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NU SpringShare Playbook

Best practices and guidance for creating and maintaining LibApps and guides at NU. Created by cross-functional resource centers.

Notes

LibAnswers is a subscription addon currently used by the Library, ASC, IRB, and CTL.

 

LibAnswers

To access LibAnswers, log in to LibApps (alternatively, you may bookmark LibAnswers and login there): https://ncu.libapps.com/libapps/login.php

Click on LibAnswers to go to your Dashboard.

Tickets are generated from LibAnswers form (Ask a Librarian) and from emails automatically forwarded from the email: library@ncu.edu

Note: At this time, emails are being forwarded to: askalibrarian@ncu.libanswers.com AND they are arriving to the library@ncu.edu inbox as back-up. Be sure to file the inbox emails in the appropriate File Cabinet folder, but they do not need to be answered.

Dashboard:

You can manage your dashboard in the LibAnswers > Dashboard view OR using the LibChat Dashboard (see screenshots below)

Chats and tickets can be claimed from either location. Simply click on the question (blue hyperlink) or click on claim to respond to the ticket.

  1. To view a ticket without claiming it, click on the eye icon.

  1. To view a ticket and claim it, click on the link under 'Question.'

Upon claiming a ticket, you can view user information.


To view more information about the questioner, click on the patron's name. The Questioner Information window will appear, listing:

The patron's name and email address.

Click on the Previous Messages link to view a list of all other questions submitted via that email address.

Responses to any custom fields added to your question form.

User agent information, including the user's browser and operating system (if submitted via your question form).

The user's IP address (if submitted via your question form).

The source of the question.

To edit the patron's name, email address, and question form responses, click on the Edit button.

Unclaim or Assign/Transfer

  1. Unclaim – To unclaim a ticket, click unclaim in the gray box at the top of the screen next to 'Owned by:'. This will return the ticket to unassigned status.

 

  1. Assign/Transfer – Alternatively, you can re-assign or transfer the ticket to another user. Do not assign to Library, NU

Create tickets to “email” a student or faculty as a follow-up to a phone call or chat. Create tickets to email the Service Desk about issues needing attention as well. 

To add a ticket, click on Answers > Create

 

This will open up the following ticket form. Fill in the fields accordingly: 

Click on 'Create Ticket' once complete. This will create a question response where you can respond to the user accordingly. 

 

Once you have filled in the user information, a response form will appear that provides you with space to provide information to the user.

While composing the response, you have the option to select ready made Macro responses. You may use these as a template to edit accordingly or use as quick response. 


You have the ability to add files to the ticket response as well. Before sending the response, enter the reference analytics accordingly: 

If you are creating a response that does not need to be added to Ref Analytics, select the drop down menu for 'Add to Analytics,' and select 'Do not add to Analytics Dataset' as shown below: 

To view completed tickets, click on the 'Answers' dropdown from the Dashboard and select Tickets.

 

There are many options for filtering or searching:

 

To view more information about a question, click on the question title.

 

  1. Click on the Question Actions () button in the upper-right corner of the ticket's question.
  2. Select Merge from the dropdown menu.
  3. Locate the ticket to which you want to merge the current ticket.
    1. If this user has submitted previous questions, you can select one of those.
    2. You can also search for a ticket by keywords in the Search for a Ticket field.
    3. If you know the ticket's ID, enter it into the Type in a Ticket ID field.
  4. Click on the Merge button.
  5. A summary of the merge will appear. An internal note will be added to each ticket, which you can customize if desired.
  6. Select the status you'd like to apply to the original ticket. The new ticket will be closed once the merge is completed.
  7. Click on the Merge button to complete the merge.

Deleting Tickets

There are several reasons we may need to delete tickets:

  1. Spam can be deleted. From the original email in the Library inbox, delete and/or unsubscribe spam.
  2. ILL document delivery of articles from lending institutions. Do not delete any ILL related questions.

 

Closing Tickets

You may close a ticket when a user sends a feedback response, like “Thanks,”  to an old Ask a Librarian question. Open the ticket, scroll down to 'Add to Analytics,' and select 'Do not add to Analytics Set' as pictured below. Do not delete these responses. Deleting tickets will delete the transaction from the system. 

LibAnswers Question Categories

Description

ASC Transfer/APA Style

Used for anytime a question is transferred to the ASC. General questions related to APA style which we can assist with by referring to the APA Publication Manual or sites such as Purdue’s OWL.

Alumni

If the question is submitted by alumni, or deals with alumni library access and services.

Database Problems

If the question is a database technical problem that requires troubleshooting. 

Database Questions

Any general questions related to the databases such as setting up accounts or alerts.

Database Subscriptions

If the question is requesting a particular database subscription or inquiring whether we have access.

Dissertation Center Documents

If the question is related to the Dissertation Center or could be best addressed by the Dissertation Center.

Dissertation Research

If the question is from a dissertation student and requires more in-depth research assistance.

Ebook Central Questions

If the question is about accessing or using Ebook Central.

EndNote

If the question is about accessing or using EndNote citation management tool, available via Web of Knowledge database.

Faculty/Staff

For questions asked by faculty or staff

Interlibrary Loan

If the question is about ILL or you need to recommend that the student use ILL.
JFKU Transfer Used when a ticket has been transferred to the JFKU Reference Desk or Librarian. 

Library Guide – ID Request

Used only by the Liaison Librarians when an ID requests content be added to a Library guide, or new guide creation.

Library Events

If the question is about a library event or workshop.

Locate Items in the Library

If the question is about locating a particular resource available in the Library.

Locate Items Outside the Library

If the question is about locating a resource that is not within the Library.
NCUOne Navigation/Textbooks Use for questions related to NCUOne, accessing textbooks, course books, or accessing the Bookshelf/RedShelf.

Other

Other should be used sparingly and only when no other category applies.

RefWorks

If the question is related to RefWorks.

Research Consultations

If the question is about the research consultation service or you need to recommend that the student use our research consultation service. Note: This category should not be used for actual research consultations; instead choose the appropriate description (Dissertation Research, Research Techniques, RefWorks, etc.)

Research Techniques

If the question pertains to individualized research techniques, such as providing example NavigatorSearches.

Service Desk

If the question involves referral to the NU Service Desk or if the Librarian provides technical support without referral to the NU Service Desk for a library access issue.

Syllabi/Broken Link

If the question regards an error in the syllabus or locating a resource found in the syllabus or if we need to refer the student back to the instructor for assistance.

Tech Issues

Used when a student is experiencing technical issues with the Library's website. 

Adding a Transaction

To add a reference transaction, from the LibAnswers dashboard, click on RefAnalytics  and select View/Edit Transactions

This will take you to the 'Add Transaction' form (as shown below). Fill the form out to the best of your ability. 

  1. Add the Question, add more detail if needed (issues about the call/student/etc.) your response
  2. Add the student’s name (if known) in Internal Note box
  3. Select the Question Type, Category, School (if known), and Time the transaction took to complete
  4. Note: You can also edit the Date/Time for the transaction (ex. you forgot to record until a later time or next day)
  5. Select the appropriate READ scale point for the transaction (For more information on the READ scale, please see the READ scale tab).
  6. Click Submit

Editing a Transaction

To view or edit any entered phone calls or service desk transactions, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to LibAnswers & LibChat > Ref. Analytics > View/Edit Transactions
  2. This page may be browsed by category, or you may enter a search term in the Question/Answer field to locate a particular transaction. Otherwise this page will show the most recent transaction at the top. Since the internal notes are displayed in this view, this may be a good page to look at before your reference shift to see if there have been any difficult phone calls.
  3. Click the edit button to the left of the transaction in order to edit.

Note: if you want to send additional information/follow-up after a phone call, see the Create Tickets instructions above.

Quality Check

Once a month, all RefAnalytics transactions (tickets, chats, phone calls, etc.) should be checked to ensure that analytics have been added.

1. Go to Ref.Analytics > Statistics > Click View Transactions tab

2. Filter by Category > No value set and click Filter

3.  Tickets can be edited by clicking on the paper/pencil icon under the ID#. Simply add the relevant analytics.

LibAnswers Email Signature

This has been customized to display a link to our feedback form: 

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The READ Scale (Reference Effort Assessment Scale) was created by Bella Karr Gerlich, Dean of Libraries at the Elmer E. Rasmuson and BioSciences Libraries at the University of Fairbanks, Alaska. It is a six-point tool used for recording qualitative data related to the processes, activities, efforts, skills and knowledge used during reference interactions.

Please use the following examples as reference when determining which point to rate a reference interaction. 

 

Point 1                                                                                                Point 2

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Point 3                                                                                                Point 4

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Point 5                                                                                               Point 6

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  1. To add a phone call go to LibAnswers > Ref. Analytics > Add Transaction
  2. Add the Question, add more detail if needed (issues about the call/student/etc.) your response
  3. Add the student’s name (if known) in Internal Note box
  4. Select the Question Type, Category and Time the transaction took to complete
  5. Note: You can also edit the Date/Time for the transaction (ex. you forgot to record until a later time or next day)
  6. Click Submit

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Edit Phone Transactions

To view or edit any entered phone calls or service desk transactions, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to LibAnswers & LibChat > Ref. Analytics > View/Edit Transactions
  2. This page may be browsed by category, or you may enter a search term in the Question/Answer field to locate a particular transaction. Otherwise this page will show the most recent transaction at the top. Since the internal notes are displayed in this view, this may be a good page to look at before your reference shift to see if there have been any difficult phone calls.
  3. Click the edit button to the left of the transaction in order to edit.

Note: if you want to send additional information/follow-up after a phone call, please review the instructions located within tab Tickets > Create Tickets.

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Creating FAQs

​There are a few ways to create an FAQ: 

1. Go to Answers > Create > FAQ;  Select the FAQ tab

 

2. Go to Answers > FAQ Entries > Create FAQ

3. Go to Stats > Query Spy; Review any queries made and select 'Add to FAQs' 


 

Composing an FAQ

Select 'NU Library' for Group.

Type the question – note that in LibAnswers FAQs should begin with a question. Ex: How do I access Grammarly, the automated grammar checker?

Click Save Question and Continue.

 

Be sure to add as many Topics and Keywords to ensure that the FAQ is discoverable. 

Preview when finished, click on 'Save Answer Text, and then click on 'Change Status' to change the status to Published. 

Macros are ready made replies that can be used to provide consistent information to patrons for questions on policies, services, hours, and support. 

There are a few types of macros you can create:

  • Reply macros: used when replying to question forms, widgets, or email. These are rich text macros that can also include template tokens (a token is a placeholder for information contained in a ticket, such as a patron's name).
  • Transfer macros:used when transferring a ticket to another queue and/or user.  These are also rich text macros that can include template tokens.
  • SMS macros: used when replying to SMS messages, creating verbiage better suited to the character limit and plain text format of SMS messages.

Regular-level users can create their own private macros to use when answering tickets. Admin-level users can create macros for specific queues, or share them system-wide.

Create a ticket reply or transfer macro

To create a macro you can use when replying to or transferring tickets: 

  1. Go to Admin > Macros.
  2. Click on the Create a Macro button.
  3. In the Action Type field, choose whether you want this macro to be available when replying to tickets, or when transferring tickets to another queue/user.
  4. In the Title field, give your macro a descriptive name to help users identify the macro.
  5. In the Queue field, you can choose whether to make this macro available to just a specific queue, or system-wide.
  6. In the Message field, use the rich text editor to write the text of your macro.
  7. Macros can also include tokens, which insert information from the ticket into the message. For example, the {{t.name}} token will automatically insert the name of the person who asked the question. To see a complete list of tokens, click on the Template Instructions button.
  8. In the Set Status To field, you can choose whether or not to change the ticket's status when using this macro. For example, if you are transferring a ticket to another queue, you could update the ticket's status to Open so that other users will see it on their dashboard.
  9. In the Tag Ticket With field, you can select one or more tags to apply to tickets using the macro. This makes it easy to consistently categorize certain types of questions with the same tags.
  10. If you only want to create a macro for personal use, click on the Keep this Macro Private checkbox.
  11. Click the Save button.

Instructions taken from Springshare. 

Create an SMS macro

To create a macro you can use when replying to SMS tickets: 

  1. Click on the Create SMS Macro button.
  2. In the Title field, give your macro a descriptive name to help users identify the macro.
  3. In the Queue field, you can choose whether to make this macro available to just a specific queue, or system-wide.
  4. In the Message field, write the text of your macro (up to 320 characters).
  5. In the Set Status To field, you can choose whether or not to change the ticket's status when using this macro. For example, if you are transferring a ticket to another queue, you could update the ticket's status to Open so that other users will see it on their dashboard.
  6. In the Tag Ticket With field, you can select one or more tags to apply to tickets using the macro. This makes it easy to consistently categorize certain types of questions with the same tags.
  7. If you only want to create a macro for personal use, click on the Keep this Macro Private checkbox.
  8. Click the Save button.

Instructions taken from Springshare

Managing macros

  • To edit a macro, click on its Edit () icon in the Action column.
  • To delete a macro, click on its Delete () icon in the Action column.

Example of options for managing macros 

How to use a macro

To use a macro when replying to a ticket:

  1. Under the Create a Reply tab, select the macro you wish to use from the Apply a Macro to this Ticket dropdown.
  2. Click the Apply button.
  3. The text of the macro will automatically be inserted into the body of your reply. You can then make any needed changes to the text prior to sending the reply.

Example of applying a macro

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions taken from Springshare. 

 

 

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