Providing Research Assistance

• We get many many many questions about the databases, so it helps to be really familiar with finding articles through a variety of different databases. It also helps to play around a bit with “Link to Article” and read up on ILL, because that stuff often confuses people.
• It is worthwhile to browse through the Reference books on the main floor when you have time, just to become familiar with the collection.
• For basic searching, it is usually a good idea to start with Academic Search Premier.
• If a patron needs help with a specific research area, try directing them towards the library research guides or the Resources by Subject pages.
• If a question is out of your league, or extremely subject specific, refer the patron to the subject librarian for their area of research. See the Referral Tab for a step-by-step process.
• Many patrons are lost and afraid. That’s all.

CQ Researcher permalinking

To send permalinks from CQ researcher, prepend https://login.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/login?url= to the CQ article's URL. Ex. the article address is http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre1999021900, then the permalink address is https://login.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/login?url=http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre1999021900.

"How To" Documents

These documents give research assistance on specific topics and questions. They include step-by-step processes as well as screenshots.

Links to Library Resources

These links cover:

• hard to find library resources
• helpful research guides that are not associated with a specific subject
• non-library websites that are helpful for research assistance

Tiered Reference & Referral Process

To refer a READ Scale complex level 4 question, level 5 question, or a level 6 question to a liaison librarian, please follow these steps:

1. The student worker will fill out a LibCal form for the customer. 
2. The student worker will include the preliminary searching (if any) that they’ve done with the customer on the LibCal form, so that the liaison librarians will know what the student worker has covered with the customer before they set up the LibCal appointment.
3. Record transaction in your area's stat form:
   1. For Learning Lab Student Workers, fill out a LibAnswers In-Person Stat Form, and be sure to fill out the "Transferred/Referred To" section.
   2. For Computer Lab and Circulation Student Supervisors, record transaction on the UL Public Service Desks Form.

As you are making the appointment, remember to show the process of accessing the liaison's available LibCal appointments to the customer. This way, the customer will know...

• how to schedule an appointment next time they need help
• how to get in contact with the liaison before their scheduled appointment.

Also, be sure to tell the student that they will receive a confirmation email that has the liaison’s contact information as well as consultation appointment location. At this point, you are done with the referral process, and the liaison librarians are able to converse with the customer who has been referred.

Accessing Available LibCal Appointments

What to do if there are no appointment times?

If a liaison librarian has not set up their LibCal calendar, please follow these steps:

1. Show the customer seeking help how to access the appropriate liaison's research guides.
2. On the research guide, point out the liaison's profile box, which should have an email button. 
3. Tell the customer that they can contact the liaison librarian to see if they would be available for a face-to-face research consultation.
4. Ask the customer for their email address so you can email them a link to the liaison's research guide.
5. Record transaction in your area's stat software
   1. For Learning Lab student workers, fill out a LibAnswers In-Person Stat Form, and be sure to fill out the "Transferred/Referred To" section. 
   2. For Computer Lab and Circulation Student Supervisors, record transaction in UL Public Services Desks Form.
6. Email Magen or Patrick to let them know the liaison didn't have any available appointments showing. 

As of Fall, 2016, it is a policy for all liaisons to have their LibCal calendars set up, so this scenario shouldn't happen that often. Patrick and I would like to know if a liaison doesn't have their calendar set up, so we can remind them. 

Referral Handouts

I've uploaded two documents that will refresh your memory about the Tiered Reference & Referral Guidelines.

Learning Lab Queue & Computer Lab Queue Email Questions

• Click on the LibAnswers Login Link: Email, Chat, & SMS on the Learning Lab Quick Access Tab or go to: http://libanswers.ou.edu and login with your LibApps account information. 
• Graduate Research Assistants monitor the Learning Lab Queue and the Computer Lab Queue within the LibAnswers system while staffing the Learning Lab. It's not always possible, but the goal is to respond to all the unclaimed email tickets by the end of a shift. 
• The Graduate Research Assistant staffing the Learning Lab is responsible for new email tickets that come into the Learning Lab Queue and the Computer Lab Queue during their shift as well as the tickets that have come in since the last point a GA was staffing the Learning Lab.
  • For example, if you open the Learning Lab at 1:00 pm on a Sunday, you'll be responsible for all the email tickets that arrived after 6:00 pm on Saturday, when the last GA got off work.
  • These would be all the messages that do not have an owner listed in the LibAnswers Dashboard.
• Everyone should read the replies to sent to patrons so that we can learn from one another.
• If you aren't able to respond to a question, transfer the ticket to Magen or Patrick.
• Advertisements and spam should be deleted from the spam tab on the LibAnswers Dashboard.

• Insert the Signature Macro into the reply text box.
• Start typing your reply to the patron after the "Thank you for using Email-A-Librarian" line.
  • If you need to describe a series of steps, give details and use bullet points.​

Staff and student workers are required to use the Learning Lab Signature macro when replying back to patrons if none of the other macros fit the patron's question.

Hi Kaladin Stormblessed,

Thank you for contacting Email-A-Librarian! To access Dissertation Abstracts:

• Start at libraries.ou.edu. If you are off campus, you will need to login to the website at the top right of the page with your OU 4x4 username and password.
• In the Quick Links section of the libraries' homepage, click on "Databases & E-References."
• On the Databases & E-References page, type in "Dissertations" into the Search by Title search box.
• You should see the database name in the results list, so you just need to click on it to access the database.

If you have any other questions, please visit libraries.ou.edu/askus.

Best regards,

Magen Bednar
Learning Lab
User Services Team
OU Libraries

A handout with specific instructions on using the Learning Lab Signature Macro has been uploaded to the document list at the bottom of the box.

Billing, Library Fines, and Course Reserves

• Transfer to User > Billing, List (libbilling@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

Circulation 

• Transfer to User > Doni Fox (dfox@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

Chinese Literature Translation Archive

• Transfer to User > --Address Book-- Jonathan Stalling (stalling@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

Digitization on Demand

• Apply a Macro to Ticket > Select the "Digitization on Demand" transfer macro > Select "Apply"
• Transfer to Queue > Web Services > Assign Twila Camp (tcamp@ou.edu) as the specific user > Submit as New

DiSH, Digital Skills Hub

• Apply a Macro to Ticket > Select the "DiSH" transfer macro > Select "Apply"
• Transfer to User > Tara Carlisle (tara.carlisle@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

EDGE, 3D Printing, 3D Modeling, Augmented Reality

• Apply a Macro to Ticket > Select the "ETLs" transfer macro > Select "Apply"
• Transfer to User > Bobby Reed (bobbyreed@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

EDGE, 3D Scanning, Photogrammetry, Hardware Prototyping

• Apply a Macro to Ticket > Select the "ETLs" transfer macro > Select "Apply"
• Transfer to User > Kristi Wyatt (kwyatt@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

EDGE, 360 Video, Outreach, Instruction, and Training

• Apply a Macro to Ticket > Select the "ETLs" transfer macro > Select "Apply"
• Transfer to User > Ashley West (ashleyrwest@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

History of Science, Nichols Collection, Bizzell Bible Collection, and Bass Business

• Transfer to Queue > History of Science Collections > Do not assign a specific user > Submit as New

ILL/Sooner Xpress Requests, Forms, Resources

• Transfer to User > Interlibrary Loan, Sooner Xpress, List (interlibrary-loan@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

ILL/Sooner Xpress User Account Issues, Illiad Issues

• Transfer to Queue > Web Services > Assign Cari Roberts (cari.roberts@ou.edu) as the specific user > Submit as New

OU Libraries Website Login Issues

• The first time a patron emails us about not being able to log in to a library website, reply to them using the “Login – Library Website (First Contact)” macro.

  • Then, if they are able to login to accounts.ou.edu, transfer them Queue > Web Services > Do not assign a specific user > Submit as New.

  • Otherwise, if they are not able to log in, refer them to OU IT.

Patron Complaints

• Transfer to User > Magen Bednar (magen.bednar@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

Public Relations, Marketing, and Request for Library Photos​​

• Transfer to User > --Address Book-- Public Relations and Marketing, Listserv (libpr@ou.edu) > Submit as Open

Subject Liaisons and Branch Librarians (includes requests for purchase)

• Transfer to User > Liaison Librarians by Subject List https://libraries.ou.edu/liaisons > Submit as Open

Website Issues

• Transfer to Queue > Web Services > Do not assign a specific user > Submit as New

​​Western History Collections

• Transfer to Queue > Western History Collections > Do not assign a specific user > Submit as New

Zarrow Faculty & Graduate Student Center AKA Lower Level 2

• Transfer to Queue > Zarrow > Do not assign a specific user > Submit as New

Transferring Tickets Diagram

The image below is a diagram of the transfer contact list. The diagram is organized by the subject matter of the ticket. So if the ticket is about issues with a person's ILL account, look for the ILL/Sooner Xpress bubble first, then look at the Questions about ILL Account Login Issues bubble, and then you'll see the contact to whom you should transfer the ticket.

Email Tickets Training Materials

Guidelines for Chat & SMS Services

Logging in

Everyone who staffs the Learning Lab is responsible for monitoring the chat service during their shifts. GA's have the primary responsibility to monitor chat. However, if a GA leaves the desk, then a Peer Research Mentor must monitor chat. When you arrive for your shift:

1. Click on the LibChat & EAL login link on the Learning Lab Quick Access Tab or go to: http://libanswers.ou.edu and login with your LibApps account information. 
2. Once you are logged in, click on the red button that says, "You are signed out." When you click on this button, the LibChat dashboard will open in a new tab and LibChat and SMS will be online.
3. Make sure that the volume is not muted. Near the bottom right side of the screen, look at the “sound” icon. If it has a red slash over it, click on it to open the sound adjustment display. In this display, click on the sound icon to turn off “mute.” When you do so, the red slash should disappear.

General Guidelines for Responding to Chat Questions

• Begin chat questions with a greeting, such as "Hi, I'll be happy to answer your question."
  • Or you can use the canned message "Welcome Message."
• If you need to triage in person, phone, and/or chat/sms requests, let the chat patron(s) know this.
  • For example, “I'm helping several people, but I’ll be with you as soon as I can."
  • Or you can use the canned message "Multiple Questions."
• Give the patron plenty of time to type questions and responses so the conversation doesn't become disjointed.
• Use written cues to communicate friendliness and helpfulness just as you would use nonverbal cues in person.
  • For example, if a patron tells you they found what they were looking for, you might respond with "Great!"
  • The  emojis are fun too!
• If you have to leave the chat screen to look something up, let the patron know this.
  • For example, "Let me find that for you. I'll be right back."
  • Or you can use the canned message "Search Status."
• If the question is complicated and the chat format becomes cumbersome, you can ask if the patron wouldn't mind switching to a different mode of communication.
  • For example, "I need some more time to research your question. If you like, I can e-mail you a more detailed response."
  • However, try to remember that most patrons choose chat for a reason, and we need to respect their chosen mode of communication.
  • If the patron chooses to stay with chat, give them updates on your search status.
    • For example, "I'm still searching. Please wait just a few more minutes." 
    • Or you can use the canned message "Search Status."
• If you need to send a patron a link during a chat session, it must have "HTTP://" or "HTTPS://" before the link for it to be clickable.
  • For example, typing "libraries.ou.edu" into the chat window will not make it a clickable link. 
• If you would like to send the patron a file, click on the paper clip icon.
  • You will be prompted to browse your computer for the file you want to send. 
• Always finish a transaction by asking, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

General Guidelines for Responding to SMS Questions

• Unlike chat, you do not need to greet the patron during sms sessions because of the 140 characters limit.
  • Just begin sms questions by answering the patron's question. 
• You also do not need to send search status messages.
  • Be respectful of a patron's text/messaging limits.
• If you need to send a patron a link during a sms session, it must have "HTTP://" or "HTTPS://" before the link for it to be clickable.
  • For example, typing "libraries.ou.edu" into the sms window will not make it a clickable link.
• If you need to send a patron a link during a sms session, shorten it by using Bitly URL Shortener. 
• If you need to triage multiple questions, you do not need to ask a sms patron to wait. 
  • You can just respond to the sms patron after you helped with the immediate requests.
• Always finish a transaction by asking, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Chat & SMS Training Materials

Books in the Learning Lab

The wooden shelves in our space hold a collection of Popular Titles that patrons can use for leisure reading. While bringing titles from the circulation desk to these shelves is the responsibility of Stacks Management, Learning Lab Peer Mentors and GAs are expect to help keep the area looking tidy.

Here is a basic rundown on what you will see on a Library of Congress call number:

• The first line is always either a single or double letter
• The second line is a whole number
• The third line is called the "Cutter Line." It begins with a decimal, then a letter, and followed by numbers.
• There may be a final line containing either a year, volume, copy, or a combination of those elements.

Here are the rules for shelving items by the Library of Congress Classification System:

• The first line is filed alphabetically with lower case letter ignored
• You may see a decimal after the whole number on the second line, but the following numbers are treated separately. Do no treat this as a decimal number.
• The rule above also applies for the Cutter Number.
• Nothing comes before something,
• Volumes are filed before copies.
• Copies are filed before dates.

Take some time to follow the link below and complete these exercises from this Kent State tutorial on Library of Congress

• Kent State Library of Congress Tutorial

If you encounter an item that does not have a Library of Congress call number or Learning Lab label, return it to the main circulation desk upstairs.

Shelf Reading

Both Peer Mentors and GAs need to spend at least 15 minutes a shift shelf reading and performing maintenance for the Learning Lab Collection.

How to organize a shelf:

• Call numbers are meant to be read left to right in ascending call number order.
• All volumes should be pushed forward to the edge of the shelf.
• Leave a 1 to 2 inch gap at the end of each shelf

Enter the first and last call number of the section you reviewed on the shared document below.

• Shelf Reading Log

Learning Lab LibCal  Procedures For Student Workers

Approving Learning Lab LibCal Bookings

1. At the beginning of every shift, you should login to LibCal using the lib-learninglab@ou.edu login information.
2. On the home page after you login, if there are brand new bookings that have not been approved by fellow Learning Lab student workers or Learning Lab staff (i.e. Magen or Patrick), then a notification will be visible under "Bookings Requiring Mediation." So click on that link to approve a booking.
3. On the Booking Mediation Page, the booking awaiting approval should be listed. If it is not, then double check the date rage. Click on Approve/Deny.
4. On the Approve/Deny Space Booking page:
   1. make note of the date, time, and table selection 
   2. make note if the booking needs the TV monitor
   3. type any internal notes you think the team should know (i.e Magen approved this booking; Kristal needs the TV monitor set up)
   4. then click approve.
5. If the consultation you just booked is not booked during your shift, please email a notification out to lib-learninglab@ou.edu. Communication is Key!!!

Learning Lab LibCal Approve Bookings Handout

Checking Learning Lab Consultation Bookings During Your Shift

1. At the beginning of every shift, you should login to LibCal.
   1. Peers use the lib-learninglab@ou.edu login information.
   2. GA's use your LibApps login information.
2. On the home page after you login, click on "Spaces."
3. Open the Spaces in Location dropdown menu, and select "Learning Lab."
4. Go to the day's date, and then look at the "Mediated Approved" bookings (should be a dark grey color).
5. Hover your mouse over the book to see who scheduled the booking. If it is a partner or librarian who is not part of our normal set up schedule (meaning they are not listed on the Campus Partner Schedule Tab), then click on the on the booking to see the booking details.
6. In the booking details section, look to see:
   1. if the librarian or partner needs the TV monitor,
   2. what table they requested,
   3. and the time of their booking.  
7. 30 minutes before the consultation is scheduled to start, set out the consultation reservation sign on the table, set up TV monitor if it is needed, and evacuate students from the table.

Learning Lab LibCal Checking Learning Lab Consultation Bookings During Your Shift Handout

Learning Lab LibCal Procedures for Campus Partners & Liaisons

1. Go to the Learning Lab LibCal page.
2. Select the date, time and table.
   1. If you don't know which table to choose, you can click on the info button next to the table name, and you will see a picture of the table as well as a layout and table numbers in the Learning Lab.
3. Double check the date, table, and time of your booking, and then click on "Submit Times."
4. Fill out the form and then click on "Submit my Booking."
5. You'll see a submission confirmation and then you'll receive a submission confirmation email. Once the Learning Lab students have approved your reservation, you'll receive an approval confirmation email. 

Learning Lab LibCal Handout

E-Resource Problems

Reporting E-Resource Problems Procedures

Working at the Learning Lab Desk, patrons will ask you to help them various e-resource access problems.

• Sometimes these problems will be with a full-text article link that is not linking to the actual full-text. 
• Sometimes these problems will be with accessing a journal Discover says we should have full-text access to, but we dropped our full-text subscription to the journal and the Discover record was never updated. 
• Sometimes these problems will be with patrons trying to access a databases from an off-campus computer without logging into the libraries' website.

Before we report these problems to the OU Libraries' E-Resources Team (Cari Roberts & Sara Huber are the main contacts on the E-Resources Team), we should do some troubleshooting back and forth with the patron.

Requesting Shift Coverage

1. From the When I Work Scheduling app, tap My Schedule on the Dashboard.
   1. Alternatively, you can tap Menu button and then tap Schedule.
2. In the My Shifts list, tap the shift that you would like to drop.
3. Tap More button, then tap Drop Shift.
4. The app shows employees that are qualified (based on position and location) and available to take your shift.
5. Select the coworkers that you'd like to offer your shift to.
6. Tap the checkmark button to send the drop request.

That's it! Your request has been sent. Once your request is visible to your coworkers, the status changes to Waiting until someone accepts the request. If a coworker accepts your drop request, the status changes to Completed, and the shift is no longer your responsibility.

Accepting a Shift Drop Request

1. From the When I Work Staff Scheduling app, go to the Dashboard.
2. Tap Requests Needing Action.
3. In the Needing Your Action list, tap a Drop request.
4. At the bottom of the screen, tap Take Shift.

Monitor Your Swap and Drop Requests

Once you've submitted a swap or drop request, you can use the Requests view to keep track of your current and past requests. 

1. From the When I Work Scheduling app, tap Menu button and then tap Requests.
2. Review the list of current requests on the Requests tab.

Who can access Lower Level 2?

• OU faculty
• OU master's students
• OU accelerated master's students (must request access)
• OU 'all but dissertation' (ABD) doctoral candidates (must request access)
• OU Postdocs (must request access)
• OUHSC students (must request access)
• OU Law students (must request access)

How do they get access...

• OU faculty and master's students should already have access.
• OU accelerated master's, Postdocs, OUHSC, and OU Law have to be verified by their advisor or HR contact.
• ABD doctorial candidates can be checked against the semesterly spreadsheet, or verified by their advisor.

If a student or faculty wants to access LL2...

• Eligible people can apply for access on the "ACCESS TO THE ZARROW FAMILY FACULTY AND GRADUATE STUDENT CENTER" webpage.

When we get a ticket...

1. Initial reply
2. Email advisor
3. Transfer to Eric
4. Reply to patron

What to email to the advisor...

Subject: 

Zarrow Access for FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME, OU_ID_NUMBER

Body:

One of your students has requested access to the Zarrow Family Faculty and Graduate Student Center in Bizzell. 

This space is reserved for faculty and graduate students only, so before I can grant them access I need to confirm with you whether FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME is in an accelerated BA/MA program or is a current graduate student. 

Please let me know the status of this student.

Thanks!

In more detail...

1. Initial reply
   1. If you think the patron should already have access, check their status in Alma
      1. If the patron is listed as 'Graduate' or 'Faculty'
         1. Apply the 'Should Already Have Access' macro
         2. Close the ticket
      2. If the patron is not listed as 'Graduate' or 'Faculty'
         1. Continue to the next step
   2. Apply the 'Initial Reply' macro
2. Email advisor
   1. Google the advisor's name to make sure you have the correct email
   2. Email the advisor with the above email
   3. If the advisor confirms the status of the patron, continue to step 3
   4. If the advisor does not confirm the status of the patron, send the 'Access Not Granted' macro
3. Transfer to Eric
   1. Under the 'Assign/Transfer' tab, apply the appropriate 'Access Granted' macro
   2. Select 'Zemke, Eric' as the user to whom the ticket will be transferred
   3. Submit as new
4. Reply to patron
   1. Jason (or Eric) will transfer the ticket back to you with confirmation that the patron was added to the system
   2. Send the appropriate macro for the type of patron
      1. 'Accelerated Masters Students' for accelerated master's students
      2. 'Doctoral Students – specify access to the faculty space' for ABD doctoral candidates
      3. 'Faculty/Graduate/Law/Medical – Normal Cases' for OU faculty and grads, OU Law students, and OU HSC students

What if someone should have access but doesn't?

1. Send the patron the "Should Already Have Access" macro
2.  If the patron says they can't get into the space...
   1. Tell the patron they can get a day-use card from the computer lab desk
   2. Transfer to Eric, using the appropriate macro
   3. When Eric verifies access, tell the patron to try again
3. If the patron still can't get into the space...
   1. Tell the patron to contact the Sooner Card office (or OUHSC equivalent) to diagnose issues with their physical OU ID card.
4. If the issue persists...
   1. Tell your supervisor