Learning and Teaching: Library Services Assistant Guide: LibAnswers

LibAnswers

LibAnswers is our Library email ticketing software; we use it in place of an Outlook inbox. Through LibAnswers, we triage all email enquiries by responding at the helpdesk or assigning to relevant teams as appropriate.

LibAnswers has unique statistical reporting capabilities; this allows us to track the nature of enquiries we receive, how quickly we respond to them, and who responds to them. We endeavour to respond or assign tickets as quickly as possible.

For instructions on creating tickets, claiming/unclaiming tickets, and actioning tickets, please see the guide below:

Logging in

Login details will be sent to your staff email address. You will need to login to LibApps to access LibAnswers. After you login to LibApps and navigate to LibAnswers, you will need to access the 'Dashboard'. From here, all new, open and pending tickets will be listed.

Instructions on how to log in are attached below.

LibAnswers: Logging In

Viewing and Replying to tickets

To view a ticket, navigate to the dashboard and simply click on it. If you would like to view a ticket without claiming it, click on the eye symbol.

You should endeavour to reply to tickets you can answer as quickly as possible
All tickets must be tagged
You must retrieve tickets from the spam inbox
Tickets should be submitted as closed

Please view the below guide for instructions on:

Checking the spam inbox
Claiming and unclaiming tickets
Assigning tags
Changing the enquirier of a ticket
Merging a ticket
Replying to a ticket
Using macros / FAQs
Attaching and opening files

LibAnswers: Viewing and Replying to Tickets

Assigning Tickets & Internal Notes

If you are not able to respond to a ticket, or the ticket is clearly intended for another team, you will need to assign it to either the DLD or ASA queue. The DLD team deals with brightspace and digital learning enquiries. The ASA team deals with some academic enquries. Please refer to the enquiry FAQ at the bottom of this page if you are unsure of who to assign your ticket to.

Tickets should be tagged before being assigned
Always assign to another queue, rather than an individual
Assigned tickets should always be submitted as 'New'
For the sake of efficiency, please refer to the below enquiry mapping document and answer all enquiries that you can, before assigning to another team

Internal notes are used to add information to tickets or to direct a question about the ticket to a colleague.

Directing an internal note to a colleague is not the same as assigning a ticket, the ticket will still belong to you and is still your responsibility to answer.
Try to use the internal note system to ask questions of colleagues within our team, where possible

LibAnswers: Assigning Tickets and Internal Notes

Creating a ticket

Creating a new ticket is the LibAnswers equivalent of writing a new email. You will need to do this in the following instances:

When contacting a patron, if a pre-existing ticket does not already exist in LibAnswers
When logging an FM or IT issue

Please note that creating a ticket does not send an email to the student, it creates a ticket that is sent to the dashboard on behalf of the patron. This can then be replied to (as per the instructions above) to contact the patron. If the ticket is not replied to, it will sit in LibAnswers until actioned.

The below instructions include:

Creating a ticket

LibAnswers: Creating a Ticket

Searching for Tickets

There may be instances where you want to search through closed tickets to:

View previous correspondence with a patron
Get an idea about how to tag an answer a ticket you are dealing with.

To search through closed tickets, follow the below instructions:

You can access/search closed tickets by using the filter along the top of the dashboard.

Click the drop-down box next to ‘Status’ and select ‘Closed’ from the drop-down menu.
Click the blue ‘Filter’ button. This will retrieve all closed tickets.
You can search these tickets by name of enquirer and by email of enquirer.
You can retrieve closed tickets to the dashboard by clicking into the given ticket, scrolling to the bottom of the email and submitting as either ‘New’, ‘Open’ or ‘Pending’.

You can also access/search closed tickets by selecting ‘Create’ along the top bar, and clicking ‘Tickets’ on the subsequent drop-down bar (this method will provide more comprehensive search options).

Ref Analytics

What is Ref analytics?

Ref Analytics is system on Libanswers which allows us to record enquiries handled by telephone, text message, voicemail, and face to face.

Ref analytics is a simple to use tool which allows us to record non email/chat enquiries quickly.

Ref Analytics

FAQs

The below are FAQs we regularly receive into LibAnswers. You should utilise this to help you decide how you should respond to and triage enquiries.

Library & Library Account

Ticket	Tag	Response	Assign to
User enquiring about study space booking (COVID-19)	CV19 Booking	All information here.
User enquiring about click and collect (COVID-19)	Click and Collect	All information here.
User is enquiring about returns (COVID-19)	Borrow/Return/Renew	Students can return books to the ground floor of the Library building via the drop-boxes. All books quarantined for 72-hours Books backdated when returned to ensure no overdue fines accumulated.
User wants information about their account or borrowing/renewing/returning items	Borrow/Return/Renew	Information about borrowing/returning/renewing. Do not renew item(s) if they are reserved by another user.
User querying overdue fines, repayment, or loan stop	Account Issue	Payment can be made via the online shop. Loan stops are placed on user accounts if items are very overdue, or they have over £10 in fines. You may renew books for users with loan stops on a case-by-case basis; it is generally advisable to renew only in circumstances where the student intends to return the item(s). Do not renew if the item(s) are reserved by another user. Fines can be waived if students have extenuating circumstances. Please refer to GTL and advise the user that we will be back in contact within two working days. If student requires immediate access to resources (i.e. would like to issue a book), they must pay sum that gets their account balance under £10. If they cannot, or would like to arrange a payment plan, please refer to GTL. Advise student that we will be in contact within two working days. Further information.	Refer to GTL on a case-by-case basis with an explanatory note.
User would like books to be renewed; user would like reservation length extended	Borrow/Return/Renew Account Issue	Renew: If there are no issues on the account and nobody has reserved the item, you may renew. Do not renew if the item is reserved. If there are issues on the user’s account, see above. Extending Reservation: If the patron calls to advise they are on placement (for example) and are not able to renew their loan, and also cannot return the loan that day, take their details, create a ticket (so you can get back to them) and ask the relevant librarian if you can extend. Only extend if given permission from relevant librarian/Kim If the enquirer is the only reserver, you may extend the reservation. Only extend the reservation for as long as is required (usually no longer than one or two days). Further information.
User claims they have returned an item, or is notifying us that a book is missing	Account Issue	Conduct an informal search of the shelves. If the item is found, inform the user and apologise for any inconvenience caused. If the item is not found, you will need to complete Claims Returned form, renew the item for two days, and place a note on the enquirer’s account to this effect. You must send the enquirer the first Claims Returned email (LibAnswers Macros). If you are unable to begin this process yourself, advise enquirer that this has been passed to daytime staff and to expect an email within the next two working days. Further information.	In some cases, E&W may wish to pass this onto daytime staff. In this instance, keep in Library Helpdesk queue, post an internal note explaining what you have done, unclaim and submit as new.
User is enquiring about parking or disabled access	Facilities and Access	Parking information here and here (parking permits available at this link)
Membership enquiries	Membership	Memberships are managed by LSAs, please tag and leave ticket in libhelpdesk queue. If appropriate please use the application acknowledgement macro. Leaving outdated advice below for now... Our external membership scheme is covered by SCONUL and once they change their guidance we will be reopening. This can be frustrating for previous external users and alumni, please do your best to reassure enquirers and let them know that announcements regarding external membership will be made on our social media channels as well as on this libguides page. Take details and add to this spreadsheet and they will be informed once it changes.
No longer entitled to access email	Membership	Keep in Library Helpdesk queue for LSAs to complete, tag, mark as new and unclaim.	Keep in Library Helpdesk queue for LSAs to complete, tag, mark as new and unclaim.
Withdrawn/Intercalating student email	Withdrawn/Intercalating Students	Keep in Library Helpdesk queue for LSAs to complete, tag, mark as new and unclaim.	Keep in Library Helpdesk queue for LSAs to complete, tag, mark as new and unclaim.
Notification from Infozone Online	Tag as relevant to enquiry	Login to Infozone Online; on the landing page you should see an outstanding query, click on the query to view it. Respond by creating a ticket in LibAnswers, input question into ‘Question Details Field’. Input student name and email. Reply to ticket as normal, allocating to other team(s) if necessary. Close ticket on Infozone by clicking ‘Select an Action’ and selecting options from drop down box. Ensure that you enter a note to advise that the ticket was answered on LibAnswers. Ensure that you uncheck the email enquirer option. Merge Infozone Online alert ticket, and respond to student.
Walk-in passwords email	Walk-in Passwords	Tag and close ticket (COVID)
Library Visitors Pass	Facilities & Access	Process: Please use booking visitors form on My Suffolk - link below https://intranet.uos.ac.uk/booking-visitors-campus Please give as much info as you can.
Postgraduate Student unable to take out loans/appears as though account expired	Borrow	Enrolment Queries - Postgrad - document from Hazel Sellers If a Postgraduate student comes to the desk and asks why they are not able to loan their books/account has expired - please proceed as below as first instance: PhD students must enrol each year, unlike undergraduates who only enrol once. Quite often PhD students ignore enrolment emails because they don’t think it’s applicable to them but this causes problems all areas, including being withdrawn from their studies. This is entirely up to you but if you do have students in the future who can’t take books out etc, perhaps direct them to their emails first to see if they have missed an enrolment email. They assume the fault must lie with paperwork issues when 9/10, it’s because they haven’t enrolled. (Information provided by PGR Academic Coordinator • Research Directorate - Kerri Stevenson)

Reprographics & Online Payment

Ticket	Tag	Response	Assign to
User has sent a print request	Print Request	Print item; payment via online shop; close ticket.
User is enquiring about binding or printing	Reprographics	Explain/signpost to printing information available here and here Explain/signpost to binding information available here.
Internal reprographics request	Reprographics	Tag; assign to GTL and submit as new	Assign to GTL and submit as new
Fine payment to online shop	Online Payment	Check that the payment is for library fines Remove sum of fines detailed in online payment email from user’s account (make sure to include reference number, date and initials in the note). Edit the ticket so it is addressed to the enquirer (all payment notifications come to us via finance) by clicking the cog in the upper left-hand corner. Select ‘Edit Ticket’. Change email to the enquirer’s email address (the user’s email will be present on the Online Payment email). Using the provided macro, contact the patron to confirm receipt of payment and submit as closed.
Reprographics payment to online shop	Online Payment Reprographics	Check that the payment is for reprographics Add payment to record, here Edit the ticket so it is addressed to the enquirer (all payment notifications come to us via finance) by clicking the cog in the upper left-hand corner. Select ‘Edit Ticket’. Change email to the enquirer’s email address (the user’s email will be present on the Online Payment email). Using the provided macro, contact the patron to confirm receipt of payment and submit as closed. Assign the ticket to in-office staff, and add an internal note explaining what you've done	Assign to the in-office admin team

Academic Skills

Ticket	Tag	Response	Assign To
Student wants to make an academic support booking	Appointments/ Bookings	Signpost to booking pages on libguides: 1-2-1 Workshops Drop-ins Briefly outline how to book.
LLS In-course Booking confirmation	Appointments/ Bookings	Forward to relevant LTL/ASA queue for the responsible person to pick up and make further arrangements	LTL/ASA Queue
Student would like to cancel an academic support booking	Appointments/ Bookings	Apply ‘Booking Cancellation’ macro If student is attempting to cancel more than 24 hours in advance, they can cancel appointment themselves via the link in confirmation email. If student is attempting to cancel less than 24 hours in advance, you will need to inform the ALL/ASA effected by allocating the ticket to the ASA/ALL queue with an attached note.	ASA/ALL queue; do not assign to specific user in case of sickness or leave
Referencing enquiry	Referencing	Apply referencing macro. Edit as necessary. You may wish to signpost to CiteThemRight. You may wish to signpost to our referencing pages on LibGuides.
Assignment formatting enquiry (page numbers, page breaks etc.)	Assignment Formatting	Advise student to look at course handbook or contact their course admin for guidelines. Signpost to LibGuides pages for guidance. Provide information about study skills 121s and drop-ins.
Maths and Stats or Academic Writing enquiry	Maths and Statistics Academic Writing	Signpost 121s, relevant workshops and drop-in sessions. Refer to relevant LibGuides pages.
Student would like support accessing/using reading/resource list	Reading and Resource Lists	All reading and resource lists are available online. Students can access them by clicking on the ‘View Reading and Resource List’ button on the homepage, clicking on ‘University of Suffolk’ and selecting the correct subject. These reading lists may not be accurately populated; in this case the student will need support using Summon to locate their own texts or, if they don’t have access to their reading list, referring to their course admin. You can also find reading lists (usually from the previous academic year here) here.
User would like support using discovery	Literature Searching	Give basic support and guidance. If you feel the required support surpasses what you can provide, signpost student/staff to ALL one-to-ones, drop-ins and relevant workshops: 1-2-1 Workshops Drop-ins
User would like support accessing eResources	eResources	Give basic support and guidance; signpost to eResource/Journal A-Z A-Z eJournals eResources If you feel required support surpasses what you can provide, signpost student/staff to ALL one-to-ones, drop-ins and relevant workshops: 1-2-1 Workshops Drop-ins

Collections

Ticket	Tag	Response	Assign to
User cannot access eresource (ebook, journal, database)	eResources	Access the resource yourself via Summon. If you are; Not experiencing the same issue: Ensure the student is following the correct steps to access the resource. Are they logged in? Have they attempted to access via a different browser? Have they restarted the device they are using? Are they connected to the internet? Likely a fault with their own device or user error; but you can test this by disconnecting from eduroam and attempting to access the resource yourself. If the issue cannot be resolved, they should be able to access resource via a UOS device. Experiencing the same issue: Is the journal/eBook/database available to use by the University of Suffolk? If yes, attempt following workaround: select ‘Additional Options’ from bar to the right of the screen. You should be able to access text via the blue button on the subsequent page. If this doesn’t work, there may be an ongoing problem: respond to student and explain situation, assign to ALL/ASA queue and Kim Berry.	After troubleshooting, assign to ASA/ALL queue and CC Kim Berry. Explain the nature of the problem in an accompanying note.
Broken Link Report sent from WorldCat	Product:eResources Broken Link Report	Tag and investigate. Begin by making a new search for the text, sometimes students will search worldwide and then report a broken link! Investigate if there are other means of access, and if possible try an off campus connection (phone hotspot). If you can find a solution to access the text reply to the patron (even if it is a no follow-up requested ticket their email may be in the cc answer to field at the bottom of the page). If link is broken, send an internal note to Kim.
User would like a book that we do not have in stock	Resource Requests Stock Suggestion	Check book is not in stock. Apply ‘Resource Request/Stock Suggestion Macro’ and edit as required.
User would like an eResource that we do not have in stock	Resource Requests	Check eResource is not in stock. Apply ‘Resource Request/Stock Suggestion Macro’ and edit as required.
Inter-library loan query	Resource Requests	If student would like to make a resource request, refer to the above. If student would like further information about the ILL process use or signpost to relevant libguides page. If student is checking-up on a request made, keep in Library Helpdesk queue and write internal note to LSA staff. Note: ILL due date is always the one on the book cover sheet.	If student is checking up on ILL request, keep in Library Helpdesk queue and write informative internal note; ensure ticket is marked new and is unclaimed.
User/member of the public is enquiring about donating books to the library	Donations	Ensure the enquirer has provided a list of titles Thank and advise enquirer that somebody will be in contact with them within the next working week regarding prospective donations. Assign to ASA/ALL queue and add note if necessary.	Assign to ASA/ALL queue
Order confirmation or dispatch notification email	Orders	Tag; close ticket.
Order issue or cancellation notification email	Orders	Keep in Library Helpdesk queue as LSAs will need to action; write internal note if required. Unclaim ticket; submit as new.	Keep in Library Helpdesk queue; unclaim ticket; submit as new.
OCLC Data Import and Automated Job File Retrieval emails		Leave in Library Helpdesk. This is to prevent excess notifications from them being transferred. They will be picked up and dealt with during core hours. (Try to ignore them over the weekend!)	Leave in Library Helpdesk queue; Do not claim.
Browns 'Invoices' - These are emails with lots of purple branding and a table of invoice numbers	Browns Delivery Notes	Leave in Library Helpdesk. LSA's will action these. LSA's open invoices, and if all print close ticket. For ebooks follow browns ebook receiving procedure in the guide. You will need to wait until the NEXT DAY.	Leave in Library Helpdesk queue; Do not claim.

Miscellaneous

Ticket	Tag	Response	Assign to
Staff/student has a query about or is experiencing problems with Brightspace Staff/student has query regarding Turnitin	Product: Brightspace	STAFF - Advise staff that this has been passed onto Learning Design Team, and that they will be in contact shortly. STUDENT - Please do not forward these to the Learning Design Team. These should be sent to the relevant academic administrator	STAFF - Assign to LD queue with an explanatory note if necessary. STUDENT - Forward ticket to the relevant Academic Administrator - please see below spreadsheet for reference on who to contact for that course 2022-23_Academic_Administrators_Course_Allocation_List_Updated_2022_10_31.docx (sharepoint.com)
LibCal/LibGuides/LibWizard Notifications	Product: LibGuides Product: LibCal	Tag; assign to LTL Queue	Tag; assign to LTL Queue
Filming Requests	Filming Request	Tag; assign to LTL Queue	Tag; assign to LTL Queue
Student has a course or support related enquiry (e.g. “How do I access my timetable”)	Interdepartmental Enquiry	Advise the student that you are not able to respond to their query directly. If in E&W hours, provide student contact details of department they need and advise that they contact themselves during working hours. If in daytime hours, pass onto appropriate department directly or attempt to find answer to query.
Internal staff message	Internal Message	Leave in library helpdesk queue; mark as pending
Copyright query	Copyright	If an assignment query: Copyright information is available on LibGuides here. Encourage students to book an appointment with an ALL if they require additional support (or attend a relevant drop-in or workshop). If an OAR (Open Access Repository) query, refer to David Updson-Dale	If an OAR query assign to David Upson-Dale in ASA/ALL queue.
Digitisation Request	Digitisation Request	Tag; assign to David Upson-Dale.	Assign to David Upson-Dale in ASA/ALL queue.
Twitter notifications	Twitter	If @ requires a response, respond as you would an email; type in the reply box and submit as closed. If @ does not require a response, tag and submit as closed.
Catch-box request	Catch-Box Request	Tag; assign to DLD queue.	Tag; assign to DLT queue.
Calendar invites/notifications	Calendar Invitation	Tag; close ticket.
IT Helpdesk issue logged/resolved email	IT Helpdesk	Tag; close ticket. Update issues reporting spreadsheet
FM Helpdesk issue logged/resolved email	FM Helpdesk	Tag; close ticket. Update issues reporting spreadsheet
HR staff leave/starter email	New Starter/ Leaver	New Starter: Tag; close ticket Leaver: Change expiry date of staff account in accordance with end date Politely remind staff member of any outstanding items on account Tag; close ticket
Student representative feedback via SOPHiA	SOPHiA	Read comment and assign to relevant queue.	Assign to GTL/ Library Service manager/ Librarians/Academic Skills Advisors/ Brightspace team via ASA/ALL or DLT queue.
Newsletters, advertisement, and notification emails from external companies e.g. Apple, Google	Newsletters/ Notifications	Tag; close ticket.

Have a question?

You can search all Learning Services FAQs via the following widget.

Example: How many books can I borrow?

You may wish to bookmark this - it will come in handy when responding to LibAnswers tickets!