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LibAnswers

Multi-Platform Communication System

Online Reference & Helpdesk Solution

Meet your patrons where they are! Create custom FAQ Groups for unique user groups, conduct online chats via LibChat and screensharing, record reference statistics in Reference Analytics, and much more!

Key LibAnswers Features

  • A robust built-in ticketing system
  • Customizable & searchable FAQs
  • LibChat widgets with 24/7/365 coverage
  • Reference Analytics for reference transactions
  • Assess the quality of your services with QoS Stats
  • LibChat screensharing, file-sharing, and more!
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Communicate with Users Anywhere, Anytime

Ticketing & Helpdesk System

Route all library questions into one place and track the status of all patron inquiries. Question sources include email, SMS, LibChat, and web forms. Create macros, email templates, and notifications to optimize response time and accuracy.

LibChat Widgets

LibChat is the most full-featured chat system, used by thousands of libraries worldwide. Comprehensive chat functionality, screensharing, file-sharing, proactive chat widgets, and integrated workflows make LibChat an easy choice. LibChat widgets bring library reference to any webpage.

Built-in Chatbot

LibAnswers Chatbot can serve as your first point of contact with chat patrons routing them to ready-reference answers or to live operators. Our Chatbot is rule-based, which means that you can control the entire user experience for your patrons. Save staff time with LibAnswers Chatbot.

Social Media Engagement

Organize your social media activity and posts in one place - on LibAnswers dashboard. Post tweets, facebook messages, get statistics on social media activity... LibAnswers provides and easy-to-use social media management functionality for your library's online presence.

Searchable FAQs & Knowledge Base

Create a knowledge-base portal with FAQ entries containing videos, rich media, documents, and any info necessary for your users to find the answers they need. Share FAQs with widgets or integrate them into 3rd party search and discovery layers with our robust API.

User Privacy and Data Security

Patron privacy is important to you, so it's important to us, too. Privacy features include patron data encryption and PII data scrubbing. Collect only basic information, or in-depth data from patrons. Springshare never shares, sells, or distributes library or patron data.

Global 24/7/365 Chat Cooperative

The Global Chat Cooperative includes hundreds of participating librarians and in-house Springshare MLIS librarians, delivering the highest quality reference coverage for libraries.

Institutions in the Cooperative Can:

  • Set specific coverage hours
  • Control how chat cascades from in-library departments to the cooperative
  • Depending on local staffing, contribute to cooperative, or not
  • Review all co-op transcripts and provide ratings and feedback
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More on 24/7 Chat Co-Op

Real-Time Conversations Simplified

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Multi-Channel Online Reference

With LibAnswers, patrons enjoy a truly seamless experience. Whether they send their question in a text message, an email, or via social media, they'll get a reply from the library to that same channel.

Aggregate All Incoming Questions into One Inbox:

  • LibChat  widgets on any webpage
  • SMS/Texting  via local area code number
  • Customizable web Question Forms
  • Social Media integration
  • Dedicated local email addresses

Full Helpdesk Functionality

LibAnswers is a comprehensive helpdesk system that organizes questions into tickets, allowing staff to collaborate, assign, and manage them efficiently.

  • Create multiple queues and departments for different ticket types
  • Assign tickets, leave internal notes, change ticket statuses
  • Send files and other multi-media with ticket answers
  • Create macros and templates to help with workflows
  • Detailed analytics on turnaround times, peak load periods, etc.
LibAnswers Ticketing Queue
LibAnswers FAQ Knowledge Base Builder

FAQ/Knowledge Base Builder

  • Organize FAQ entries into logical groups
  • Full-text search capability
  • Detailed analytics on FAQ usage
  • Turn tickets into FAQ entries
  • Include rich media (video/audio) and files

Powerful Reporting & Statistics On Reference Activity

Real-time insight into your system usage, including tickets, SMS, and chat transcripts activity. Drill down to individual reports to see the activity on any individual channel for a given time period. LibAnswers statistics and analytics reporting provides an in-depth view of your library's reference and helpdesk activity.

  • Quality of Service statistics for tickets & chats
  • Filter ticket stats by source, status, owner, queue, etc.
  • Explore patron search queries with Query Analyzer

  • Reports on turnaround times, slow/busy periods, etc.

  • Track FAQ usage over time – daily, monthly, yearly
  • Examine reference patterns & statistics with Reference Analytics
  • Reports on SMS channel usage and SMS activity
  • Analyze your social media engagement statistics
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Quality of Service Indicators Help Ensure Exceptional Service


Built-in Quality of Service Surveys

Create surveys asking your patrons to rate the service they received and automatically send survey questionnaires after every closed ticket or at the end of each chat transcript. Randomize the recipients and sending times to get a comprehensive survey sample size population.


Standardized NPS® Surveys

Step up the Quality of Service analysis with the industry-standard Net Promoter Score® Tool inside LibAnswers. The NPS® Tool module enables you to create and conduct NPS® surveys and measure the progress of official NPS® scores.

Librarian-Created Chatbot Flows

Chatbot can serve as the first point of contact with chat patrons, routing them to ready-reference answers. Chatbot is rule-based, not AI-based, which means that you will have the opportunity to control the entire user experience.

Use LibAnswers Chatbot to:

  • Guide patrons through pre-selected options
  • Present and search library FAQs
  • Connect patrons to events, guides, and A-Z resources
  • Route to LibWizard survey or forms
  • Transfer patrons to live chat operators whenever needed
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Integration Leads to Innovation

Promote FAQ content on LibGuides pages and view LibAnswers content on LibGuides search result pages.
Promote FAQ content on LibGuides pages and view LibAnswers content on LibGuides search result pages.
Embed LibChat widgets inside LibGuides Librarian Profiles and Profile boxes within guides.
Embed LibChat widgets inside LibGuides Librarian Profiles and Profile boxes within guides.
Access LibCal events info and promote library events in LibChat while chatting with patrons.
Access LibCal events info and promote library events in LibChat while chatting with patrons.
Embed LibWizard feedback surveys in your automated follow-up emails.
Embed LibWizard feedback surveys in your automated follow-up emails.

Ready for the Next Steps?

Join thousands of libraries worldwide who use LibAnswers to improve and enhance customer service, and ensure every question from a patron gets answered accurately and efficiently. We'd love to share more info, examples of real-world usage, and organize a demo for you and your colleagues.