Offering a chat reference service is a great way to give real-time, personalized, reference services to library users. It helps patrons who are unable (or too uneasy) to enter a building or visit a desk to ask for help. Virtual chat reference is an accessible extension of your library's reference desk - into the web ether. It's an emoji smiley face instead of a physical one.
However, it relies on one small factor: users have to find your chat widget to get the help they need. Now, if you've taken our suggestions, you've probably put your chat widget on every website you manage. Your library homepage. Your LibGuides. Inside your courseware tool (Blackboard, Moodle, Canvas). Etc.
But, what about webpages you don't manage? How do you assist patrons when they're not on library-controlled websites?
Now Your Chat Service Comes to Them
... instead of the other way around. We're excited to announce that LibChat is now integrated into the Lean Library browser plugin. With this new integration, patrons can launch a chat with a librarian right inside their browser - on any webpage, from literally anywhere. They won't have to navigate to your library-run webpages to engage in a chat, instead the tool is delivered directly to them in their preferred browser on any website they are visiting. Whether they're in Google Scholar, Wikipedia, CNN.com, or literally any webpage in the known world wide web - your LibChat reference tool can be easily launched from the Lean Library browser extension.
24/7/365 - Anywhere, Anyplace Chat
The Springshare Global Chat Cooperative provides 24/7/365 chat coverage. Adding the Global Chat Cooperative service gives your patrons all day, every day, service... now from literally any website.
Live In-Depth Webinar
Want to see LibChat integration with Lean Library in action? LibChat integration works for both Lean Library Futures and Workflows for LibGuides. Join us for a webinar for an in-depth sneak-peek!
All webinars listed in U.S. Eastern Time.
We hope to see you there but if you can't attend live, register anyway and we'll send you the recording as soon as it is available.
This looks really interesting, but does your library have to be a subscriber to or user of Lean Library for this to work?
Hi Frank! Good question. Yes, this feature is a collaboration between Springshare and Lean Library, so you’ll need to work with both companies for the integration to work. If you’d like to learn more, attending the live webinar next Wednesday is your best bet! If you can’t attend, you can always register and we’ll email you a recording after the fact. You can also visit https://www.leanlibrary.com/lean-library-futures or email info@leanlibrary.com – they’re just as nice as the Springy crew, I promise 🙂 -Springy Lilly