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SpringyNews - Teamwork Edition

June 2022

New LibAnswers and LibCal Features Coming Soon!

We are always thinking of new and interesting features for our Springy Apps! Sometimes, our Product Team comes up with ideas that are just too exciting not to share with the world, even before they're ready for use. As such, we'd like to share a few exciting teasers with you for some innovative features that will be hitting the Springy-verse soon! 

LibCal: Interactive Mapping - Heat Maps

Heat maps work with LibCal's interactive mapping module to show you which seats get the most use and how you might organize your seating for optimal use! Simply select the date range and location you want to explore, and see a visualization of each seat's use.

  • Hover over individual seats to reveal the percentage of time that seat was booked during the selected time period. 
  • Download visualizations and seat use data right from the Heat Maps module. 
  • Great for space use evaluation, planning, and presentations with stakeholders. 

Keep an eye on our blog and the Springshare Lounge, this new feature will be released July, 2022! 

Heat Map Example

LibAnswers: Chatbot

The LibAnswers Chatbot is designed to help lighten the load on your chat operators by being the first point of contact for patrons! With Chatbots, you'll be able to create your own chatbot "flows" to guide end-users toward the answers and resources they're looking for, before they talk to a librarian.

 Chatbot uses a database of predetermined rules set up by librarians

Chatbot will be able to:  

  • Pass users over to a live chat operator or create a ticket in their chosen ticket queue.  

  •  Gather the user’s name and email to display as contact information.  

  • Ask the user custom questions like “What is your department?” or “Do you have a student ID number?”  

  • “Search” FAQs using the patron’s keywords to pull up results.  

  • Search LibGuides and A-Z Databases and link users to a guide or the A-Z Database page.  

  • Show links to LibCal events, Space & Equipment booking locations, or to an Appointments location!  

Keep an eye on our blog and the Springshare Lounge, this new feature will be released in autumn, 2022!