Chat questions and the weird questions we get

[depechemodefan]

These aren't sucky customers, just really involved/odd questions. Something that isn't quick to answe and I wish people would just email the questions so more time could be spent on them.

We are part of a 24/7 co-operative that answer chat questions. These are questions I notice (note, I didn't answer these 3, I just added my thoughts for each case.:

I am playing this online game called Toontown but hoe do you upgrade it syas you have to pay monthly but is their any way yu can pay a flat fee like buy a cd-rom? why didn't you contact or email the company? Why us?



I have a toshiba laptop at home. I have microsoft with windows xp. I type something like www. yahoo.com or if read somthing from my e-mail, the lighting is very light. How do I make it darker? I no... Now we're tech support



on a map of Australia indicate the location of ore bodies used for the extraction of: A) Iron B) Copper C) Aluminium Name the minerals in each ore body from which the named metal is... That's a really involved question that can't be answered in the time given. Someone will get back with you with the answer, if you leave your email.

These are questions I worked on just now:

anonymous: I am looking for cheats to get free credits on IMVU.

anonymous: I already know about www.metarl.com

anonymous: I would like to know

Looking at that, it made no sense to me. I asked what is IMVU and the person politely emailed me the site. So I googled "IMVU and cheat" and found some websites. I explained what I did and explained we don't have books about cheats. The patron was nice and said I worked really hard and she was greatful that I took the time to help her.

How much does space does one garbage bag take up in a landfill? If the contents inside can't be recycled? I'm my worst enemy. First I asked if there was a certain size bag she had in mind (like a store bag, a 30 gal. bag), but that it was ok if she didn't have a size in mind. She didn't. I was thinking if I look up sites about recycling or the environment, that I would find some figures. Then I started to think about if she means, x% of a landfill is full of full bags. Then I really read the question. She wants to find out how much is a full bag. So I go to the glad website and find the dimensions of several size bags and copy and paste. She said that was awesome!

So not really sucky customers, just stuff I wish I didn't have to deal with, ie, do these people do not know how to google?

[wagegoth]

So not really sucky customers, just stuff I wish I didn't have to deal with, ie, do these people do not know how to google?

They do, but it's always easier to get someone else to do that work.

[ArcticChicken]

on a map of Australia indicate the location of ore bodies used for the extraction of: A) Iron B) Copper C) Aluminium Name the minerals in each ore body from which the named metal is...

Sounds like someone was trying to get you to do their homework.

[Samaliel]

These are questions I worked on just now:

anonymous: I am looking for cheats to get free credits on IMVU.

I'm pretty sure what he asked is illegal. I never looked too much into IMVU (though I find whet few ads I've seen quite enticing) but I'm pretty sure you have to buy IMVU credits with actual money. So, it's pretty much like theft, not even mentioning the obvious violation of the Terms & Conditions of Use.

Sounds like someone was trying to get you to do their homework.

Sure it does.

[BuggedMei]

do these people do not know how to google?

Ever hear of ChaCha? In its early stages, it was a free chat plus "help" to search that I worked for in the beginning. Most of my time working consisted of people who were too lazy to google, because the answer they were looking for was generally the top choice on google. I rarely did more then type the EXACT SAME TOPIC from the searcher's query into google, and gave the answer and they were happy. Why do something when someone else will do it for free! *grumble*

I only had one case of "I cant find what I'm looking for, Halp!" in the 900 searches I did before I quit.

[Samaliel]

Why do something when someone else will do it for free! *grumble*

Cue Homer Simpson quote : "Can't somebody else do it ?"

[depechemodefan]

Quoth depechemodefan
These are questions I worked on just now:

anonymous: I am looking for cheats to get free credits on IMVU.

I'm pretty sure what he asked is illegal. I never looked too much into IMVU (though I find whet few ads I've seen quite enticing) but I'm pretty sure you have to buy IMVU credits with actual money. So, it's pretty much like theft, not even mentioning the obvious violation of the Terms & Conditions of Use.
Funny, while I was searching a website (wikianswers? yahoo!answers?) said the same thing you did. I just told the patron that I can't verify the validity of the sites I gave her.

Quoth ArcticChicken
Sounds like someone was trying to get you to do their homework.

Sure it does.

We hate Maryland. For 2 reasons. There are these kids in Maryland who are always asking homework questions, like stuff about history, or are asking about sex. The other reason is, the libraries in Maryland should answer their questions, esp. since they are online at the same time we are. They never do.

Again, we're part of a co-operative. Other libraries answer our question, we answer theirs but when one is offline. So we don't chat after 3pm, so someone else will answers questions from people that have lib. cards with us. If we are online and not answering questions, we have to answer our own questions. Which makes us hate Maryland that stick us with thier kids.

Also, we get questions about other libraries' policies, like:
Patron from Boston: I put books in "my list" and when I log out and log back in they arn't on "my list" anymore. Why?

Since we are not the Boston library, we don't know. We have to look on their webpage to find out. But some things aren't on the webpages. Like on our site, we have a "list" feature that won't keep the list you make as you look for books once you log out.

So for general reference questions, the co-operative is ok, but questions about individual libraries doesn't work very well.

I also think people decide to chat with us instead of emailing us, since they think they can get an answer right away by chat. Kind of funny when we tell them "unfortunatley we can't answer a legnthy question like this one at this time. We will email you an answer in 2-3 days." Ok, there's better wording for that, but the patrons behind my back are taking my focus.

[Seraph]

Ever hear of ChaCha? In its early stages, it was a free chat plus "help" to search that I worked for in the beginning. Most of my time working consisted of people who were too lazy to google, because the answer they were looking for was generally the top choice on google. I rarely did more then type the EXACT SAME TOPIC from the searcher's query into google, and gave the answer and they were happy. Why do something when someone else will do it for free! *grumble*

I only had one case of "I cant find what I'm looking for, Halp!" in the 900 searches I did before I quit.

LOL I had figured the OP was a ChaCha Guide when I read this...guess not though.

/grumble I wanted to be a CCG...applied but never got a response.

[depechemodefan]

Nope, I work for a "World Class library". We librarians laugh at that.

Oh, just remembered another quesiton I got, that was from a patron from Boston:
Customer: I have received some mails from a person who claims he/she knows me and family and with bad attitude, he/she does not reveal his/her name but sending all right information about me and family. one of the mails sent from BPL ISP. I have the mail header with IP and date and time. Could you please help me find the details? It will help me and family and take legal action as necessary. Please help me..

It's not a sucky question, I just wish the Boston library was open to take care of it. I just told her we will email the Boston library. I also suggested she call the library, but she said she did that for several days and didn't get through.

[LibraryLady]

From time to time we get people who want us to do their homework and more for them. Here's an example:

"Hi! I'm in a College class on Museology and I have to put together a virtual exhibition. Can you give me images and label copy for about a dozen objects in your collection? I'd like a nice focus on women in the ancient world. I want to put on a good show."

It ain't gonna happen, honey. It's up to you to do your own work.

Sometimes, researchers are just clueless. Here's a case in point.

"Gentlemen:
I'm researching the Temple of blah-blah-blah and I need to know the interior dimensions of the chamber outlined in red. Can you provide that?"

Yes, we could. He'd obviously scanned a plate from a book, printed it out, outlined the area of interest with a red sharpie and scanned the image back in. It was a huge jpeg but we saw something he never saw. At the bottom of the plate was a scale that could tell the size of the chamber he wanted in either feet or meters. The guy was either lazy or didn't know how to use a scale.

Possibly the most amusing was an Email that said:

"Hey! Anybody here know anything about the Temple of Kaarnik [sic] in the Valley of the Kings?"

The perfect answer was, "Yup!"

[Fenrus]

/grumble I wanted to be a CCG...applied but never got a response.

I would be a CCG, but getting the artists for the cards would be a pain, and
it's a sad thought to think the ULTRA RARE card would be called "Full Nights Sleep"...

Oh... wrong CCG...

[depechemodefan]

Ok, luckily there's a "history", so I can relay some questions.

Doing someone's homework:
Patron:
Chat Transcript: please can u help me with writes up automatic voltage regulator? it is my final year project
Librarian 1:
So are you a senior in h.s. or a senior in college?
Librarian 1:
and what do you mean "help me with writes up on automatic voltage regulator"? We can answer specific questions, but your question sounds like a 4 page paper. Do you need to see if we have books on automatic voltage regulators?
Librarian 1:
If you are looking for books to help you with your project, this is what I came up when I typed "voltage regulator" in our catatlog.

http://catalog.houstonlibrary.org/se...=&m=&b=&SORT=D
Librarian 1:
17:36:18 2005/10/01 (GMT-6) Closed by Librarian #110653.

Mommy doing the homework:
Chat Transcript: Testing this system. I'm trying to find informtion on Planet venus for my 2nd grader. I went to research to find database information to find out about the characteristic of the planet and maybe a picture. Please guide me through this.

I think this guy was rude, when he said "please answer the question."

Patron:
Chat Transcript: I am looking for drillers logs in east texas. How are they arranged-by county, field, operator, etc.?
Librarian 1:
One moment as we look at your question.
Patron:
I am looking for drillers logs in east texas. How are they arranged-by county, field, operator, etc.?
Librarian 1:
So you are trying to see if we have any in our library? what particular year you are looking at?
Patron:
the logs will not be arranged by year. I know you have drillers logs in east texas, please answer question.
Librarian 1:
Ok. well then. we have them by county.
Librarian 1:
We are renovating the building, they use to be on the sixth floor, but we moved them to the second. You will have give us 2 hours to retrieve the logs you are looking for.
Patron:
good. are they arranged by fields and operator after county?
Librarian 1:
Actually, for an involved question like this where we have to do some research (since this information isn't available in our Ready Reference area), you should fill out an e-mail reference form. http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/services/eref_form.html
Librarian 1:
Actually, for an involved question like this where we have to do some research (since this information isn't available in our Ready Reference area), you should fill out an e-mail reference form. http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/services/eref_form.html
Librarian 1:
we will have to email you an answer latter today.
Patron:
ok.over and out
Librarian 1:
I will forward your question to eServices.
Patron:
I have specific questions so will forward myself.
Librarian 1:
Good bye and thank you for using InfoLive!
Librarian 1:
Librarian ended chat session.
I don't know much about Driller logs, but most things are arranged by year.

Sometimes the planets are not aligned for the patron:
Patron:
Chat Transcript: What is the correct way to find video info When I call 832 3931313 (main number) it says press 4 for video reference but wheb you press 4 it defauts back to "Thank you for calling the library...." I have gone online but it seems every movie or dvd I want is "missing" have patrons walked off with everything ? is it best to just get in my car and drive downtown and see someone in person? while i have been typing this I have been on hold for 10 minutes and now I got hung up on while on hold at the main reference number. sorry but the library is understaffed or over used and not functioning properly
Librarian 1:
One moment as I type the answer to your question.
Librarian 1:
If you already checked the catalog and the dvds or movies you want are "missing", then that means that there are no copies, that someone stole them. There won't be a difference if you went to a library to check, since we use the same catalog as you use at home.
Librarian 1:
I am afraid that we do not have a good connection. I will end this session and request that you try again. Thanks for being so understanding. Good bye and thank you for using InfoLive!
Librarian 1:
Librarian ended chat session.

Scrabble:
Chat Transcript: Is gazoo a real work? (for scrabble game)

Our Education System at work:
Patron:
Chat Transcript: how do you square a number
Librarian 1:
multiply it with itself.
Patron:
so like 19 time 2
Librarian 1:
for ex, to square 11, you mulitply 11 with itself. so, 11x 11
Patron:
17:05:00 2006/10/30 (GMT-6) oh i get it
Librarian 1:
when you mulitply a whole number with 2, all you do is double it.
Patron:
what is a whole number?
Patron:
oh and what is a prime number
Librarian 1:
Sound like you need homework help. you should go back to our homepage and use the homework help link. You'll get a school teacher to help you.
Patron:
Patron is no longer connected.
Librarian 2:
10:41:22 2006/10/31 (GMT-6) Dear Patron,

As suggested by our reference staff, please visit our Homework Help service (http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/services/askatutor.html) for more in-depth tutorials on whole numbers, prime numbers etc.

Good luck,
HPL eServices


Librarian 2:
Closed by Librarian # 110653.

edit: Hey, why don't you pick up a book about human sexuality? (question just now)

Librarian ' has joined the session.
Library Patron: I am 13 years old and I am getting alot of erictions I want to know can these erictions hirt me can I die from them
Library Patron: can you help me
Librian: Hi, I'm part of a national network of librarians that helps to answer questions for your library when they're not available.
Library Patron: Oh I am sorry
Libraian: Let me give you a link for you to read that will help you with your question.
Library Patron: Patron is no longer connected.

Of course, I did not google this question. Unfortunately, our databases are too academic.

[PepperElf]

the libraries in Maryland should answer their questions, esp. since they are online at the same time

Maybe the librarians won't give them the scoop on the sex questions.

and i'm thinking... why would you need to ask how much space a garbage bag took up in a landfil... Cos i'm thinking... Isn't the "30 gallons" (or whatever size) on the box good enough? I am sensing the bag takes up ... 30 gallons worth of trash?