Exciting news, the LibCal 2.4 update rolled out early this morning, and we have lots of fun new features to share!
LibAuth Integration in Events & MyScheduler
Are you familiar with LibAuth? It’s our full authentication management system, designed to fully integrate your existing authentication systems in Springshare’s products. LibCal is our first product to offer full patron authentication integration in all modules – now, you can set up event registration and MyScheduler booking requests with LibAuth authentication!
If your LibApps Admin has already set up LibAuth authentication for your Springy products, here’s how to extend the integration to events and MyScheduler:
- Calendars: Head to the Calendar you’d like to auth enable, and select Settings > Calendar Settings > Set Default LibAuth Authentication Configuration. This setting will apply to all event registrations in the calendar you choose by default – however you can also change this setting for individual events.
- Events: Customize LibAuth integration in individual events – head to Create/Edit Event, select Registration Required, and you should see the new option to Enable LibAuth Authentication (LDAP/Shibboleth/CAS etc.)
- MyScheduler: Enable LibAuth Integration for MyScheduler requests – head to MyScheduler > Appointment Scheduler Settings > Appointment Form Settings and select Enable LibAuth Authentication.
JSON-LD Business Hours Integration for Google Business
Does your library rely on Google as a means of publishing your library’s open hours? We’ve heard from many folks that Google is still a major traffic driver, especially when it comes to informational searches for things like your library’s open hours. Most folks we’ve talked to use Google Business to keep this information up to date, but as with so many things, there’s a problem – it’s easy to add your library hours on a one-time basis, but when it comes to exceptions to your standard hours, the process becomes much more time consuming.
Hearing this, we got to thinking – all of this information can easily be managed in LibCal’s Hours module – is there anything we can do to make life easier, so you only have to manage your hours information in one place? Well, we’re all about making life easy, so we’re super pleased to add JSON-LD support in LibCal’s APIs! Admins, head to Admin > Hours > JSON-LD Data. This new data API will return data suitable for JSON-LD using standard schema.org vocabulary, which is perfect for Google Business integration. End result? Manage your hours from one place, and any change to those hours populates everywhere, automagically – in widgets, API calls, and now even on your library’s Google search results page!
Open Graph metadata for Facebook
We’ve added open graph metadata to all event pages, which makes it that much easier to share events via Facebook! You won’t need to enable anything for this new integration, as it’s already live in all systems. To try it out, head to an event you’d like to publicize and click on the Share to Facebook icon – you’ll see all relevant info from the event is pulled into Facebook, no work required!
MyScheduler Updates
We’re making it easier to follow up with patrons after MyScheduler appointments! We’ve added 3 features to help with managing communication with patrons following a MyScheduler appointment:
- Automated Email Follow-up – Create an automated email to send to patrons after they’ve had an appointment with your service. This is a great way to remind patrons of the all of the library resources and services you offer, plus it’s perfect for soliciting user satisfaction feedback!
- To enable this option, head to MyScheduler > Appointment Scheduler Settings > Follow Up Email and select Follow Up: 1 hour / 1 day / 1 week after appointment.
- Once the option is enabled, you can create a default email template to use via that same screen.
- Once enabled, you can also customize this message per appointment. Head to My Appointments > View Details > Follow-up Email. Customize the email message to include resources you discussed during this session, further resources, and even user satisfaction surveys.
- LibWizard Integration – Did someone say user satisfaction feedback? One awesome way to collect feedback is with a standard user satisfaction survey, and LibWizard is the perfect place to build and manage surveys! You’ll see the new option to Insert LibWizard Survey as part of the Edit Follow Up Email settings.
- Internal Notes – This is especially useful when you’re managing ongoing meetings and appointments – we’ve added an internal notes field to make it easy to keep track of any internal information you’d like! Head to My Appointments > View Details > Internal Notes to add a note attached to each appointment.
Thanks to all folks who’ve contributed ideas for this update. As always, we’re excited to hear what you think, so please let us know what you think about the new features!