 | About Chat |
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What is Chat? |
What is Chat?
Chat is an interactive reference service that lets you communicate with librarians in real-time during selected service hours. The service also features co-browsing capabilities so that you and the reference librarian work together, doing such things as viewing web pages and conducting database searches through a shared browser display. Who can use this service?
The primary goal of this service is to support the information and research needs of the current students, faculty and staff of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. When possible, we will extend our services to the citizens of Minnesota and researchers elsewhere as their questions relate to resources unique to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. What kinds of questions can I ask?
This service is designed to answer brief questions, suggest sources to consult, and to demonstrate online how various resources might be used. If your question is too complex to answer through chat, or if it requires the attention of a subject specialist, we may suggest that we respond via e-mail, phone, or another way. If in these cases your need is urgent, please let us know and we'll respond as quickly as possible.
Technical difficulties
Should you get disconnected during the session, you can try the following
to reconnect: Click the BACK button on your browser twice or close your
browser and logon to the service again. You may be able to restart the
session where you left off.
Browser compatibility
Please also note that the software that supports our chat reference service
works best with Internet Explorer (version 5.0 and above) on a PC. (You
can download the latest versions of IE here.)
If you are using AOL, we recommend that after connecting, you use an IE
browser for the session. If you are using Netscape, some versions will
display a popup message advising you to change the java setting in order
to login and chat with a librarian. It also will provide full instructions
for the steps to be taken to enable java or disable it, as the case may
be -- depending upon the Netscape version. If you are using a Macintosh
computer, your session will downshift to a more basic interaction than
one that could be achieved with a PC. You will not be able to co-browse,
or simultaneously display the same website the librarian is viewing, but
you will still be able to interact with a librarian and get answers to
your questions in a real time format.
In using this chat service, you are entering co-browsing environment. All information displayed on your browser will be in view of the librarian, and vice versa. To ensure your privacy, we advise you not to browse to any web pages that you do not want the librarian to see during this chat session. Please also note that chat session transcripts may be monitored by U of M librarians for quality control and service improvement only. Beyond these purposes, information contained in these transcripts remains strictly confidential. For more information, see the U of M Online Privacy Statement.