LibChat Training Manual

Queues are used to route incoming tickets to the appropriate staff. There are different queues for workflow departments. Some of our queues are primarily user-facing, while others are mostly for internal use:

User-facing Queues: These queues are set up to handle patron questions and requests:

• Reference (reference@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions related to reference and research. Reference is also the general routing queue, so if you're unsure about the correct queue, you can always send questions here. 
• Access (access@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions related to circulation and access including user accounts, reserves, and all circulation queries. Faculty with technical questions about Leganto can also be referred to instructional support: instructional_support@libraries.rutgers.edu
• Citation Management (citationmgr@rutgers.libanswers.com) provides support for citation management tools including EndNote and RefWorks. Questions may include installing software, importing references, managing libraries, and generating bibliographies.
• Electronic Resources (erm@rutgers.libanswers.com) provides troubleshooting for issues with subscription databases and electronic resources. This should be used for database technical issues that can be replicated; if you are not able to replicate the issue and suspect it may be related to user accounts, please refer to the Access Queue. 
• Ex Libris Team (exlibris@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions and responds to comments related to Alma, QuickSearch, and Leganto. This queue receives the "report a problem" form from QuickSearch.
• Library Mobile (librarymobile@rutgers.libanswers.com) Answers questions about the Library Mobile app and responds to user feedback.
• NBL Science Reference (sciencereference@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers reference questions for science disciplines in New Brunswick. 
• RBHS (rbhs@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions submitted by RBHS departments and about research and collections in the health sciences.
• Resource Sharing (ill@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions related to EZ-Borrow, U Borrow, and interlibrary loan.
• SOAR (soar@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions regarding the SOAR institutional repository. 
• Special Collections (specialcollections@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions related to special collections and archival research. This queue can be used for general archival and special collections questions, questions directed at New Brunswick's SC/UA or questions for the Institute of Jazz Studies in Newark. For the Medical History collection in Newark, use the RBHS queue. 

Internal Queues: Patron queries should not be sent to these queues. Each queue is followed by alternative steps for patrons with questions about these topics. 

• Acquisitions (acquisitions@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions related to acquisitions and receives orders.
  • Faculty should send acquisitions requests to the Purchase Recommendation Form (general) or the Course Reserves Form (for course reserves purchases or renewals). Student purchase requests are not currently accepted through these forms. Students should use interlibrary loan or meet with their selector to discuss collections. Students with questions about reserves materials in their course should reach out to their instructor. 
• Cataloging (cataloging@rutgers.libanswers.com) responds to requests for cataloging or catalog changes.
  • If cataloging issues are noted by patrons, they should fill out the "report a problem" form from the record on QuickSearch
• Copyright (copyright@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers primarily internal questions about copyright in digital course reserves and for digitization requests.
  • Copyright questions from patrons should be addressed to the Reference Queue. 
• Instruction (instruction@rutgers.libanswers.com) this is a hidden queue that is used for backup coverage on the instruction web form.
  • Instruction requests should be submitted through the Request Library Instructional Support web form. 
• Scholarly Communications & Collections (scc@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions related to scholarly communication, collections, copyright and licensing. 
  • Questions about Rutgers institutional repository SOAR should be addressed to the SOAR queue. General questions about scholarly communications from patrons can be addressed to the Reference Queue. 
• Web Services (webservices@rutgers.libanswers.com) answers questions about the website and website redesign project. 
  • Patron feedback about the website can be routed to the Website Feedback Form. 

If you click the ticket icon in the top right corner of your chat dashboard, you can create a LibAnswers ticket from the chat. This will allow you to send the chat to another department to answer asynchronously (a list of the LibAnswers queues and what they should be used for is in the box below this) or transfer to a particular staff member to answer. This is a good strategy for referring patrons, but be sure to get the email address of the patron before you create a ticket. There are two ways to do this: ask the patron directly or click the icon beneath the chat box that looks like an id card. 

Referrals are a great way to connect patrons with more in-depth information. Please refer patrons to the general ticket queues if you're not sure who should address their question. You can also send a ticket to a specific person in the reference queue or provide the contact information for their subject specialist librarian from this page: https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/subject_librarians

• Because users access chat at the point of need, it is helpful to provide some information for them to work on even if you can't completely answer their question. A good database recommendation, a link to a research guide created in their subject area, or an initial search list from QuickSearch can provide a start for their research while they wait for a reply from an expert librarian. 
• When creating a ticket from a chat for a ticket queue or specific person, please include a bit of information in the internal notes field so the recipient knows what to look out for in the enclosed transcript. The patron will not see this internal note. 
• For faculty, graduate students, and other users with in-depth reference questions, you may want to provide the contact information of their subject specialist librarian as a method for further questions even if you have provided a satisfactory answer for the patron.