1. Library staff are required to fill out a form for every patron interaction, selecting from drop-down options for patron type, question type, assistance provided, and whether to include the question in the public knowledge base. 2. Question types include general library questions, print/copy/scan, log-in help, basic or advanced research, citation help, and technology help. Staff must provide details for research and other questions. 3. Assistance options specify if the question was answered alone, with a librarian or other staff, if the patron was referred to a librarian, or circulation desk. 4. The form automatically links

1. For EVERY interaction with a patron:
Make sure you start with the right date/time
stamp. It will automatically apply current
date/time. It’s okay to go back and enter in old
stats as long as you make sure to edit the
date/time.

2. For EVERY interaction with a patron,
you are also required to fill in the boxed options:
We want to make sure we have consistency, so let’s clarify a
few of these options…

3. PATRON TYPE
Pretty straightforward. One note:
You don’t have to actually ask someone what type of patron they
are. If they volunteer information that allows you to discern
this, choose the right category. If not, err on the side of caution
and side “Unknown”

4. METHOD & DURATION
Also straightforward. Moving on …

5. Type of Question
Here’s the part where things can get tricky.
Let’s go through these and then try them out.

6. Type of Question
General Library
Questions about library's facilities, spaces, policies, procedures
Print/Copy/
Scan
Any questions about using the printers, copier, or scanner. Includes color printing.
Log-In
Any questions about logging in to the network, either on wifi or via guest access.
Basic Research
Any questions that involve you helping the patron locate, retrieve, or access information.
Basic questions should be fairly straightforward and short. These are the types of
interactions where you give someone a bit of guidance and then they handle the rest on
their own. If you select this category, you must include details (course, subjects, etc) about
the interaction in the Question and Answer fields.
Advanced
Research
Any questions that involve you helping the patron locate, retrieve, or access information.
Advanced questions require more complex, long interactions. They may involve more
guidance through the search process, or searching multiple resources. They also should
include questions that get referred to a librarian for additional support. If you select this
category, you must include details (course, subject, etc) about the interaction in the
Question and Answer fields.
Citation Help
Questions that deal with the ethical and legal use of information resources. Can include
questions about MLA, APA, other citaiton styles, using and citing images, etc.
Technology
Help
Questions that deal with technology (besides the printer/copier/scanner machine). Can
include Office applications, Moodle. etc.
Other
Any other questions that don't easily fit into one of these categories. If you select this
category, you must include details about the interaction in the Question and Answer fields.

7. Let’s try it out! How would you categorize these
questions and interactions?
Your options:
Where is the bathroom?
Where can I send a fax?
General Library
Print/Copy/Scan
Log-In
Basic Research
Does the library have
any books on cd?
Advanced Research
Citation Help
Technology Help
Other

8. Your options:
Where is the bathroom?
Where can I send a fax?
Does the library have
any books on cd?
These are all questions about the
library’s resources, services, or spaces.
Even if you had to look them up to be
sure – mark them as General Library.
General Library
Print/Copy/Scan
Log-In
Basic Research
Advanced Research
Citation Help
Technology Help
Other

9. How can I print multiple
PowerPoint slides on one
page?
Can you help me find
sources for my thesis?
Your options:
General Library
Print/Copy/Scan
Log-In
Basic Research
Advanced Research
How can I download this
ebook from the library?
Citation Help
Technology Help
Other

10. If someone is working on a thesis or large
ongoing project, most times they are asking an
advanced research question.
Questions about PowerPoint or downloading,
loading, viewing, saving, email, or bookmarking
materials are technology help questions.
Can you help me find
sources for my thesis?
How can I print multiple
PowerPoint slides on one
page?
How can I download
this ebook from the
library?
Your options:
General Library
Print/Copy/Scan
Log-In
Basic Research
Advanced Research
Citation Help
Technology Help
Other

11. Can you help me find sources for
my paper?
Discuss topic and recommend that they
start with PRIMO. They seem comfortable
with that and go run the search on their
own.
Your options:
General Library
Print/Copy/Scan
Log-In
Basic Research
Can you help me find sources for
my paper?
Discuss topic and recommend that they
start with PRIMO. You stand together and
run some searches. You help them email
sources to themselves and recommend
another resource for follow-up.
Advanced Research
Citation Help
Technology Help
Other

12. Can you help me find sources for
my paper?
Discuss topic and recommend that they
start with PRIMO. They seem comfortable
with that and go run the search on their
own.
Your options:
General Library
Print/Copy/Scan
Log-In
Basic Research
Can you help me find sources for
my paper?
Discuss topic and recommend that they
start with PRIMO. You stand together and
run some searches. You help them email
sources to themselves and recommend
another resource for follow-up.
Advanced Research
Citation Help
Technology Help
Other

13. There will always be questions that don’t easily fit
into these categories – or questions that fit into
two or three of these categories.
Use your best judgment to follow these guidelines
and attempt to keep our categorization as
consistent as possible.

14. ASSISTANCE
Who was involved with the interaction?
•
•
•
•
•
No assistance needed: You answered the question on your own without having to ask another person
for assistance.
Librarian assisted with ?: You worked with a librarian or library staff member and together answered
the question. Please indicate the name of the Librarian or Library staff member in the Question and
Answer fields.
Referred to a librarian: You were not able to answer the question on your own, and a librarian was not
instantly available for assistance, so you referred the question to a librarian to be answered later.
Please indicate the name of the Librarian or Library staff member in the Question and Answer fields.
Referred to circulation: You directed the patron to the circulation desk for an answer.
Other: Any other type of situation. Please include details about this in the Question and Answer fields.

15. Okay, let’s talk about other parts of the form.
The Question field:
Required for each transaction!
Make life easier: Click on the icon next to the question field to
quickly select from a list of commonly asked questions

16. The Answer field:
Required for research and “other” questions
This is the space where you will fill in necessary details for us to
make sense of more complicated, unique interactions.
Whenever possible, include pertinent details such as:
• Course number/name
• Professor name
• Subject area
• If it was following up from a class visit/library instruction

17. You also may notice a checkbox about including
the transaction in the public knowledge base.
This new LibStats form has the ability to seamlessly enter
questions into BUAnswers .. But we’re not quite there
yet!
At this point in time, we ask that you leave this box
unchecked and continue to enter BUAnswers questions
manually without using this shortcut.

18. Submit:
Enters transaction but will keep
your answers in boxed fields.
Allows you to more easily enter
multiple similar transactions.
Submit & Clear:
Enters transaction and clears all
fields, so you start with a clean
form.

19. One last thing you should know:
This form connects automatically
with LibChat!
With an external chat, you will
see the second icon says “Add to
Analytics”

20. LibChat & LibStats
Clicking on the icon will
bring up a menu that
allows you to fill out the
LibStats form within the
LibChat window!
Remember, you are still
required to fill in the
drop-down options for
ever transaction!

21. Okay, so that’s the form! If you have questions or
suggestions, contact Amanda.