Miami Dade College recognized for top library usage in Florida
Ask a Librarian
Miami, December 19, 2007 - Ask a Librarian, a free virtual reference service that allows Floridians to chat with a librarian, recently reported that Miami Dade College (MDC) received the second highest rating for library usage among more than 45 academic institutions in the state of Florida.
Diana Sachs-Silveira, MDC’s virtual reference manager for Ask a Librarian, said the report looked at the number of students who used the service in the past year. The study found that nearly 800 MDC students used the service.
“Ask a Librarian gives students another way into the library,” said Sachs-Silveira. “A lot of them are working and have limited time to do research. This gives them the opportunity to have a professional guide.”
Ask a Librarian is funded by the state and provides more than 80 hours of on-line assistance per week. Assistance can range from how to use a particular database to brainstorming on ideas for an upcoming project. In addition to working with almost 100 libraries throughout the state, Ask a Library offers customized tools for MySpace and Facebook pages, among other virtual aids.
Media-only contacts:
Juan Mendieta, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu, MDC communications director
Beverly Williams, 305-237-3949, brodrigu@mdc.edu, MDC media relations director
Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu, media specialist