Need help? Connect with a McDermott Librarian!


Although our building is temporarily closed, the Eugene McDermott Librarian‘s online resources are not. Library staff can support your learning, research and teaching virtually. One way to find immediate help is through the library’s live chat service where you can get answers and learn how to access the library’s resources. Learn how the library’s Chat service can get your closer to the online materials and to the tools you need to succeed. The answers below were provided by McDermott librarians.

 

What are the hours for McDermott Library’s Chat service?
Chat in real-time with a McDermott librarian from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Outside those hours, including weekends, a librarian will respond as soon as possible.

 

How do I get to Chat and how do I know when a librarian is available to chat?
Located on the McDermott Library website, the Chat button can be found on the right side of your screen. If patrons click the blue “Chat with us” button, they will see a message that says, “A librarian is online ready to help.” Your chat session connects you with a Research Services librarian.

 

What kinds of questions can librarians help me with?
We can help with just about anything library-related or point you in the right direction if we’re not able to answer it directly.

 

What are some of the most common questions asked during a chat session?
We get a lot of questions about where to start research. Customers might have a broad topic, but need help narrowing it down or knowing the best place to begin looking. We also get a lot of questions about our hours, renewing books and circulation-type questions.

 

What would you like customers to know about the library’s Chat service?
It is staffed by real people, often librarians, at UT Dallas. We do 100 percent of the chat ourselves (not outsourcing to another institution), so we know our students, faculty, and campus.

We, just like the students and faculty, are learning and adjusting to the “new normal.” Luckily, having an existing service like live Chat makes that fairly easy and seamless for us. In short, we want students to know that yes, we’re still here and ready to help with a friendly hand (or keyboard as it were).

 

Who uses McDermott Library’s Chat service?
Most of our questions come from students and faculty members.

 

What is the most challenging part about serving distance learners in the absence of a building?

Since 1997, the library has invested heavily in the acquisition of electronic materials (books, journals, streaming services, and research databases as well as DISCOVER, our catalog system. All customers are now all distance learners and we have outlined these efforts on our website (services and resources for remote learning). If you need something that is not available electronically, connect with a librarian by – email, instant messaging or video chatting.

 

Stay updated about the latest coronavirus news and campus updates by checking utdallas.edu/coronavirus, the University’s dedicated page that is revised regularly. For health and safety guidelines, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Page Last Updated: November 6, 2023