Ask a Librarian Blog

Friday Morning Housekeeping

September 5th, 2008 Diana

Here are a few housekeeping items with Ask a Librarian Training on the new software and other things going on with the service. I thought one email this morning would be easier than several through out the day.

Training News

• Your Site Coordinator has received your logins for Instant Service, if you have not received yours please ask your site coordinator. Please log in prior to your training. When you log in, you will be asked to reset your password. By completing this task before training, it will help the sessions run more smoothly. Report any login issues immediately. Feel free to explore and play with the new software before your session, but keep in mind that if you see “customers” signed online, they are actually fellow librarians partaking in their own training sessions. Please do not attempt to chat with them.
• To login to the new software. Login to the Ask a Librarian Toolbox (http://info.askalibrarian.org > Toolbox (pwd: toolbox)) and click on Practice/Training then ‘login as a librarian’
• Space is very tight and many online classes have waiting lists. If you can not attend, please let me know so I can let someone else take your spot. If you have not registered for a session, please visit http://www.tblc.org/ws_classes.php and register as soon as possible. Next week, we are offering online classes as well as in-person sessions in Jacksonville, Gainesville, Leesburg, Orlando, Tampa and Largo. Full-day sessions are for those new to Ask a Librarian and those wanting a more in-depth training. Two-hour sessions online and in-person are the same training, and offer a guided introduction to the new software as well as practice with colleagues.
• Please remember to continue to practice with the new software even after training so you can have a comfort level with the new software on October 1.
• Please remember to check and update your java.  Machines will need to run java 1.5 or higher.   Check and update your computer’s JAVA Runtime.

General Ask a Librarian News

• The quarterly user survey is now live. Users will be asked to complete the brief survey upon logout from live chat.

The survey asks:
1. Have you used Ask a Librarian before?
2. Did you connect with a librarian today?
3. Was your question answered today?
4. Did the librarian show you any Web-based library resources today (library catalog, databases, etc.)?
5. Do you think you would be able to use those same resources on your own, later on?
6. As a result of using the Ask a Librarian service, do you think you will be more comfortable doing online research in the future?
7. Based upon your experience today, would you use the Ask a Librarian service again?
8. How did you hear about Ask a Librarian?
9. We welcome your comments or suggestions. Please let us know how we are doing, and how we can improve!

• Don’t forget to order marketing materials for your library! They are available at: http://info.askalibrarian.org/ under Promotional Materials

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments!

Entry Filed under: News & Announcements