Instant Library Chat - Pilot

As mentioned in a previous post, we'd like to get into the world of virtual reference services, which in layman's language means chatting to library staff via an instant messaging service. Obviously I mean chat in the sense of asking library-type questions as opposed to chatting in the sense of making small talk about the weather. In this day and age why should you be restricted to turning up at the Library Information Desk or even phoning the library? Why not use the power of the Internet to communicate? Hence the "Ask a Librarian" box that's sitting on the right hand side of the blog, for now. This is only at the experimental stage so the chat box may disappear or reappear seemingly at random, or even appear elsewhere. If there's a chat box, then someone should be listening. Stay tuned...