Instant Messaging available for genealogy questions

Genealogists now have a new way to communicate with librarians at the Birmingham Public Library. With the library’s new Instant Messenger reference service, you may chat online with librarians for help with short, factual questions concerning family history or advice on what to do next in your genealogical research. The IM ready reference service is a cross between a telephone call and an e-mail. Similar to a phone call, your IM conversation will be in real-time and you will know someone is at the other end of the line. Resembling an e-mail, it will allow you to put your thoughts in writing, which comes in handy for keeping a record of your work or for displaying the proper spelling of personal and place names.

Instant messaging is available Monday through Friday between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Additional information is on the web at http://www.bplonline.org/sou/im.asp

(originally posted 5/1/07)