Online Reference

[Jana Ronan]

> The University of Florida has launched a pilot of a new online reference
> service called RefeXpress.
> RefeXpress runs on Jay's House Core MOO software, on a Unix server.  We
> have a webpage that patrons use users access to the service, with a Java
> applet called CupOMud, that allows users to connect and talk without
> downloading or installing a client on their end.  Both the MOO server and
> client software are open source.  RefeXpress looks like chat, but offers
> librarians the object oriented programming power of a MOO. 
>  
> While users access the service through a webpage, librarians can use
> clients on their computers to staff RefeXpress.  Two clients that we are
> testing are tkMOO-light and Phoca.  These clients offer advanced features
> such as triggers to alert the librarians that a user has logged in.  
>  
> Our pilot started just a couple of weeks ago and we have had around 15
> questions, and many "lurkers."  We are staffing RefeXpress
> Monday-Thursday, 9 am-11 am, and Sunday-Thursday, 9 pm - 11 pm during the
> pilot.  After the pilot is completed, we'll reconsider the hours that we
> offer the service.
>  
> Come and check it out:  http://moo.nwe.ufl.edu:8080/refexpress
> We welcome feedback on our interface, etc.
> 
> Jana Ronan
> Program Director for Undergraduate Library Services
> Humanities & Social Science Services
> George A. Smathers Libraries
> University of Florida, Gainesville, FL  32611-7001
> ronan at mail.uflib.ufl.edu