Ask a Librarian Live!

A service for NPS students, faculty, and staff *

* If you are not an NPS student, faculty, or staff member, please check our FAQ before using our services.

Please note that computer security software, network firewalls, and content/chat filtering can interfere with your session. If you experience trouble during a session, temporarily disabling your security software and trying again may resolve the trouble.

Who May Use This Service

This service is provided for NPS students, faculty and staff with mission-related inquiries. Because our staff is limited we are selective about responding to inquiries from non-NPS users that do not directly pertain to our own collection. We will give priority to those from other military institutions.

The Login Screen

In order to respond effectively to your inquiry, we ask for the following information on our login screen:

• Your name (so we know how to address you)
• Your e-mail address (so we can e-mail you a transcript and provide follow up information to you if you wish)
• Your phone number (optional, so we can speak with you if necessary. If your phone and computer are not on the same line, we may want to speak with you during the session)
• Your NPS affiliation (this information will help us to analyze the use of our service).
• Your School (this information will help us to analyze the use of our service).
• Your question (please be as specific as possible)

Our Hours of Service

Regular hours are Monday – Friday 0900-1600. During NPS breaks our hours may be more limited.

The Ask a Librarian e-mail web form

If you receive a message that indicates "There are currently no Librarians online", that means our Ask A Librarian Live service is currently closed. There are several ways to reach us, including an option to submit your inquiry via email . Please note that our Ask a Librarian email service is primarily for use by NPS students, faculty and staff with mission-related inquiries. We will respond to other requests as time permits, and we will give priority to those from other military institutions.

The FAQ

Please consult the page prior to submitting a question. It provides answers to many of the questions we are frequently asked, particularly by non-NPS users.

Technical Requirements

The software works best with a high speed internet connection. Users coming in on slower connections will experience long loading times and other delays. If you are using dial-up we strongly encourage you to use one of the other options listed on Ask a Librarian to contact us.

Ask A Librarian Live requires no special configuration for use. Technical Requirements are listed below.

Your Privacy: What Happens to the Data You Provide to Us

Our service is hosted remotely by the software vendor Docutek . They routinely purge name, e-mail address, and phone number (if provided) from their server after your session is completed. We may save your data for statistical purposes but will not share it with anyone else unless required to do so by law.

What to Expect When You Log On

Once you have filled out the requested information on the login screen and have clicked on the Connect button, you will see an automatic checklist appear, verifying that your computer is successfully connected. Once your checklist is complete, you may experience a short delay as the Librarian on duty reads your question and types an acknowledgement to you. Once the Librarian initiates contact by typing a response to you, the chat conversation can proceed. Typically, you can expect to type back and forth in "real time" with the librarian.  Additionally, you may be directed to web pages, which you will be able to view in the Web Browser tab of the Ask A Librarian Live display screen.  

If you try to reach us during regular service hours and find yourself waiting more than a few minutes, it is likely that the Librarian on duty is working with another library user, either online, or in person. You can continue waiting (we will do our best to acknowledge you), or you may prefer to submit your question via our Ask a Librarian e-mail service.  See Ask a Librarian for details about ways to reach us.

What to Expect During Your Session

During the Ask a Librarian Live session, you will be able to chat with the Librarian and view web sites simultaneously.  (This shared view is called "co-browsing".) In order to share web pages with you this way, the Librarian may ask you not to click in the Web Browser tab during the session, or may use a feature that temporarily deactivates links. In addition, a file sharing feature is available, both to you and to the librarian.   Some users find that using the "co-browsing" visual feature works well in combination with a telephone call.  Let the librarian know if you'd like a call during your session.

The Librarian may ask you to log in to our proxy server using your Dudley Knox Library username and password/pin. This is sometimes required in order for users to access licensed resources from off campus, particularly for users not configured via VPN. Please have this information available (you will need your library card, if one was issued to you). If you are an NPS user and are lacking your library account information, we will look up your information for you. Non-NPS users will be limited, during the Ask a Librarian Live! session, to the use of resources that are freely available on the web.

Will You Get an Immediate Answer to Your Question?

We will attempt to provide an immediate answer (or guidance on how to find the answer) online during the Ask A Librarian Session. However, if the Librarian thinks it will require significant time and effort to effectively respond to it, we may ask to follow up via e-mail, a phone or in-person appointment, or by other means.

How Much Time Will the Librarian Spend With You Online

In general, online sessions last about 15-20 minutes. However, this may vary depending on the question, and  on how busy the librarian is at the time.

Once your session has been completed you will have the opportunity to fill out a brief feedback survey evaluating your experience with the service. Please do so if you are able since we use the feedback we receive to evaluate and improve our service.

IMPORTANT: You will be presented with an opportunity to receive a transcript of your VR session (a pop-up window will appear at the close of the session). If you would like a transcript, including a record of the links visited during the session, you must elect to do so, and provide an accurate email address for yourself. A transcript will be emailed to you following the close of the VR session.

After Your Session is Completed

Once your session has been completed you will have the opportunity to fill out a brief feedback survey evaluating your experience with the service. Please do so if you are able since we use the feedback we receive to evaluate and improve our service.

IMPORTANT: You will be presented with an opportunity to receive a transcript of your VR session (a pop-up window will appear at the close of the session). If you would like a transcript, including a record of the links visited during the session, you must elect to do so, and provide an accurate email address for yourself. A transcript will be emailed to you following the close of the VR session.