AskColorado — a 24-hour online reference service

Want to know who won the Super Bowl in 1992?
Curious about the first school in Littleton? AskColorado!

Launched on September 2, AskColorado is a free online information service provided by over 40 Colorado libraries, including Bemis Public Library. The service allows anyone in Colorado to use the Internet to communicate live with a librarian 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When the librarian finds the answer to a question, the information is sent directly to the user's browser. The online service can be accessed by clicking on the AskColorado logo that appears on the Bemis online catalog, or by going to www.askcolorado.org and clicking on the link.

Phyllis Larison, head of adult services at Bemis Public Library, said, "AskColorado allows people in Littleton, using their home computers, to get expert help in finding answers to questions any time of the day or night. The Bemis reference staff is helping to provide this service directly by working some of the online reference desk hours."

"This is a great example of how libraries in Colorado are working together to provide services," said Sharon Morris, the coordinator for the project. "During these tough economic times, it is difficult for an individual library to provide all of the staff needed to offer this service around the clock. By pooling the resources of many libraries all around the state, we can provide more cost effective 24/7 reference service. With all of the different libraries involved, we have a wealth of collective experience and specialized knowledge available beyond what any single library could offer."

The first year of the AskColorado service is funded through an LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) grant administered by the Colorado State Library, a unit of the Colorado Department of Education. Local public, academic, school and specialized libraries supplemented the grant by contributing money to help defray costs. Local libraries also are donating the staff time to provide the service.