A follow-up note about this: the WRHAVL queue does not include a SMS option, and therefore any WRHA questions that come in via SMS cannot be transferred to our queue. In this case only, please assign the ticket directly to one of our staff: Nicole Askin, Maureen Babb, Angela Osterreicher, Pamela Darling, Kathy Finlayson, or Lenore Finlay.

Thanks, Nicole

From: lib-all-bounces@lists.umanitoba.ca lib-all-bounces@lists.umanitoba.ca On Behalf Of Kyle Feenstra Sent: December 19, 2018 10:57 AM To: lib-all@lists.umanitoba.ca Subject: Changes to Ask Us

Hi Everyone

You have probably noticed a few changes to the chat window interface for Ask Us in the past few weeks. We have updated the logo and included staffing hours which are both part the service enhancements that we will be implementing in the coming months. Here are some more changes in progress.

* We have just recently implemented a proactive widget in the Primo interface that will automatically open the Ask Us window after 45 seconds of browser inactivity. The goal in enabling the proactive chat is to increase the number of online reference interactions by prompting users with am opportunity to ask a question. We will be trialing this feature until May 2019. If you find that the Ask Us window does not open automatically after 45 seconds you may need to clear your browser cookies. * Beginning January 13, 2019 we will be extending our hours from Sunday to Thursday. The extended hours will be offered on a trial basis and will covered by additional staff hired at the Science Library. The new hours will be Sunday 13:00-18:00 and Mon-Thur 9:00-22:00. Friday and Saturday hours remain the same. * In the coming months we will also be working on developing a FAQ system that will integrate Ask Us with the Help Hub providing users with easier access to our help resources from the chat window. * And beginning December 21 of this year, the WRHA Virtual Library will be staffing its own Ask Us service through the virtual library website https://libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/wrha. WRHA staff will no longer be supporting the main UML chat reference. Therefore, please note that due to these changes there will be situations where UML staff will need to transfer or refer affected users to WRHA Virtual Library staff in Lib Chat and Lib Answers. Please see the attached instructions prepared by Nicole Askin. The WRHA Ask Us will be staffed Monday to Friday from 8:15-15:45 (excluding holidays). You can contact Nicole or myself if you have further questions.

If you have any additional questions about Lib Chat and Lib Answers feel free to contact me.

Best,

-Kyle

Kyle A. Feenstra Coordinator, Learning & Instruction Support University of Manitoba Libraries kyle.feenstra@umanitoba.camailto:kyle.feenstra@umanitoba.ca 204-480-1053