Ask A Librarian : About Ask A Librarian

Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am-9:00 pm 

Friday: 9:00 am- 5:00 pm

Saturday and Sunday: 1:00 - 5:00 pm

Technical difficulties: Please email ryan.schultz@umanitoba.ca

Pop outs: you can pop the live chat box out into its own small window on your desktop so you can work as you chat. To do this, click on the green arrow pop out arrow in the widget. (Please ensure pop-ups are enabled on your computer so the service may be launched).

Offline messaging: You can send a message when the service is offline, but it will not be answered right away.

Please include an email address so we can write you back.

Ask a Librarian is an internet chat reference service provided by the University of Manitoba Libraries.

Patrons click on the Ask A Librarian icon to begin the reference chat, typing their questions into the box which says "Type here to chat" and pressing the Enter key to send the message.  The average wait time for a response is 1-3 minutes.  During certain busy times, librarians may ask you to wait while they answer questions received earlier.

Ask A Librarian is designed to give quick answers to basic questions about library services and research.  We will try to answer your question in the most efficient way possible and direct you to more information that you will find helpful. If you need more in-depth research assistance, we will refer you to the appropriate person or department.

• We provide answers to simple reference questions, e.g. "What's the number for Hudson's Bay Company Archives?"; "How do I convert Fahrenheit to Celsius?"  In the case of more complicated questions, we will refer you to the appropriate libraries or departments which can handle those types of questions.
• We provide answers to questions about the various libraries' resources and services, e.g. "How can I reset my library password?"; "What are the hours of the Dafoe Library?"; "How do I access the Oxford English Dictionary?"
• If you need a document delivery or book loans, we will refer you to our Document Delivery service.
• If you need writing support, we can refer you to the University's Writing Tutors.
• If you need technical troubleshooting, we can refer you to the appropriate office or department for technical support.  
• We troubleshoot problems with search strategies and help students create effective, efficient searches.
• We can answer questions about style guides and how to properly cite print and electronic resources.
• We can guide you to make the best selections from our collection of over 500 databases (e.g. Biological Abstracts for biology).
• We can answer your questions about bibliographic management software such as RefWorks.
• We do not provide counseling services, or medical or legal advice.  Only a profesional practitioner can provide specific advice and direcction in resolving legal and/or medical issues.  We will refer you to appropriate community support services.
• Access to University of Manitoba databases, ebooks and other electronic materials may be restricted to students and faculty.