Did you know that the OU Library offers a round the clock help service, seven days a week, thanks to a trans-Atlantic co-operative with libraries across America, called the 24/7 Reference: Academic Cooperative?
“What this means,” says Fiona Bowtell, OU Library Helpdesk Manager, “Is that, working with libraries across America, we can provide a 24/7 library helpdesk service to our students and help libraries in America provide the same round the clock help to their library users.
“When we wake up, and American library staff go to sleep, queries to helpdesks in libraries in America are routed through to us and other libraries in the UK so we can help give people answers quickly. And when we finish for the day, queries to us are routed to library staff in America so our students can get help when they need it.”
And this relationship extended even further in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy this week and the following evacuation of parts mid-Atlantic US.
“All libraries that are part of the 24/7 Reference: Academic Cooperative were contacted as Hurricane Sandy approached,” added Fiona. “We were told that many libraries in mid-Atlantic US would be closed with staff unable to answer queries and asking other members to help with an increased volume of queries.”
“We were glad to help and it’s reassuring to know that, in similar circumstances, OU students wherever they are would be able to get support through such a valuable network,” says Fiona.
For more information about the OU Library and its round the clock help and support visit www.open.ac.uk/library
Pictured is Hurricane Sandy making its way to the East Coast. Photo by National Environmental Visualization Laboratory/Creative Commons
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