Text a Librarian
Text a Librarian is available:
Monday-Thursday from 10AM-8PM, and Friday, 10AM-5PM.
Text your question to:
717-527-3866
Is it outside of our availability and you need a response sooner? Chat with a Librarian is available 24/7.
What kind of Chat is best for me?
Chat with a Librarian is great for:
- Asking general questions
- Getting help with databases
- Finding peer reviewed sources
- Learning about citations
- And more!
Email a Librarian is great for:
- Questions that don’t need an immediate answer
- Topics that could take a lot of time to research
- Getting book recommendations
- Library-specific questions
- And more!
Text a Librarian is great for:
- Quick questions
- Random Trivia
- On-the-go information
- Finding library locations/hours
- And more!
Who is answering Chat?
- Local librarians from your library or school
- Librarians from across the state
- Libraries from around the county and beyond, when our librarians aren’t available
What to expect using Chat with a Librarian?
- Expert help from a real live librarian
- Assistance finding resources and locating sources
- Help solving your school-related problems
What not to expect using Chat with a Librarian?
- Someone to do all your homework for you
- Someone to sit and talk with you when you’re bored
Policy of Mutual Respect
- We treat our Chat with a Librarian users with respect and expect the same in return. If you use abusive or inappropriate language, we will terminate the session and take appropriate action.
- Librarians staffing Chat with a Librarian protect the privacy of your question and identity. However, people who make threats or use offensive language will be reported to the appropriate authorities
- We contact schools and Internet service providers to report inappropriate use.
- While librarians are very skilled at finding the information you need, it may take a few minutes or more for the librarian to complete their search. The typical session lasts 10-15 minutes. Therefore, please allow enough time for the librarian to find the answer. If you only have one or two minutes to allow for a session, please log in and ask your question when you will have more time. This will ensure that both you and the librarian assisting you will have a successful experience.