This article describes the conception, implementation, and current status of Rakim open source software at Midlands Technical college in Columbia, SC. Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a 2-year school in Columbia, S.C. It has two large campuses and three smaller campuses. Although the library functions as a single unit, there are separate physical libraries on both of the large campuses. Staff serves more than 10,000 full-time students and 30,000 continuing education students. There are approximately 100,000 books in our collection, along with 42 databases and 15,000 e-books. The three smaller campuses do not have libraries, but prior to the opening of MTC?s Center of Excellence for Technology Training, virtual reference services were provided to the smaller campuses through e-mail and telephone,however, once the center opened, the time had come to establish chat reference as another option for those students. As the systems librarian, the author, was responsible for implementing the chat reference system. Susan Payne, library director, was responsible for guiding the project.