LibAnswers Training Manual

When you're answering a question on AAL, fill out the form fields at the bottom before you click the "submit as..." button. You can use the box to the right of these instructions to fill out the form:

You can fill this field an additional time if the patron responds with another question. If you are responding to the patron, but not counting an additional question, choose "do not add to analytics dataset" from the "add to analytics" dropdown:

Answer
For chat, this will automatically include the transcript. AAL will automatically include the question and answer.

Duration
Take your best estimate of duration

Method
Choose "chat" for LibChat or "AAL" for Ask a Librarian tickets

Question Type

• Research/Reference: Questions about research, citation, search strategy, reference skills
• Holdings/Availability: Specific or known holdings searches or availability questions, interlibrary loan directions
• Policy: Questions about library policies or procedures including circulation, access, and library use
• Technology: Questions about library software or hardware, problems with technology
• Directional: Directions to a physical location, url for a virtual location, hours and contact info
• Patent/Trademark: Questions about patents and trademarks
• Ready Reference: Reference questions that can be quickly answered with information on hand
• PC Login: Assisting patrons with guest logins to the onsite computers
• Gov. Docs: Questions about government documents
• Law: Questions from law patrons, utilizing law resources, or referred to law
• Instruction follow up: Follow up on library instruction sessions
• Health Sciences: Questions about RBHS or the health sciences disciplines

Patron or On-Desk Location (optional): choose the location of the patron for virtual and off-desk interactions, choose your desk location for on-desk phone and in-person interactions

Patron (optional)
Patron group if the patron volunteers this information

READ Scale: see the box to the left for READ information