When I was in high school and college, it seemed that some of my most productive hours were those that occurred after the sun went down. I would stay up all night reading, studying or finishing the last half of that paper that was assigned all the way back at the beginning of the semester.

I felt as if I worked best "under pressure" and sometimes still do (I say, as I frantically type this article), but those that I call on occasionally for help are not always so keen on my late schedule.

Thank goodness the Internet is available 24/7, but I still sometimes run into brick walls ... and that's when I call on the friendly help of the late-night librarians at AskColorado.

AskColorado is a collaborative service among libraries of all types throughout the state. From Sterling to Cortez, public, academic, school and special libraries have joined resources to provide 24/7 information services to their communities. AskColorado fields an average of 2,000-3,000 questions a month, while over 200 library staff from Colorado libraries share the staffing responsibilities. At any given time, 2-5 librarians are online. AskColorado is designed to provide customized service to fit the needs of each user, so AskColorado sessions can take 5 minutes or 25 minutes depending on the question. Each session takes time because AskColorado librarians develop a dialogue with the user, work to find reliable information, and assist with research techniques.

So, if you're looking for answers to your burning questions and keep finding nothing but dead ends online and the library is closed, there is still help! The Mancos Public Library is proud to be a member of AskColorado and to offer 24/7 AskColorado services to the community. To access the service, simply click on the AskColorado "bell" located on the library's webpage (www.mancoslibrary.org) and a friendly Colorado librarian will help you find the answers you seek!