What is AskUs Live?
AskUs live is a real-time chat service where Seneca users ask knowledgeable library staff questions about research, how to cite sources, accessing our collections, using our services and spaces, and more!
How long does a chat take?
Depending on your question, a chat can take just a few minutes. Some chats take a bit more time while we work with you to understand your question and give you guidance on your next steps. The average AskUs Live chat is about 10 minutes long. For more complex questions, we will refer you to our bookable research appointments where you receive more in-depth research and citation support from a liaison librarian.
What type of support does AskUs offer?
Research Support
We’re happy to:
- Help you identify keywords that may improve your search results
- Suggest appropriate tools where you can find information on your topic
- Provide instruction on navigating, searching, accessing, and evaluating information sources
Unfortunately we can’t:
- Develop your thesis statement
- Conduct research on your behalf
- Send you links to articles (unless you’re getting an error message and we can’t troubleshoot the issue together)
- Evaluate resources on your behalf (for that, we suggest using the CRAAP test)
- Read or proofread your paper
Citation Support
We’re happy to:
- Point you to specific citation examples and instructions that can help you build your citations
- Explain the purpose, elements and rules of citation styles
- Provide templates of correctly formatted papers in APA or MLA citation styles
Unfortunately we can’t:
- Verify the accuracy of your citations
- Correct your citations for you
- Edit your formatting, in-text citations or reference lists
Other Support
We’re happy to:
- Provide more information about any of our library collections, services, spaces and, supports (for example, hours, locations, and policies)
- Refer you to The Service Hub for questions intended for other Seneca departments
I don’t study or work at Seneca. Can I still use this service?
We accept chats from external visitors, but we prioritize members of our Seneca community. If your own institution offers virtual research support, we suggest you use that service as it is best suited to support you.
How is my privacy protected if I use this service?
To learn how your information is protected and stored, please consult our AskUs Live Commitment of Service page for details.