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I wrote a little app in PHP to address this exact problem. I wrote it to work the the LibraryH3lp webchat service, but the code could probably be adapted to another context. You can download the source code and instructions here: http://shirley.alptown.com/SOS_Button.zip Best wishes, Shirley Lincicum On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 7:57 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 >