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I second Paul's suggestion. All due respect to the institution you work for, but this doesn't sound like a problem best solved with software. If I'm the backup help, and I'm talking with a colleague in their office, or making another pot of coffee, I won't get your notice on my computer until I go back to my desk. Do you have some kind of library-wide intercom system? Maybe something that could generate a gentle tone, that would largely go undetected by your patrons, but is a recognizable by the staff? Then again, I don't work in a library, either. Mark On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 8:20 AM, Paul Butler (pbutler3) <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > For something like this I would go the hardware route. A walkie-talkie on > a charging stand at each service point. The walkie-talkies would always be > on and tuned to the same channel. That way the staff person is not tied to > the PC itself, they can grab the walkie-talkie and still do what they need > to do - like head to the stacks or look for that reserve material. No phone > number to remember. This solution could help with other issues, like > security and system/network outages. > > +1 for LibraryH3lp - we use it and like it here. > Cheers, Paul > +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ > Paul R Butler > Assistant Systems Librarian > Simpson Library > University of Mary Washington > 1801 College Avenue > Fredericksburg, VA 22401 > 540.654.1756 > libraries.umw.edu > > Sent from the mighty Dell Vostro 230. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Andreas Orphanides > Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 11:09 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions > > Hey Cindy, > > Welcome! Glad to see your question here, we like new people. > > Here at NC State we've set up a (mostly semi-working) system for > requesting backup using LibraryH3lp webchat. Basically we have a staff > webpage that has a chat box in it. If you type something in the box, say > "Backup!" or "jkgfasdkl;", that message will get broadcast to everyone > who's logged into their "backup help" account in Pidgin. Recently we've > also been experimenting with "canned" messages that you can broadcast just > by clicking on a button in the web browser. > > You could theoretically set this up for -- and distinguish -- separate > service points by having a different queue for each service point. The > backup people would see where the request was coming from based on the name > of the queue. And you could set up each backup account to only monitor > requests from the appropriate service points. > > If you're not familiar with LibraryH3lp, it's a very lightweight (and > inexpensive) library patron chat system. We use it for our patron IM as > well as several internal staff purposes. I'm sure there's lots of LH3 users > on code4lib, so if you're not familiar with it, but interested in exploring > it, you'll be bound to get opinions. There are also other similar services > that people might recommend as well. > > Good luck! This sounds like a good -- but definitely solvable -- problem. > > Andreas Orphanides > NCSU Libraries > > On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 10:57 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 > > >