LibraryH3lp Blog

• facebook

We have a new beta version of our librarian's webchat client. If you were using jwchat, our first such client, you'll notice the new one is different. We find it to be more robust, and it has been designed for integration with LibraryH3lp's features. Each patron chat window currently has the following features:

• Displays the patron's queue in the title bar.
• Has a drop-down menu for transfers.
• Integrated "send file" option.
• Typing notification.
• New message alert noise loops until an operator accepts an incoming chat.

The client itself currently displays your buddy list, so your librarian operators can chat with each other. It also lets you add buddies and set your status (available, busy, etc).

It is fully integrated into the routing system, so if you have multiple operators online, some in Pidgin and some in the web chat client, they can all receive incoming chats and transfer them around. First to respond "wins" the chat. And of course, it works with all the usual incoming patron chats from widgets and IM gateways on your queues.

Login: https://libraryh3lp.com/webchat/ using an operator account. Use only the username, not username@libraryh3lp.com.

Logout by closing the webchat tab/window.

Known bug: if the login is flubbed, an error message loops. Refresh the page to get a new chance to login.

Enjoy!

• facebook

We installed our ICQ gateway recently. It should work fine. The list of gateways is currently: AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Google Talk, Meebo Me, and ICQ.

If you're looking at the list of gateways, you might also notice that we have a QQ gateway listed. This one is still a bit problematic and is not fully functional. It works for existing buddies, but it does not correctly add new buddies at this time.

• facebook

By now you may have heard Altarama's announcement of their new RefChatter product---providing integrated IM and web-chat into a single hosted solution---noticed that it is "LibraryH3lp Inside," and are probably wondering what it means for you, the LibraryH3lp user.

LibraryH3lp is not going away, and development is not slowing down. LibraryH3lp will continue to be supported on the blog, wiki, and newsgroup, and we will continue to encourage community involvement in the project.

What is new is that RefChatter is now available for anyone wanting a more fully supported product. With RefChatter, you can get product demos, staff training, initial product setup, and professional support---all things that are not available (and are not going to become available) from Pam and Eric. (Because (a) we have jobs and (b) our time is better spent improving the core product.)

Also with RefChatter, you get interoperability with Altarama's other products, such as RefTracker, for an integrated reference automation solution.

If you're interested in these new products, please do contact Altarama for details. Otherwise, please continue to use LibraryH3lp exactly as before. It's all about options...