Are you ready to ChaCha?

As of Aug. 2, IU is learning to do the cha-cha, Internet search-style fashion. \nChaCha is an Indiana company that is creating a new and more focused way of providing Internet searches. ChaCha, which comes from the Chinese word “cha,” meaning “search,” will enable IU to develop a better understanding of how guided searches can best serve the complex needs of students, faculty and academic researchers, according to an IU press release. \nIU President Michael McRobbie and Scott A. Jones, co-founder and chief executive officer of ChaCha, announced they have entered into a “strategic alliance for research, development and services for the next generation of Internet search tools and practices,” according to the release. \nIU librarians, information technology staff and others will serve as guides, available to help the IU community conduct searches through a live instant message chat interface. ChaCha offers users the ability to receive instant results, just like a traditional search engine. \n“Our alliance with ChaCha creates a strong and capable partnership to research these digital frontiers and to develop leading tools for the IU community,” McRobbie said in the release.\nIn addition, ChaCha may eventually serve as the power behind IU’s search portal, http://search.iu.edu.\nThe ChaCha platform will become part of the IU support model to enable live interaction with Support Center staff, in addition to IU KnowledgeBase, e-mail and other walk-in services, according to the press release.