[Isl-askaway] Important reminder: Logging out of chat properly

[Pardue, Bill]

Please redistribute as necessary.

I'd like to send out a quick reminder that, when you finish your shift, you should make sure to close out using the "Logout" link at the upper right of the chat window (instead of just closing the window using the "X").

If you don't close out properly, this may cause your account to remain logged into the queue for as much as two hours.  As long as other Illinois librarians are covering the queue, that has minimal impact, but if your "phantom" account is still logged in when everyone else is logged off (e.g., after-hours), it can have a couple of negative effects for patrons.


1)      For libraries using the traditional chat form, it will mean that patrons will need to wait 40 seconds before they're seen by librarians staffing the 24/7 backup service (which would be instantaneous if no phantoms were logged in).  Add any additional delay they might encounter there, and it's possible to lose some patrons who don't care to wait.


2)      For libraries using the qwidget chat widget, having a "phantom" librarian logged in in the IL queue will keep the qwidget's "away message" from being seen (which is where the qwidget usually has a link to the 24/7 service), effectively preventing users from getting through to the 24/7 service.  (The patron will just put their question in the qwidget, it will "ring" for the IL queue, no one will answer it and it won't roll up to the 24/7 service).

Remember, it only takes one librarian to forget to log out for this to effect the entire queue, so please be very careful about this.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this.

If your library uses the qwidget and you're concerned about this problem, I've got an additional thought.  The qwidget allows you to create timed scripted messages ("Thanks for connecting, please be sure to add your email address,"  "Sorry for the delay, someone should be with you soon," etc.  Perhaps a good idea would be to add a timed message that links to your traditional chat form, something like:  "If it's after-hours and it's taking a long time to get assistance, you might be helped more quickly at http://***********"  (where the URL could be the bit.ly address for your traditional 24/7 chat form).  I'm sure there might be better wording, but I think the strategy could be useful.  Again, contact me if you'd like help with this.


--Bill

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Bill Pardue [cid:image002.jpg at 01CC9884.68D4E6F0] Reference & Virtual Services Supervisor
847.506.2667 * bpardue at ahml.info<mailto:bpardue at ahml.info>
500 N. Dunton Avenue * Arlington Heights, IL 60004
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