lot of time to research, getting book recommendations
Text: Quick questions, random trivia, on-the-go information, finding library locations/hours
Who is answering Chat with a Librarian?
Local librarians from your library or school
Librarians from across the state
Librarians from around the country and beyond, when our librarians aren't available
What to expect using Chat with a Librarian?
Expert help from a real live librarian
Assistance finding resources and locating sources
Help solving your school-related problems
What not to expect using Chat with a Librarian?
Some to do all your homework for you
Someone to talk with when you're bored
Policy of Mutual Respect:
We treat our Chat with a Librarian users with respect and expect the same in return. If you use abusive or inappropriate language we will terminate the session and take appropriate action.
Librarians staffing Chat with a Librarian protect the privacy of your question and identity. However, people who make threats or use offensive language will be reported to the appropriate authorities.
We contact schools and Internet service providers to report inappropriate use.
While librarians are very skilled at finding the information you need, it may take a few minutes or more for the librarian to complete their search. The typical session lasts 10-15 minutes. Therefore, please allow enough time for the librarian to find the answer. If you only have one or two minutes to allow for a session, please log in and ask your questions when you have more time. This will ensure that both you and the librarian assisting you will have a successful experience.
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