Friday, January 26, 2018

In Person, By Phone, or Online: Is All Reference Assistance Equal?

                When you need information, librarians are happy to help you, whether or not you are in the library.  That said, asking your question in person or by phone, when possible, often results in a more satisfying answer than asking online. There are a couple of reasons for that.

                When we are working with you in person or on the phone, we can ask follow-up questions, and you can then provide the information that will enable us to help you find what you really need.  If you have a technical question – changing your email password, for example – we can work with you, step by step, if you are at a computer, if even you’re on the phone.

                Also, if you use online chat to ask your question, it may be answered by a librarian from another college, even another state or country. Though s/he is an experienced librarian and s/he has access to a lot of information about Holman Library resources, your Holman librarians have a certain “home-team advantage” in working with our own students and faculty.  If you need reference help when the library is closed, we encourage you to use online chat – it’s available 24x7 – but when Holman Library is open, please do give us a call (253-833-9111, ext. 2091), or better yet, come see us.

                From Monday through Thursday, Holman Library is open from 7am to 10pm; Friday hours are 7am to 6pm; Saturday and Sunday hours are from 2pm to 6pm. 

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