A friend of mine forwarded this article to me--definitely a very different
kind of reference work!
Holly Mills, Amherst, VA
_____________________
"Ask a Librarian" provides info worldwide
By Connie Wiley
Humphreys Engineers Center Support Activity
How do libraries in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers support troops in Iraq
and Afghanistan? What information do they provide to deployed units in Kosovo,
Egypt, and other areas with few services? How do USACE libraries contribute to
Gulf Coast recovery efforts?
They do this and more by taking part in a worldwide library system. The
libraries of the Humphreys Engineer Center support Activity (HECSA) and Omaha
District libraries provide reference assistance via the Ask a Librarian service,
along with 18 other Army and DoD libraries in the U. S., Germany, and Korea.
This service supports Army active duty, Reserve, and DA civilian personnel
who are the majority of customers. Other users include retired military and
family members.
Users can enter a question 24/7, and quickly receive an answer from a library
in the network. Questions that require specialized knowledge are referred to
one of 15 DoD partner libraries, including the Corps’ Omaha District Library.
Ask a Librarian is managed by William Hansen, Director of the Armor School
Research Library at Fort Knox, Ky.
To use Ask a Librarian, customers log into Army Knowledge Online (AKO) and
select the Army Libraries page, or they can follow this link:
https://akocomm.us.army.mil/libraries/AskALibrarian.htm. The service allows users to access the
knowledge networks and webs of contacts traditionally maintained by
librarians. Questions may be asked on any subject including official business, and
personal and academic topics. Users receive a direct answer, or they are paired
with a subject expert.
The focus is to provide support to Army personnel who do not have ready
access to a library. Librarians compile a digital knowledge base from their
answers, which helps them to efficiently answer recurring questions.
Since a high percentage of Ask a Librarian customers are deployed, they
depend heavily on Internet-based services. Answers are provided with that in mind.
Sometimes, questions cannot be answered with Web-based content, so the
requester is put in touch with experts who have agreed in advance to assist.
Sample questions asked by deployed Soldiers:
l I’m currently deployed to Kosovo and have been appointed as Battalion
Safety NCOIC. I need information on UNIT RISK INVENTORY. ARs and other supporting
documents will be required. I already have a basic understanding of the
process, but I need further documentation to present to the company level.
l I have been deployed to Iraq and could use some help with common Iraqi
Arabic language terms for everyday use. Where can I find such a resource?
l We are at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, and we have some old Harris radios in our
trucks and can't find any operator manuals or TMs for them. Do you have any
training manuals in your library for Harris radios?
l I need to find a digital copy of FM 23-8 (M14 Rifle). I’m putting together
a familiarization course for my Soldiers here in Afghanistan. Thanks.
l Hello. I’m looking for a specific manual on vehicle recovery operations
that shows how to hook up and recover mired vehicles and overturned trucks. I’m
in Iraq. We’ve had some accidents. and I need to give a class on proper
recovery techniques. Thank you.
l I’m in Iraq and we will have a change of command ceremony. Could you please
tell me were can I find some Army music for it? Thank you for your help.
Do you have questions? The HECSA and Omaha District libraries, along with
many other Army and DoD libraries around the world, are ready 24 hours a day to
provide answers.
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