AskAway Reports

Learn more about AskAway’s value, vision, and priorities.
In July 2024, 45 service
providers attended a
lunch and learn from the
UBC Digital Tattoo Team
to learn about supporting
students using GenAI in
their research.
EXPANDED ACCESS TO
RESEARCH HELP
CONVENIENT, LOW-BARRIER,
ONLINE
There is no authentication, personal
information, or appointment required to
access AskAway.
“What a great service! I needed help on
a Sunday night, and I’m so impressed
this was available.”
Camosun College faculty / staff
AskAway relies on trust and
cooperation. In 2024, 75% of students
(23,013 chats) who used AskAway were
helped by a service provider from
another library when their home
librarians were not available.
“I like that the service is anonymous for
both the librarian and the user. It helps
avoid anxiety barriers that might come
up when seeking help. Thank you!”
Okanagan College student
94% of users said they
are likely to visit the
service again.
In 2024, a mid-sized
institution saved $80,000
by participating in AskAway
instead of offering a
comparable service alone.
Overall, the post-secondary
sector avoided $2.2 million.
AskAway is open 7 days a
week, including most
evenings until 9pm Pacific.
SKILLED & CONNECTED
COMMUNITY
LOCAL & PROVINCIAL
COST-SAVINGS
Each week, students, instructors, and
researchers have access to 235 staff
hours of live, online help. In 2024,
they initiated 30,671 chat sessions.
“Great experience for my first interaction
online with the library!”
BCIT student
AskAway Actions & Achievements 2024
More than half of AskAway users
choose the service because they are
at home or off-campus.
PSFS Year 1
Removing Barriers
Funding
$15,000
BC ELN
Contribution
$12,000
Participating
libraries service
support fees and
flexible
contributions
$97,249
Software and Technology
Infrastructure
$15,637
Admin, Communications,
Governance
$845
Staffing and
Coordination
$98,932
Extenuating Circumstances
$1,000
Established the Commitment Models Review Working
Group to address service sustainability. The representative
working group used a variety of methods – including
surveys, consultation with participating libraries, and
analysis of service data – to gather information about how
AskAway members experience the commitment models and
to learn about possible alternatives from similar consortial
services. They will present recommendations to the
AskAway Advisory Committee in early 2025.
Administered Year One of Ministry of Post-Secondary
Education and Future Skills (PSFS) removing barriers
funding to hire service providers to staff AskAway and
provide administrative support to members. The funding
ensured that AskAway maintained service levels in response
to ongoing high demand from students.
Collaborated and consulted with local coordinators to
implement service enhancements and improve AskAway
for students and service providers. These include new
guidelines for service providers to respond to patron-
reported medical emergencies, promoting AskAway
implementation in the new EBSCO User Interface, and
improved usage statistics reporting.
2024 Accomplishments On the horizon
in 2025...
Addressing service
sustainability: the AskAway
Advisory Committee will build on
the work of the Commitment
Models Review Working Group
and develop an action plan to
address AskAway’s long-term
financial, staffing, and support
needs.
Implementing PSFS removing
barriers funding: funding will be
used to increase service staffing,
support sustainability work, and
investigate ways to reduce barriers
to participation for BC ELN partner
libraries and Indigenous-led
post-secondary institutions.
Exploring emerging technology:
a subcommittee of the Advisory
Committee will investigate and
make recommendations for
emerging technologies to enhance
the service.
The AskAway budget is approved by the Advisory Committee.
Revenue $124,249 Expenses $116,414
2024-25 Financials (Projected)
About: AskAway Collaborative Chat Reference Contact: askaway@bceln.ca
End of year balance (projected): $10,815Start of year balance: $2,980