Love that ListServ

With more than 900 individual library staff and over 100 libraries participating in Ask a Librarian, the AskRef listserv is an incredibly important tool for us to communicate with those staffing the Ask a Librarian desks.  The list allows us to post software updates, emergency shift needs, hurricane & other last-minute info, & much more.  If you suddenly find yourself alone on the desk - or discover that you won’t be able to cover an upcoming shift - post to the AskRef list.  It’s easy:  just send an email to askref@lists.tblc.org

A few facts regarding the listserv:

• It is extremely important that those staffing the academic and collaborative desks remain subscribed to the AskRef listserv.

• All subscriptions are available in Plain or Digest modes:
  • Plain - you will receive all AskRef messages as-submitted, one by one
  • Digest - you will receive all AskRef messages batched in a daily digest

• Those staffing only their local desks (who never staff academic or collaborative) have the option of subscribing or not subscribing.

• Site coordinators should be subscribed to both the AskRef listserv and an additional site-coordinators-only listserv called Askalib-Contacts.

Be sure to visit the ListServs Information Page in the Ask a Librarian Web site for more information on subscribing, changing to Digest format, etc.  Just log into the toolbox at http://info.askalibrarian.org/toolbox/login.asp, click on ListServs on the left side.

Scripted Replies

Your accounts have been set up to allow you to add and modify your own scripted replies!  To do this, simply log in as usual, and when you get to the Account Administration page (the same page where you click on Agent Console), click on the “Agents” tab.  You can then choose the Response Libraries link to add, edit, and organize your own personal scripted replies.  Just click on “Launch Response Editor” to begin.  These pre-scripted replies serve several purposes:  (1) they promote consistency in customer service; (2) they save you more time for up-front researching; and (3) they increase the patron’s view of both staff interest & staff/patron interactivity… all of which make for a more-patient patron!

He Said, She Said

We have been able to set up the software so that everyone can read session transcripts again.  This will be on the Account Administration page (the same page where you click on “Agent Console”).  Once there, just click on the “Reports” tab to view the many options available to you.  To read chat transcripts, follow one of the two link sequences below:

• Reports:  Agents:  Chat Transcripts - to view session transcripts by agent/librarian name.
• Reports:  Departments:   Chat Transcripts - to view session transcripts by desk (like collaborative, academic, or a specific local desk).

Once on the transcripts page, you will have a range of date options to choose from for further limiting.

**Please continue to let us know your questions, comments, and experiences using the new software.**

To order flyers for your library, go to “Promotional Materials” at http://info.askalibrarian.org and click on “Order Promotional Materials”

TGIF Tips

October 3, 2008

Issue 1

Welcome to the new Ask a Librarian software, InstantService, which went live at 10 a.m. on October 1, 2008! We are now at the end of launch week for InstantService, and staff and patron response has been thus far very positive.

Some notables about the new software:

Agent Room feature allows for group chat
Now, in addition to sending instant messages to others staffing the desk, you can also partake in open group discussion with your peers in the Agent Room.

No more chimes & pop-up patron alerts while you’re actively involved in a chat!
The software knows you are in a chat and will not alert you until your session has ended. You can still view the chat queue, but you will not be battered with sounds, pop-up windows, and cursor tugs-of-war resulting from incoming patron alerts.

Chat typing indicators for patron and staff
Now, when you type, patrons will see “Librarian is typing,” and when the patron types, your keyboard icon will become animated. Among other things, these indicators will help extend patience for both patrons and staff.

Pushing Web pages is an easy, smooth, & immediate process
No more flickering screens and wondering if your patron even knows you sent him something. Even those whose settings block the pushed window from opening automatically can always click on the live link that will be right there in the chat transcript.

ScreenShare feature allows for increased interactivity and demonstration abilities
Increased control allows for more in-depth goals, such as those involving information literacy. However, please remember that with increased power comes a need for increased sensitivity on your part!

Please continue to let us know your questions, comments, and experiences using the new software.

Password Power

Be sure to write down those passwords!

One of the primary issues we’ve had so far during this fun week has been staff forgetting their login passwords, so please be sure to write them down in a safe place.

Do you have a generic password but long for something more personal, more memorable? You can always change your password in the Account Administration page. To do this, simply log in as usual, and when you get to the Account Administration page (the same page where you click on Agent Console), click on the “Agents” tab. You can then click on Information to edit your password.

Remember that the password is picky, picky: in addition to letters, it needs a number and a special character (such as #) and must be at least 8 characters long.

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For technical problems, email the Ask a Librarian Help Desk at askalibrarian@tblc.org.

If you need assistance with software practice, scheduling, or anything else, please call Traci Avet at 800-622-8252, ext. 223 or email at avett@tblc.org. If you need emergency assistance and Traci is unavailable, please press zero and ask for assistance.

September also saw a lot of training, practicing and working to get the new software– Instant
Service up and running. We trained over 660 people in 44 training sessions online and in-person.

September was a great month and we expect this trend to continue on the new software platform.

A more detailed report is available here:  Summary Report

Great Work Everyone!!!!

The statewide service has increased in usage by almost 200 percent and in participating libraries by more than 150 percent since its 2003 inception, with strong continued growth expected. InstantService’s range and flexibility provides unlimited support for Ask a Librarian’s growing needs.

“With the level of growth our service has experienced, we are excited to introduce this fantastic – and quite necessary – new software platform,” said Diana Sachs-Silveira, virtual reference manager for Ask a Librarian. “This is a positive change that allows us to provide even better, faster service to our users.”

Visit www.askalibrarian.org for more information about the Ask a Librarian service.

Ask a Librarian was founded by the Tampa Bay Library Consortium and the College Center for Library Automation, is managed by the Tampa Bay Library Consortium, and is funded as part of the Florida Electronic Library (www.flelibrary.org) by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant.

The Tampa Bay Library Consortium, Inc. (TBLC) is a nonprofit multi-type library cooperative that assists and empowers libraries. Since 1979, TBLC has worked with member libraries to provide better, faster service and resource sharing to the residents of Florida. For more information, call (813) 622-8252 or visit www.tblc.org.

The College Center for Library Automation (CCLA) operates the statewide Library Information Network for Community Colleges (LINCC) and associated Web-based information portal, LINCCWeb, from its headquarters in Tallahassee, Fla. As an administered program of the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Community Colleges, CCLA serves 79 community college libraries in 65 cities throughout Florida. For more information, visit www.cclaflorida.org.

All public pages have the following message:

Thank you for visiting Ask a Librarian.
Ask a Librarian will be closed on Monday, Sept. 29, and Tuesday, Sept. 30.
We are updating our service to better serve you.
Please come back on Wednesday!

During this downtime, please run any statistic reports you will need from Docutek, answer any email questions and practice with the new software.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

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!

Brief Exemplary Chat June 08
Iraida Matos, Osceola County Library System. What a wonderful coincidence that we had a Spanish-speaking librarian online. That’s great customer service for you.

Detailed Exemplary Chat June 08
George Pearson, Florida International University. Through friendly questioning, George set up a good rapport with a Middle School patron so that George could give the student good book suggestions for his age group.

Teaching Exemplary Chat June 08
Lena Phelps-Ellerker, South Florida Community College. Lena was able to take the patron through the step-by-step process of using the drop-down menu of Boolean operators. Good teaching even without co-browse.

To view the winning transcripts, login to the Ask a Librarian Toolbox at: http://info.askalibrarian.org

Don’t forget to nominate sessions for July and August in the Toolbox!

October 1st! Yes, it is right around the corner and we want to make sure each of you will be comfortable in the new software so we are planning a LOT of training. All training is hands-on.

We will have:
*two hour training sessions in-person for everyone who is currently staffing
*two hour online sessions for everyone who is currently staffing
*full-day sessions for newbies to Ask a Librarian and to those who want a more detailed training.

Find out about training and register at: http://www.tblc.org/ws_classes.php under Ask a Librarian.

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

Ask a Librarian is 5 years old today! We have come a long way in five years. On July 28, 2003, we were open noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday (24 hours a week); 12 of the 40 libraries that had signed up to participate were trained and ready to staff the desk; and we answered a whopping 10 questions via chat.

Today, we have 100 participating libraries and are open 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday (84 hours a week). We answered 139 chat questions last Monday alone and are anticipating over 2500 for this month.

This is because of all of your hard work. Your dogged desire to answer hard questions, willingness to use your libraries’ slim resources to staff both a collaborative and an academic desk, including helping out with occasional extra shifts, and your overall dedication to the Ask a Librarian service has made Ask a Librarian a HUGE SUCCESS!

Before I get too mushy, I will just say THANK YOU for all your work on Ask a Librarian. I feel our service is getting better every day. A milestone birthday makes it seem even more appropriate that we spread our wings with new software and really take Ask a Librarian to the next level this year.

Please feel free to go eat birthday cake today and celebrate our birthday! Included is a virtual calorie-free piece for you.