LIBR 246-12: Web 2.0 and Social Networking Tools (Fall 2008)

My search for how many people were murdered in AZ led me to a virtual service from the Maricopa Community College district.  Here is the transcript:
Hello, Matt (No email provided)

Chat Transcript: How many people were murdered in our state in 2005?
CostaLib: Librarian 'CostaLib' has joined the session.
Lib: Hello. My name is xxx. I'm a librarian at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, California. Your school is part of a reference consortium and we answer each other's reference questions. The best place to look is the department of justice uniform crime reports. Let me see if I can locate that for you.
Matt: thank you
CostaLib: Here is the link to the report you need! http://www.azdps.gov/crimereport/AzDpsA
rFy2005.pdf
Matt: This looks perfect!
Matt: Thank you for your help
CostaLib: The stat you need is on page 24.
CostaLib: You are welcome! Have a great weekend.
Newest Message
Matt: this was easy and fast and you got me just what I needed, thank you

For the Meebo part, I found that the west coast academic libraries like Washington State University did not have staffing at 7 am.  I did have luck with Florida State University, at least they were online.    I did have more obsticles with Meebo in that If I didn't have a big list of libraries using this, I may have been out of luck. As a side note, the FSU library had the hourshttp://www.lib.fsu.edu/help/ask and all the services they have for reference and It was very clear and showed I could get help in many ways-nice touch. I never got a response from FSU so off to Virginia I went and they were offline.So was Maui, U of Il Urbana,Willamette, American U.,Concordia.  I was saved by the Crystal Lake Public Library!!
[8:37] meeboguest446651: Good morning!  Can you please help me find the GDP per capita of Bahrain?
[8:39] ask_clpl: Sure...please hold for a moment...
[8:41] meeboguest446651: k
[8:43] ask_clpl: According to the CIA World Factbook:  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ba.html#Econ
[8:43] ask_clpl: The Purchasing Power GDP for 2007 is est. at
[8:43] ask_clpl: 24.01 Billion
[8:43] ask_clpl: At the official exchange rate, it was
[8:43] ask_clpl: 19.66 billion in 2007 (est.)
[8:52] meeboguest446651: thank you

I was able to locate the GDP per capita on the cia website.  When it works this is a neet way to supplement thelibrary's services.  I prefer the coverage of the ask service since I can get help 24hours a day, but as for free chat for the library, Meebo may be a good alternative.