Hi Cindy,

I am a newbie to the list as well.  Our staff man the libraries single service point and librarians take turns working on call reference.  When the desk staff get an reference question that requires a librarian's expertise, they page the librarian on call through a simple computer program loaded on the service desk computers.  The pager software allows you to set basic default messages, as well as to send a customized message.  The pagers were not very expensive and have sufficient range to cover our library so we are not tied to one location.  We have had the system for 5 years and only had to replace one of our pagers.  We looked at a few companies, but finally purchased a basic system from LRS, http://pager.net/long-range-systems/pc-paging-nu/  

Robin

Robin R. Sewell
Coord of Emerg Tech
Medical Sciences Library
Texas A&M University
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Robin

-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Greenspun, Cindy
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 11:19 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions

Thank you!!  This looks promising!  I'll take a look into this to see if this will work for us. 

Cindy 

-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ellen Wilson
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:12 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions

There was an article on this topic in issue 2 of the code4lib journal - I tried to get it done here but got shot down by systems, but it seems simple and might be what you need: http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/45

--
Ellen Knowlton Wilson
Instructional Services Librarian
Room 250, University Library
University of South Alabama
5901 USA Drive North
Mobile, AL 36688
(251) 460-6045
Please note new email address:
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On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 9:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy
<[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Hello -
>
> I'm a newbie to this listserv.  I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder.   I
> primarily do systems related work with our library management system, 
> run SQL reports as needed and project management.  I also work for 
> Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the 
> library IT department.  This is a new position in my department and 
> we're still figuring things out as we go along.
>
> I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University.  In the 
> department I work in, we have three busy service points - two 
> circulation desks and a privileges/registration office.  There are 
> about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate 
> at these service points.  There are times when there are students who 
> are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a 
> long line and only one person at a staffed service desk.  At a meeting 
> recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the 
> only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence.
>  After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some 
> sort of desktop 'app'.  One that requires only one click and is smart 
> enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right 
> folks who could come assist right away, upon demand.  These would be 
> on Windows workstations.
>
> Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting 
> started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm 
> eager to learn and to try to do this myself.  I hope that this will be 
> a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or 
> what I should be looking at.  So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a 
> coder.  I write to this listserv seeking suggestions, ideas and 
> encouragement.  :)
>
> Thank you -
> Cindy
>