I sure am spamming you a lot today

[sabotabby]

The Virtual Reference Desk at TPL is way cool. It's a real-time chat where you can ask reference questions of librarians whose job is, I imagine, ridiculously fun and hilarious. It's something I'd abuse if I were ever around during normal operating hours. (Note: Please do not go on and ask them: "How is babby formed?" I wonder if they get that a lot.)

You know what we need, speaking of MammothFail? A community where you can chart alternate histories and everyone could geek out, much like some folks are doing in the Tor.com post. Does something like this exist?

Comments

[dobrovolets.livejournal.com]

There's a Usenet group for alternate history: soc.history.what-if.

[roter-terror.livejournal.com]

Having done virtual reference at a large university library, I can tell you that it was mostly boring and sometimes thankless work. I never saw it abused, but I've heard that public libraries will sometimes get teens who are far too chatty.

Worst question I ever got on it: "I'm looking for articles on why sweatshops are good."

[cannibal-x.livejournal.com]

I think that, in Montreal, there is also a really cool McGill U helpline you can call to ask questions about almost anything. Some of my friends who aren't even students would call it when they were stumped or arguing about something..