Record All of Your Interactions In Gimlet
All transactions at the Research Help Desk should be recorded in Gimlet as a means of tracking the number of questions received. Please remember to record all questions that you answer while working at the desk, no matter how small.
Categories: Fill out categories as accurately as possible.
Directional/login Questions: Directional transactions facilitate the use of the library, including the building and our services and policies. This includes schedules, floor plans, negotiating or interpreting the library website, and logging in community users.Examples can include:
- Where is the Childers' Collection?
- Is the Lake Effect Conference Room available?
- How long can I check out a book?
- I'm from the community. Can you log me onto a computer?
- Helping someone find a book on the shelf.
Computer: Computer or technology questions involve helping people with hardware or software but it does not include logging in community users; community logins should be classified under Directional/login. Computer/Tech Support may include helping someone with printing, resetting a password, getting their computer on the wireless, formatting their paper in Word, etc. It can also include referrals to the Computer Lab Assistant.
Maker: These questions have to to with the library's maker program. Use this when helping students with maker equipment or services.
Adding Text for Questions and Answers:
Add text to the Question/Answer boxes that you think others will find useful in the future, and/or that are good, descriptive examples of the work we do at reference. Examples: topic of a catalog search or the nature of a technical problem.
Use the Tags Provided, and Let Us Know What New Tags We Should Create:
Tags can be useful when you need to record a transaction but don't have time to include descriptive content. That said, the content of the question and/or answer will be the most useful aspect of your entries. Descriptive content can inform us about patron needs and help us improve our collection, services, and other library programming.
Since we're trying to keep the use of tags relatively standardized, please don't make tags for your questions. Use the tags provided in the tag cloud, and email Chris if you want new tags created.
Multiple questions from the same person:
If the same person asks two distinctly different questions, please record them as separate questions. If one question logically leads to another (e.g. Do you have this book? > then > How do I find it on the shelf?), record these as one question.
Take a Moment
At the beginning of each shift, take a few minutes to review the recent interactions recorded in Gimlet. Look at the kinds of questions that have been coming to the Research Help Desk and the answers that have been provided. Make note of any recurring questions since you're likely to get them as well!