Answering questions
Navigating the chat monitor interface
When you first log in and are waiting for a question, the chat interface will look as it does in the screenshot below. You will see in this example that there are no active sessions, no new questions, and 50 librarians are online.
When a patron asks a new question, you will see it under the New tab. You can hover over the patron's information to view a pop-up window with the full question, email, institution, referring website, etc... If you pick up this chat, you will see it under the My Active tab, along with this same information, the chat transcript, a link to the patron's library policy page, and more.
Be sure you're familiar with the following:
Info tab: where you can view the patron's information
Scripts: where you can view your personal, institution, and shared scripts--as well as the institution/shared scripts for the patron's library
URLs: where you can view URL scripts
Notes: click here to add a note that will only be seen by librarians viewing the transcript. The patron will not see it in the chat or transcript that is emailed to them after the session ends. You can also add a note after the session has ended.
Info tab: where you can view the patron's information
Scripts: where you can view your personal, institution, and shared scripts--as well as the institution/shared scripts for the patron's library
URLs: where you can view URL scripts
Notes: click here to add a note that will only be seen by librarians viewing the transcript. The patron will not see it in the chat or transcript that is emailed to them after the session ends. You can also add a note after the session has ended.
Picking up patrons/introducing yourself
The following is from the Best Practices information found on the QuestionPoint wiki.
Patrons should be picked up as quickly as possible. If more than 1 patron is waiting, pick up the patron that has been waiting the longest.
Send a personal greeting, identifying yourself and indicating your willingness to help. The greeting is your first interaction with the patron, so be sure your greeting establishes a welcoming atmosphere. Identifying yourself with a personal name and using the patron’s own name in your greeting are good ways to engage with the patron. Be sure to indicate in the initial greeting that you are ready to help, as the patron may be confused when greeted by a non-local librarian. While a script can be used for your greeting, be sure it is short and friendly!
Examples:
By asking for more information about the patron's request, the librarian is showing a willingness to help.
Patrons should be picked up as quickly as possible. If more than 1 patron is waiting, pick up the patron that has been waiting the longest.
Send a personal greeting, identifying yourself and indicating your willingness to help. The greeting is your first interaction with the patron, so be sure your greeting establishes a welcoming atmosphere. Identifying yourself with a personal name and using the patron’s own name in your greeting are good ways to engage with the patron. Be sure to indicate in the initial greeting that you are ready to help, as the patron may be confused when greeted by a non-local librarian. While a script can be used for your greeting, be sure it is short and friendly!
Examples:
- “Hi, I'm Rob, and I'll be helping you today. I'm reading your question now..."
- After saying Hi, [patron name]: "I'm Wren in Michigan. I am helping out your librarians by answering questions for them right now. I'm reading what you wrote so I can help you...”
- "Hi, [patron name], I'm Nancy, a librarian at the University of Washington, and I'm happy to help!"
- Consider combining your greeting with the initial reference interview question. Example: Patron Jane asks about locating a book. Librarian combines the greeting with a reference interview question: "Hi Jane, my name is Erin. Are you looking for a particular title?"
By asking for more information about the patron's request, the librarian is showing a willingness to help.
Best Practices
- Engage in an adequate reference conversation to understand the question and the patron's information need. Be sure to clarify the patron’s question before beginning the search.
- Choose resources at the appropriate level for the patron's research. In general, databases are preferable to Google or other general web sources when assisting students with research projects.
- Use the library policy page to find information using home library’s resources (including OPAC, databases, and guides).
- Evaluate resources for authority, objectivity, and currency; share with patron.
- Answer questions accurately.
- Provide context and instruction to the patron, rather than just sharing resources or merely sending web pages. Provide enough guidance so that the patron can recreate the search if needed (include the name of links, which one patron should click on, as well as the “click path”). Merely providing links to resources often will not suffice – some URLs are dynamic, such as library catalog search results, and the links that appear in session transcripts may become dead links.
- Recommend appropriate search terms and subject headings, in the context of a recommended search statement using Boolean operators. Provide examples of query constructions using basic and advanced Boolean operators.
Example of What NOT to Do: Patron: Need help finding books on the history of black businessmen in New York City. Librarian: You should search the catalog with keywords like black, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, New York, african americans, history
Recommended Alternative: Patron: Need help finding books on the history of black businessmen in New York City. Librarian: You can search the catalog by typing in things like this (exactly as I have them)... Librarian: african americans and business* and new york Librarian: or using that last one, replace business* with the word entrepreneur* - Help patron evaluate the sources for relevancy to topic
- Ask for feedback on resources sent
Interpersonal skills
- Create a welcoming atmosphere
- Chat frequently, so the patron doesn't have long lags without chat from the librarian (no more than 3 minutes should elapse without the librarian sending a message to each patron who is in session, even if it is a simple “I’m still working on your question”, or even “Still searching…” )
- Show interest in the patron's question through chat tone and choice of words
- Use positive phrasing ("We can…" instead of "We don't/can't/won't…")
- Use scripts appropriately, as needed
- Paste small excerpts of information; avoid pasting long blocks of text in the chat.
- Send chats to correct patrons when serving multiple patrons.