LibChat Procedures and Best Practices

Please note that no listing of procedures for a Virtual Reference system such as LibChat can be considered as final or definitive. Any librarian with access to the LibChat system can learn or has access to several important functions.

Any Librarian can:

• Answer and Submit Tickets
• Engage in Chats
• Participate in the BCC, CUNY or Global COOP's to Answer questions via Chats
• Create Notes 
• Some Stats
• Create Private Canned Messages

Local Admins can have access to other functions such as:

• Creating, suspending and deleting Librarian accounts
• Macros- Shortcuts to Tickets
• Some additional Stats
• Changing the Widget functions
• Monitoring Quality of answers and proper follow-up
• Distributing Tickets fairly
• Some other general Menu-Driven functions as needed

This LibGuide Points to areas in the Springshare website where training can be obtained in this ever changing system. You may start at Get help with LibAnswers, LibChat, & Co-Ops or contact any of the CUNY administrators.

BCC LibAnswers/LibChat is a part of the CUNY COOP. The CUNY LibChat COOP is formed with other CUNY Libraries to Administer some functions of the LibAnswers system at the CUNY Level, share coverage an expertise, reference coverage across libraries and system administration. Most of the higher functions of the system are handed by the CUNY COOP Administrators. Currently the CUNY COOP Administrators are Elvis Bakaitis (ebakaitis@gc.cuny.edu) and Beth Evans. (bevans@brooklyn.cuny.edu) 

What is LibAnswers?  

LibAnswers is a full-featured online reference platform. Key features include:

• Question management (tickets) through multiple channels, including an online question form, dedicated email address, SMS, and Twitter
• A searchable knowledge base of FAQs by group and topic
• Online chat reference (LibChat) with Chatbot and 24/7 Co-Op membership available
• Reference analytics to track in-person or phone transactions
• Social media management for your library's Twitter and Pinterest accounts
• Systems status management to let patrons know the status of your core systems and services

From: https://ask.springshare.com/libanswers 

To login into LibChat you would use the same credentials you use to login into LibGuides.   

• Please bookmark the link where you login: https://cuny.libanswers.com/ 

• Login is also found at the bottom of the page: Login to LibApps   

• Look for "Reset Password" to obtain access if you need to: How do I change my account password

• https://ask.springshare.com/libanswers

Basic Set of Morning Routines for LibChat Administrators. (Perform first in the morning and across the day.)

• Login-to the Main Dashboard- https://cuny-libs.libapps.com/libapps/login.php
• Examine and study  overnight Tickets posted on Dashboard.
• Answer or Assign Tickets- ( Assigning Tickets to Reference Colleagues periodically ensures collaboration and fair distribution of reference assistance.

Transcript Reviews. Important- Early Daily Morning Routine:

• Go to Transcripts- The Transcript List shows all overnight Chats-Transcripts, which other libraries have supported, but which may need to be reviewed for quality of service and accuracy. 
• If a review of the Chat merits a follow up- Create a Ticket,  if not leave as is!  
• If it needs a follow up,  Assign the Ticket to the queue or to a specific colleague based on expertise or experience, for fairness in sharing the work on this system.
• Assign a Metatag about the Chat Question, like Reference, Circulation, ILL, Equipment, etc. - All chats are Reference.

Missed Chats- Screen Area: Check daily on Missed Chats.

• This is important as it highlights students who may have dropped a call, but may still be reachable by generating a Ticket.
• If a valid e-mail was provided on the Missed Call- and there is a valid question – Create a Ticket.
• Delete all Missed Chats from system.

Virtual Reference has been around for quite some time, and now more than ever it has become an essential services as many libraries operate remotely. Chat Reference is more art than skill, it involves agility and timing. It is not therefore mastered by all and that is ok. Practice helps.

To login into LibChat you would use the same credentials you use to login into LibGuides.   

• Please bookmark the link where you login: https://cuny.libanswers.com/ 

• Login is also found at the bottom of the page: Login to LibApps   

• Look for "Reset Password" to obtain access if you need to: How do I change my account password

See--

• Monitoring a co-op and answering chats- Sign in

• How to chat with patrons

• LibChat for Staff Video (may want to start here)

For reading:

Best Practices in Chat Reference Used by Florida's Ask a Librarian Virtual Reference Librarians. 

Ward, J., & Barbier, P. (2010). Best Practices in Chat Reference Used by Florida’s Ask a Librarian Virtual Reference Librarians. Reference Librarian, 51(1), 53–68.

• (Do not feel time pressure. Take your time! Reassure the patron at times that you are working on the question. Patrons (sometimes) understand that research takes time. It is Good to note that LibChat sends an automated waiting response every few minutes!

• Most of the questions that we receive take several minutes to answer. Take the time to read and ask for clarification if you need it.

• Answers do not need to be long. Answers that instruct how to achieve a result may be better for the patron, rather than answers which provide all the answers for them. It is a way of providing instruction for the context of their question rather than just offering answers.

• Show interest in their topic. Use Reference Interview skills to clarify the question. Read their question and ask patrons to clarify.

• Carefully canvas the Policies Page or FAQs for the institution whose patron you are helping. This is essential.

• It is ok, after having attempted to help a patron, to forward the question to a librarian at the Patron’s home library, by creating a TICKET. if you feel you may have exhausted your knowledge or if the patron library may be able to assist better.

Practice good etiquette --aim not to provide a direct follow–up to questions answered by your colleagues at BCC! Trust your colleagues' expertise and approaches. However, if something could be clarified or done better approach the group or the librarian for them to follow-up if needed. Use the notes functions to add a clarification. An often followed local practice has been not to go over colleagues' reference interactions on closed transcripts. Local administrators periodically canvas the answers and provide guidance and support, as needed, in order to identify trends or needs. All questions answered by external librarians are examined and follow-ups assigned as needed for clarification or further assistance.

• Signing into LibChat

• How to chat with patrons (using individual or multi-chat overlay mode)

• Chatting with other online staff via an internal chat session

• How to claim tickets from the LibChat dashboard

• Monitoring departments and queues

• Create and manage personal canned messages for LibChat

• Emailing a LibChat transcript

• Create a ticket during a chat to follow up with a patron later

• Link to all LibChat FAQs

• VIDEO: LibChat Overview

• VIDEO: LibChat for Staff

• What is Lib Chat?

  LibAnswers Platform system with LibChat from Patron Perspective. We do not have all the features listed.

  more...

• LibChat Overview Video

  Overview of LibChat Settings
  Using LibChat
  LibChat Widgets
  Screensharing

• LibChat for Staff VIDEO

  Customizing personal chat settings
  Answering & transferring chats
  Creating personal canned messages
  Following up on chats