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Ask a Librarian
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Arrow pointing to chat form on right side of screen

Information Professionals
are waiting online to help
with your questions
Available
24/7

 

Getting Started

If you are new to our service, please read these Tips on Getting Started:

  1. Enter your question in the right side of this window, then click on the connect button.
  2. Please wait while a librarian picks up your message. Chat messages appear in the right frame; web pages appear in the left frame of the browser window.
  3. During your session, please do not click on links within the right frame. Clicking a link in the right frame will close your connection with the librarian.
  4. It may take several minutes for the librarian to search and send you an answer.
  5. The librarian may or may not be a Grossmont College librarian.
  6. The librarian may ask you questions to get a better understanding of what you need and may offer to follow-up by e-mail if your question cannot be answered online.
  7. If you enter an e-mail address at login you will receive a complete transcript of your session with the librarian, including all chat and links to web sites visited.  Follow-up information may also be sent by email.
  8. To finish or end the session, click on the Exit link. You will see the full session transcript and the option to email the transcript to yourself.

Problems

If a web page doesn’t open in your left frame, refresh, or reload the browser window or copy and paste the URL from the right chat log into a new browser window to open it.

If you experience other problems such as slow loading or no response from the librarian, clear the web browser cache of temporary Internet files:

Disconnections: If you lose your connection with Ask a Librarian, simply return to this webpage and let the librarian know who was helping you when you were disconnected.

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