Enquire is a collaborative, real time, 24/7 digital reference service. It delivers an enhanced information service to the public by providing unfettered 24/7 access to library and information professionals through chat and email technology. Enquire is socially inclusive; available to anyone with a web browser or web-enabled mobile device and Internet access.  It is an accessible chat based service that is staffed globally, managed nationally and delivered locally and epitomises public library collaborative/shared service delivery. During 2012 a text (SMS) based service will be trialled, another way in which to make the service more accessible to end users.

Having officially launched in October 2005 alongside its other People's Network partners: Discover and Read , the service is supported through subscription and service by library partners. Originally an England only service, the second phase of the service which started in November 2006 was rolled out to include the whole of the UK. The software, QuestionPoint is supplied by OCLC , as is the service management.Now in its fourth year, with a new 3 year phase as part of the Reference Online suite of products starting in April 2009, the service is recognised fro delivering quality answers and a high level of customer service.

Additionally, Enquire allows for a local layer to be added, for no additional cost, to allow local adhoc or permanent services to be run alongside the national service...

Having officially launched in October 2005 the Enquire service is supported through subscription and staffing by library partners. Enquire is also now the longest running full time, open-to-all web service of its kind anywhere in the world, preceding commercial versions, and all delivered by UK public libraries. This demonstrates the pivotal role that libraries have had and continue to play in information delivery, bibliographic search and learning across all ages.  The software platform, QuestionPoint, is supplied by OCLC, as is service management.  Enquire can be accessed via: http://www.askalibrarian.org.uk

  Enquire is run by libraries for libraries and software and management is provided by OCLC a non-profit organisation.

For more information about the service, please see the September 2008 Enquire 2 page flyer:  Enquire 2 pager  667.67 Kb

Other sections in About Enquire:

• Information for Managers
  • Enquire business case for participation 2008

• Funding Enquire
• Benefits 
  • local services and clinics

• Delivering Enquire

• Technical Requirements click here
• Staffing the service
  • Skills required
  • Staff training

• Managing Enquire
  •  Management Roles and Responsibilities
  • Steering Group
  •  Quality Panel
  • Libraries Advisory Meetings
    • Staff Awards