What is this? 

You can use live "chat" to ask a librarian your question online just by clicking on the chat icon.  You don’t need any special software on your computer or a special account to do this.  A chat window will open on your computer screen and you’ll be asked for your name and email address (this is in case no librarian is free to chat on the other end, you could still submit your question via email), you type in a greeting, and /or your question, and then if a librarian is available to chat, you should see our response show up in your chat window.  

Who will you be chatting with?
This service is staffed by librarians at our Adult and Children’s Reference Desks and our Leggett branch, and the first available librarian will respond (during hours the library is open).  There may be a 45 second (or more) delay if a librarian is busy and can’t respond.   If you wait, most of the time, one of us should start chatting with you!

We belong to a group of libraries who are backing each other up for chat service. This means if the Waterford Library is closed, but one of our neighboring libraries is open and available for chat, then your chat query should end up at one of those libraries. So don’t be surprised if you end up chatting with a librarian at the Auburn Hills Library,  Brandon Township, Springfield Township, or Highland Township Library.  They may be able to help you, or they may have to refer you back to us.

When is it available? 
Chat service is available during our open business hours and the business hours of the other libraries noted above.  When not available, you can send us an email.

What can you ask via chat?
Pretty much anything you would ask us over the phone, you just have to type it in. 

Try it!  We hope you’ll find it easy and convenient.