Profession: Librarian

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BiblioSésame Network

A national network providing on-line answers to questions 

A network-based service

The participating librarians share their expertise and their resources.

The libraries in the BiblioSésame network distribute the questions received by e-mail among themselves, in function of their specific skills.
It is possible to exchange information through a world-wide network. 
Each library can decide to contribute its questions-&-answers to the national or international knowledge database.

The target-group

The on-line answering-service is aimed at the general public, and is accessible via the website of each of the libraries and via the www.biblioSesame.org site.  It is free of charge, and no kind of registration is required in order to use the service.
The users just need an e-mail account, and must state their question using the form provided.

The tools 

• QuestionPoint is a software, created by the Library of Congress and the Online Computer Library Center company (OCLC), which makes it possible to create a network of Internet-based reference services. The Bpi uses it for the French network of on-line answering services in public reading establishments.
• E-mail: the users state their question using a standard form.
• Knowledge database: the librarians stock in a knowledge database the questions-&-answers that are of special interest or that recur frequently. This database can be accessed by the public on the BiblioSesame.org site.
• A wiki has been created for the exclusive use of the librarians in the network to enable them to discuss and exchange information.

What is needed in order to participate in the network

• A website that belongs to the library, or at least a page on a city website.
• A high-speed Internet connection, including on the work-stations of the librarians.
• An e-mail account for each participating librarian, as well as an administrative account.
• The necessary staff resources and an organisation of the service so that it can respond to questions in the required timeframe (within 72 hours).
• Reference materials.
• A paid-up annual subscription to OCLC (contact the Bpi about this)

The commitments required

• To accept the standard form
• To respect the BiblioSésame Quality Charter
• To participate in the activities of the BiblioSésame network (wiki, meetings...)

Contact

Nathalie Daigne:
Tel.:  01 44 78 14 91 
E-mail: