K12 Students and AskMN

Now that the school year is underway and students are deep in the learning process, we’re seeing more activity from K12 students with AskMN. We love connecting with kids and teachers, during or after school. Our chat service is available 24/7, and students can ask their question at any time. Here are some helpful hints to ensure a successful and productive session:

What to expect

AskMN librarians will help students find resources such as websites, magazine articles, and books for their assignments. We try to share our search strategies and starting resources with students.

Try it out

Teachers and school library staff should try AskMN before telling students about it. Contact us to tell us your school will be using AskMN for an assignment or to request a demonstration.

Asking questions takes time

Asking and answering a question on AskMN can take 15 – 20 minutes or more. Students using AskMN in the classroom or the school library should begin their session near the beginning of the period.

Introduce students to AskMN with a simple assignment

Students get more out of AskMN if they know what to expect. The first time students use AskMN, it should be to find out what, who, or when. Examples of assignments include:

• researching biographies
• state reports
• country reports

How and why questions are also welcome, but students coming to AskMN for the first time can become disappointed and frustrated that we don't answer those questions directly.

Stagger Questions

There are a handful of librarians available at any given time in AskMN. Librarians can become overwhelmed very quickly when an entire class logs into the service simultaneously, this increases wait times for students seeking assistance. It is preferred if teachers and school librarians have students stagger their questions by allowing 3-4 students to ask a question every 15 minutes.   When you are ready to introduce AskMN.org to your students, setting student expectations will ensure they have a good and productive experience. You can find more information about how AskMN can work for students on our website. Students may also find Homework Rescue, an online tutoring service available through metro-area public libraries and some select public libraries in Greater Minnesota, a handy tool to help with specific assignments and study aids.