Ask ScotlandReference Services for a 21st Century Audience

Gillian HanlonSenior Information Officer, SLIC

Ask Scotland: the aims

“...a collaborative national service that pools the staff and resources of Scotland’s library services to bring their knowledge and rich collections to a global audience.”

Ask Scotland: the participants

The Ask Scotland website

Ask Scotland Chat

The Ask Scotland Answerbase

The bigger picture:Scotland’s Information Landscape

Who uses Ask Scotland?

Key features• Accuracy over speed• Authoritative

information sources• Free from bias/opinion

posing as fact• Filling the Google Gap -

depths of collections• Helping users manage

information overload

Target user groups• Students• Academics• School pupils• Local history

researchers• Genealogists• Visitors to Scotland• The ex-pat community

What kinds of questions are asked?

Why does Mickey Mouse have big

ears? What areas of Scotland have never spoken Gaelic as the

main language?

Between the Dutch and Portugal, who was the first to explore, and settle in, Africa?

Where can I find out about Jane Austen’s aunt who went to India to find

a husband?

Where can I find out about Jane Austen’s aunt who went to India to find

a husband?

Marketing the service

Future developments

• Developing the service and keeping up with technology

• Increasing participants and including new library services

Contact

Gillian Hanlon, SLICE: g.hanlon@slainte.org.uk

Ask Scotland www.askscotland.org.uk

Follow us on twitter @Ask_Scotland