Ask Us 24/7 is one of many statewide/regional consortia using QuestionPoint software. Other state programs include AskHerePA (Pennsylvania), AskUsNow! (Maryland) and QandANJ (New Jersey).
Together, these statewide consortia, as well as "backup librarians" hired directly by QuestionPoint, are part of the global "24/7 Reference Cooperative". Participating in the global service allows our region to provide reference services for our patrons 24 hours a day 7 days a week, including holidays. The global cooperative includes approximately 1,200 libraries, with a makeup of roughly 70% public and 30% academic libraries.
Be aware that there is a difference between QuestionPoint software and the 24/7 Reference Cooperative. All libraries in the 24/7 Reference Cooperative use QuestionPoint software. However, a library can choose to use QuestionPoint software without joining the cooperative. They would provide reference services only to their own patrons, and neither the patrons nor librarians would be visible to other libraries.
All consortia + QP’s backup librarians = 24/7 Reference Cooperative
When a patron from one of the Ask Us 24/7 libraries enters the chat, their question is first only visible to librarians in the Ask Us 24/7 consortium, if any are online. After 40 seconds, the question is visible to all the librarians in the cooperative. (If no Ask Us 24/7 librarians are online, the question is immediately visible to everyone.)
All libraries participating in the service use the same software, which allows us to communicate easily with libraries across the service, and offer a similar experience to our patrons regardless of which library answers their questions.
