The Collapsible Qwidget
The Schlow Centre Region Library, which is part of the Ask Here PA library cooperative, implemented the Qwidget in such a way that it can be collapsed into just a link until a patron clicks. Then the Qwidget opens up, ready for input. See http://schlowlibrary.org.
Project Manager for New York State's Ask Us 24/7, Jaclyn McKewan, devised the following collapsible link:
At http://www.askus247.org/collapsibleqwidget.html is an example of a collapsible qwidget. When you click on the chat link, it moves the surrounding text out of the way. Here are the steps:
1. Download this javascript file, and put it in the same directory as the page where you will put the collapsible Qwidget: http://www.askus247.org/collapse.js
2. On any page that uses the collapsible Qwidget, put this in the Head tag in the html:
<script language="JavaScript" src="collapse.js"></script>
3. In the Body of the html page where you want to put the collapsible Qwidget, use this code. Paste the actual code for your Qwidget in the space indicated. The height is dependent on whether you've used the small or regular Qwidget. (This code is for the regular-sized one.) You could make the height higher, and also include some extra text or a logo right after that, so it will appear above the Qwidget box.
<p><a href="" onmousedown="toggleSlide('mydiv');">Chat with a Librarian</a></p>
<div id="mydiv" style="display:none; overflow:hidden; height:285px;">
......paste your Qwidget code here...........
</div>
Qwidget remains open if librarian has not used logout link
At Arlington Heights, we've had a few cases where questions came in via the qwidget overnight when no one was monitoring it and the "away" message should have been up (which directs patrons to our 24/7 form).
After some checking, we realized that the reason this happened is that a librarian closed their chat monitor window before properly clicking on the green "Logout" link. This leaves their login active and leaves the qwidget open to chat, even if no one is really monitoring!
Eventually, QP will close out that login, but it does take at least 1/2-hour, possibly longer, leaving any patron who encounters the qwidget with the impression that help is available. They'll enter their question, sit and wait several minutes while nothing happens, and then probably go away.
The moral? When your shift is over, make sure you log out properly using the "Logout" link in the chat monitor. If you forget, simply go back in, reselect your queue(s) and then click on Logout. You can then close the window. A good idea when your library or local/state consortium is supposed to be completely logged off is to check your local qwidget to see if it's properly showing it's away message. If not, someone's probably still logged in.
If you suspect one of your librarians is still logged in but has gone home, check the "Chat Monitoring Tool" in the "My QuestionPoint" page or the Librarians list in the Chat Monitor to see if someone's still showing as monitoring. If you have their password and account number, you can log in as that librarian and go through the steps above. Otherwise, you'll have to contact QP to ask them to log the librarian out from their end.
--Bill Pardue
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Ready Reference Resources Style Guide.doc
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