by the numbers

• Maryland customers asked 3276 questions via chat in May- our summer drop is already visible.
  • 249 of those came in through Montgomery County's qwidget interface!

• Maryland librarians handled 2076 questions via chat from customers around Maryland and the nation.
  • 228 of those questions were with customers using the qwidget interface.

• For those counting along at home, we're up to 294,840 questions so far since March 17, 2003!

customer comments

• The librarian deserves a promotion, a raise and a bonus.

• this web address helped me all the way through 6th grade. I've had the best history project, I won 1st place in regionals for science, it's the best reasearch site ever! I will continue to use this website until I get out of school, forever! And maybe other topics in the future. Thank you who ever invented this website and all who have helped me!

• It was easy to use and fast.  Especially useful at work when I don't need someone overhearing my phone calls.  FYI: The keyboard seemed slow at times, not accepting my typing as quickly as it does on other sites. Thanks for being awesome, Montgomery County library!

• I thought this was a great way to contact a librarian while at work or in a situation where a phone call was impossible at that time. I really like this option!

• I am very, very pleased, first  with the response I received from Michael and then going to the Cockeysville library to complete  the service (dog licenses)I needed. They were very efficient and coiuld not have been nicer. Lois M. Boylan

• The Sevrna Park Library is excellent and the staff has always been helpful in assissting me regaurdless as to what I may request. I feel the the listing of on the self Art books could be larger, but the staff had helped getting books and information from other Libraries. Being 90 years old the local library in on of my main stop off points from good reading.

• I think this service is one of the best things you guys could have come up with! I didn't have to talk to this person and then that person. The lady who helped me was, Shannon(WashCo) and she was very helpful! I will definitely use this service anytime I have a minor problem or just need a simple question answered. THANK YOU!!!!!

• The librarian was very helpful, and very patient with the pace of my ancient dial up service.  I appreciated the assistance, and the additional suggestion of materials available in branch.

• What a help for my final research project before graduating with a Master's degree in Library and Information Science!

• This is the best for anyone who needs alot of imformation. I will keep using this.

• I asked a question early Saturday morning and someone jumped on fairly quickly and got my answer in very little time at all. Exactly what I needed, and I'm grateful to the library for providing this service--as well as the service I was asking about--online language training (no longer Rosetta Stone, but now Mango--I'm just grateful there is something!). Thank you.

• i did not realize it was a chat service since the last time i used it was so long ago i had forgot. so i just asked my question and left. then when i saw it was a chat session that had closed, i thought oh well i will ask again, but surprise surprise someone answered my question and found the online article i was looking for and sent it to me via email. great service. i love libraries!!

• This program is awesome  I always find the answers to what I need to know THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!

• I really appreciated the help to steer me in the right direction. Also, the questions were answered very promptly.

• Alot of people should use this. it is very easy to use. The people are vevryy excellent in servivng you with what you want.

• I was directed to this site by a librarian on the 24/7 "Ask a Librarian" service.  I was not sure how to request books not on the county or Marina databases, and the chat librarian directed me here.  Thank you all for your help!

• I thought it was amazing . I am always looking for information. Although I am 80 Years old I still like to be informed. John

• I felt as if the Librarian went above and beyond to locate information for me about available babysitting courses for my daughter in our area. She made a couple of recommendations based on her research and I was able to find a course in no time. Thanks Sue (Librarian - Baltimore County, Md)  for all of your help. The service was great!!!

• Librarian was VERY  helpful to me.  LUV this service.  I'm glad that it is still available to use with all the budget cuts..

• This was part of an assignment in a grad class I am taking.  I also needed to speak in person to a librarian.  The librarians I spoke with didn't really take the time to find out exactly what information I needed or why.  The reference librarian at "Ask Us Now" did and gave me exactly the information I was looking for.

• EXCELLLENT JOB AND THE RESPOND WAS FABULOUS... Thanks a Bunch, Elaine Upson

• Beth was a great help! She really got straight to the point in helping me understand my science question. Thank you so much! I am definatley telling my friends all about this site!

• I appreciate the resources the librarian was able to direct me to so quickly.  They met my need for information perfectly!

• I was surprised at how quickly I got a response - IMMEDIATELY.

• this is a fabulous service.  the librarian i was connected to was very helpful and directed me to the appropriate person who took care of my issue.  thank you very much~

• Very good service, did not take as long as I thought it was gonna be.  Loved the idea that it was a satellite library used to answer the question about the library.  Will definitely use the service again.

• The person helping me was excellent.  My electric went out and when I logged back in she was right there ready to help.  Thanks for sure a great service.

• I was so suprised someone answered me at close to midnight. And they actually found my answer. Thanks so much-it's great!

• I love this service. It's brilliant.

• The librarian helped me find what I needed quickly. Two thumbs up.

• Quick, efficient, accurate, VERY WELCOME!

• This is the best FREE online chat or database that gives me everything i need, it also helped me win the science fair in Anne Arundel County

month in review

In May Julie:

• joined the Statewide Marketing folks at their meeting on May 11 to discuss the 300,000th question celebration planning. Despite deadlines, our presence at the meeting allowed us to get our blurb in local library newsletters for June/July. (A note was made to be more aware of local deadlines).
• met with Carroll County Public Library and Community College in New Windsor for a Listening Tour stop (May 24)
• met with our new Intern, Dennis Nangle from UMUC who will be starting within the next few months. (May 28)
• held a celebration luncheon for Cathay, our former Operations Assistant, who took the job as Library Director at Delmar library in Delaware (May 17)

Also this month, Julie participated in VisionQuest planning (6 hrs), Reference Renaissance Conference 2010 planning (1 hr), the inagural meeting of the Maryland Library Webs Group (2 hrs), and contributed time to the Maryland State Law Library's iniative on Access to Justice and their training survey (3 hrs).

Top 10 

We want to recognize the "top 10" of various topics each month. Let us know what topics you're interested in!