Sarah Cohen and Andy Key, Information Services Librarians, explore how a new chat and email service was launched in Autumn 2014 using the LibAnswers suite of software at Leeds Beckett University Library. Presented at the Northern Collaboration Learning Exchange: Communicating with New Technologies, May 2015, Leeds Beckett University

1. Leeds Beckett University
Sarah Cohen and Andrew Key
How to quickly and
effectively implement a
new email/chat service

2. What’s it all about?
 Background/history
 Why/how we chose LibAnswers
 How we implemented LibAnswers
 LibAnswers use & growth
 What we’ve struggled with
 Benefits we’ve seen so far
 Future possibilities
 Lessons learnt
 Questions

3. A short history of remote enquiry management at
Leeds Metropolitan/Beckett University Library
2001-The present

4. Why?! How?!
Compatibility
Capability
Money!!

5. How we implemented LibAnswers (Chat
and Email)
 October 2014-Started using LibAnswers to answer chats

6. An Example of a Recent Questionpoint Chat
Patron:
23:14:46 2015/05/10 (GMT +0100)
Chat Transcript: Hello, I need urgent help!
Librarian:
23:17:00 2015/05/10 (GMT
+0100)
Librarian ‘a.librarian’ (24/7 Librarian)' has joined the session.
Librarian:
23:17:05 2015/05/10 (GMT
+0100)
Hello!
Librarian:
23:17:21 2015/05/10 (GMT
+0100)
I'm a librarian from Kansas helping to answer questions for your library. Is there an emergency?
Librarian:
23:17:52 2015/05/10 (GMT
+0100)
If there is an emergency, please call 911 immediately.
Librarian:
23:18:07 2015/05/10 (GMT
+0100)
If you simply have a reference question, please continue here.
Patron:
23:18:36 2015/05/10 (GMT +0100)
Hi, I made a powerpoint presentation today and saved it on my computer in the library.. I also put it in my
pen drive.. but it saved as a word document
Patron:
23:19:10 2015/05/10 (GMT +0100)
can you please login to the library computer and check if it is still there
Librarian:
23:20:20 2015/05/10 (GMT
+0100)
I'm very sorry, I'm unable to do that for you. I'm a librarian from Kansas assisting your librarians and do
not have access. I do have a phone # you could call for more help though.
Librarian:
23:20:36 2015/05/10 (GMT
+0100)
Phone: The main phone number for Leeds Beckett University Libraries is 0113 812 1000. Students can
call this for all enquiries 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

7. How we implemented LibAnswers (Chat
and Email) pt2
 November 2014- Started using LibAnswers to answer emails

8. LibAnswers use & growth-Chat
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Jan-14 Feb-14 Mar-14 Apr-14 May-14 Jun-14 Jul-14 Aug-14 Sep-14 Oct-14 Nov-14 Dec-14 Jan-15 Feb-15 Mar-15 Apr-15
No. of chats per month
Libchat
http://libguides.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/contact_us

9. http://libguides.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/contact_us

10. Many amazing instant stats from
Libanswers Software!

12. Software Helps Speed Up Turnaround Time

13. The bad news…….

14. The good news…….

15. Into the future…..

16. Lessons Learnt

17. Thank you for listening! Any
questions?
 Sarah Cohen s.c.cohen@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
 Andrew Key a.key@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
 Anna Hepworth a.hepworth@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
@beckettlibrary leedsbeckettlibrary
 libguides.leedsbeckett.ac.uk