Not sure where your patron is coming from? This is especially an issue where many libraries share an account (and thus have the same policy page). For some queries, it is useful to find the patron’s local library -- especially when helping to find items in the local catalog, or other questions of a local nature. In these cases, the chatting librarian needs to know which specific library the patron is using. If the policy page is for an entire system, sometimes you can use the link in the Referrer section:
Here is a story from Jaclyn McKewan of the Western New York Library Resources Council (WNYLRC):
I was recently chatting with someone who was identified as a patron of the Ramapo Catskill Library System, who was looking for a specific book. When I click on the "info" tab in the bottom left of the chat screen, it showed this as the referral page: http://monroefreelibrary.org/2009/index.html. I copied and pasted that URL into another browser window, and it showed me that the patron had come from the website of the Monroe Free Library, so I showed them which copies of the book were specifically at that branch. I think things like this can create a "wow" experience for the patron, because not only do we know which library system we are from, but we can identify their branch as well, without us having to ask them for the information. Of course, this does not always work, in cases where individual branches do not have their own website, or if the patron comes from a general website for the whole library system. But it can be a useful tip in some cases.
Thanks for sending this tip, Jaclyn! If you have questions about Quality, or you would like to suggest a tip for this blog, just email [email protected].
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