Ask-A-Librarian Live Chat FAQs

Who provides this service?

Ask a Librarian is brought to you by the University of Hawaii at Manoa Libraries and participating members of the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA).

Questions are answered by librarians from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Arkansas, Iowa State University, and the University of Southern California, as well as over one hundred other participating academic libraries.

Why do librarians from other campuses staff this service?

Participating institutions have pooled their resources to cover as many hours as possible. This chat service is in addition to existing services (in person, phone, and e-mail) offered by the Reference Departments at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Libraries. We are working hard with our partners to offer the best service to our patrons, irrespective of the location of the patron and the librarian.

May I ask any question?

The service is best suited to straightforward questions that do not involve extensive searching. In-depth research questions, especially those that require heavy use of print sources, are outside the scope of this service. For in-depth help, you may wish to contact your subject specialist.

Do I need to use any special software?

No. Ask a Librarian works with Web most browsers (Internet Explorer 5 and above, Netscape 6 and above, Mozilla, FireFox, and Safari). NOTE: It is a good idea to refrain from using the "back" button in your browser while you are chatting with a librarian. You may need to turn off any pop-up blockers during the session.

How do I turn off pop-up blockers?

Why did nobody pick up my question while I was online?

Heavy demand at a particular time may make it impossible for the librarians on duty to answer questions quickly. We apologize for any inconvenience. However, as long as you submit a question and provide your email address, you should receive follow-up from the University of Hawaii at Manoa Library, even if you log out before receiving an answer.