Ask a Librarian Toolbox News
October 2024-September 2025 Holiday Closings
The Ask a Librarian collaborative desks (Statewide and Academic) will close on the following days. You will not see the option to staff these desks until we reopen them the next day. Your library’s local desk will remain available to staff if you choose to do so during these closures.
November 2024
*Special Academic Desk Closure November 28 through January 1*
11/11 (Monday) Veterans Day
11/28-11/30 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) Thanksgiving
December 2024
12/24-1/1 (Tuesday through the next Wednesday, Re-opening Tuesday, Jan. 2) Winter Break
January 2025
*Academic Desk Reopens on 1/2 along with Statewide after the Winter Break*
1/20 (Monday) MLK Jr. Day
April 2025
4/20 (Sunday) Spring Holiday
May 2025
5/26 (Monday) Memorial Day
June 2025
6/19 (Thursday) Juneteenth
July 2025
7/4 (Friday) Independence Day
September 2025
9/1 (Monday) Labor Day
If your library will close outside of these dates, please seek coverage help from the AskRef ListServ: askref@askref.simplelists.com
MAY and JUN 2023 Exemplary Reference Award Winners
The Ask a Librarian Quality Assurance Workgroup is pleased to announce the May and June 2023 Exemplary Reference Award Winners!
May
Mary Beth I. (PHSC)
June
Laura (State Library of Florida)
Please join us in congratulating our winners as they set the bar for providing exemplary virtual reference services for Ask a Librarian! Want to see what a winning chat looks like? Click here to view the winners from the months listed above.
Introductory Training for Ask a Librarian – 11/02/23
Please access the introductory training with the information below as we work with YouTube to allow access to our video once again:
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/2RVWVVaUTf_24NAkx6hVMnKOAxYto5gjLEoVlEiwwWhu9K7Oi9Twh5sRyGQNyNYx.c0zAQPgQA7C7rAFt?startTime=1698946272000
Passcode: vGMv*1@?
NOV and DEC 2022 Exemplary Reference Award Winners
The Ask a Librarian Quality Assurance Workgroup is pleased to announce the November and December 2022 Exemplary Reference Award Winners!
November
Emily N. (University of South Florida)
December
Robbie A. (Palm Beach State College)
Please join us in congratulating our winners as they set the bar for providing exemplary virtual reference services for Ask a Librarian! Want to see what a winning chat looks like? Click here to view the winners from the month’s listed above.
Creating and Editing Canned Messages and Macros
Procedure to Create Personal Canned Messages
Procedure to Create, Edit, and Use Macros
– Site Coordinators Only –
Creating and Using System Canned Messages
Add Canned Messages specific to your library which can be accessed by all users in your Ask a Librarian local department. These can only be added and edited by site coordinators.
Ask a Librarian’s Reference Analytics Collection (RAC)
| During two weeks in October, we’ll ask you to contribute by answering Reference Analytics questions after each chat, email or SMS is answered. An automatic prompt will be enabled to remind you to participate during these weeks. Please take a look at the explanations below for more information about this collaborative effort! |
| REFERENCE ANALYTICS IN ASK A LIBRARIAN |
| What is Reference Analytics? Springshare provides the option to add metadata to reference transactions in order to better analyze the types of questions coming in to the service. One of the benefits they mention is being able to gather valuable data about how questions are answered and tie it to the actual question and answer. Instead of just knowing how many reference questions were answered at the reference desk, know what the questions were, what time of day they were asked, and who asked them. This helps you target/refine other materials and services toward that group of users. |
| What is the Annual AAL RAC? Ask a Librarian, with the help and guidance of the Reference Analytics Committee, has created a dataset to collect information about the types of questions coming in to the service. This will be a site-wide Reference Analytics Collection (RAC) effort to put more context into the analysis of questions, helping us better understand user needs and prepare staff to more efficiently meet those needs. Take a look at the data we’ll gather through this group effort: https://toolbox.askalibrarian.org/knowledge-base/reference-analytics-collection-rac-descriptions/ |
| Why do we need this data? Currently, statistics about reference transactions are limited to quantitative data (i.e. number of questions, time of day questions are asked/answered, etc.). In order to better understand how to meet the needs of your library users, tell a more complete story to stakeholders about the service, and improve training to help participating staff feel more comfortable answering questions, we need these extra, qualitative data points from Reference Analytics that aren’t automatically collected through Springshare’s provided statistics. |
| COLLECTING THE DATA |
| How are we collecting the data?That’s where you come in! A data collector has been created for your use. During two weeks in October, we’ll ask you to contribute to answering these Reference Analytics questions after each chat, email or SMS is answered. An automatic prompt will be enabled to remind you to participate during these weeks. We understand that there are busy times of day when you’re not able to respond to these post-reference questions, but we encourage you to contribute as much as you can to ensure the data collected is as complete and representative as possible. |
| How long will we run the AAL RAC? We’ll ask you to contribute to the dataset for two weeks in October. The dates will be announced via email and reminders posted on the AAL Ticket Dashboard’s Administrative Announcement section. This site-wide, concentrated effort gives us a snapshot of the service without requiring you to participate in this added effort year-round. If you’re interested in contributing to the dataset outside of these designated times, the data collector will be accessible year-round, although we’ll only prompt participation during official AAL RAC weeks. |
| Will there be training available? YES! Along with the knowledge base explanation of RAC questions, we offer a PDF walkthrough to show step by step instructions for using reference analytics in addition an on-demand video, showing where and how to contribute: https://toolbox.askalibrarian.org/reference-analytics-collection/ |
| What if I have questions? The AAL HelpDesk is always available to answer questions in your time of need! |
SEPT and OCT 2022 Exemplary Reference Award Winners
The Ask a Librarian Quality Assurance Workgroup is pleased to announce the July and August 2022 Exemplary Reference Award Winners!
September
Renee P. (AAL Virtual Reference Specialist)
October
Shan B. (USF Libraries)
Please join us in congratulating our winners as they set the bar for providing exemplary virtual reference services for Ask a Librarian! Want to see what a winning chat looks like? Click here to view the winners from the month’s listed above.