How did Ask NYPL get started?
Back in the 1960s, Ask NYPL began as Telephone Reference. Online access to information was unknown at that time, so it was a very busy call center. Ask NYPL as we know it today began when Telephone Reference, which had already evolved to include email and instant message, was organizationally moved to the Reference and Research Services department and the range of services were expanded to include things like 24/7 librarian access and the new “text-a-librarian” service. The idea of “Ask” as a rebranding of the service came when looking for a department code. Often I am asked that ASK stands for. My answer is that it is a verb, reminding us that on many levels, we are here to answer questions as well as ask questions ourselves. How many librarians are behind Ask NYPL and how many questions do you get per month? We currently have 6 librarians, two information assistants, and two SLAA’s helping with the service. I have stepped up on occasion, but it has only given me more respect for what
