Once the interaction with a patron, whether in person or online, is completed, it's important to record the transaction.  There are several reasons why this is important.

• The number of transactions per hour can help the Research and Learning Services department determine service hours and staffing levels.
• Librarians review the types of questions asked to determine additional resources that may be needed and/or any additional training for graduate reference assistants and others who answer patron questions.
• The University Libraries is asked each year to report our interactions with students to University Administration and to professional organizations like the Association of College & Research Libraries. 

Log into LibInsight.

Make sure the Entered By field matches the service desk you are staffing.

Skip the Internal Notes box.

Start Date: This box will automatically fill in the date and time that you submit the data.  You do NOT need to fill this in, unless you are retroactively entering data.  If you do retroactively enter data, make sure you clear the date and time when you are done or all subsequent data will have that day and time.

Question: Enter the question or a summary of the transaction in this box. 

Answer:  Enter the answer you gave or the steps you took to resolve the patron's issue.  If this was a chat interaction, feel free to copy the text of the chat.

Notes: sources consulted, problems encountered, other details:  This box is optional.

Your initials:  Enter your initials.  If you have three initials, please use all three.  This helps us distinguish individuals with the same first and last initials in cases when a discussion about the transaction is needed.

Service Location:  Choose the service desk location you are staffing.

Question Type: There are several question types to choose from.  Here are some definitions.  If you are unsure, use your best judgement.  You can also ask the librarian on chat for assistance.

• Reference – Involves use, recommendation, assistance with or instruction in use of information sources (catalogs, databases, search engines, web sites, reference tools); includes referrals to a reference librarian.
• Library Services – Assistance with using library services or collections. Examples include helping patrons identify the location of a call number or library space, helping people find information on the library web site, reserving a group study room, understanding library policies and procedures, etc. Examples include Library Hours, Course Reserves, and InterLibrary Loan.
• University Non-Library – Directions to or around campus, facility hours, and non-library event or contact information.
• IT/Mechanical – Assistance with productivity software; computers; scanners; photocopiers.  Examples include helping someone format a paper in Word, printing, or adding money to their ID card.
• Other – Questions not suited to any category; remember that we do not currently record directional questions, or assistance with basic supplies (staplers, scissors, etc.)

Patron Type:  Choose the patron type, if you know, the patron has self-identified, or you can easily figure out based on the question asked.  Many times Other/Unknown is the best option.

Time Spent:  Enter the approximate amount of time you spent on the transaction.  Chat questions tend to be longer than in-person interactions.  Feel free to use the timestamp in the chat platform.

Question Format:  Enter the mode in which the question was asked.

Referral:  Indicate whether the patron was referred to another desk, librarian, or other library or university services.  Select the appropriate referral made during the interaction, if a referral was made.

Click Submit or Submit & Clear. 

• 'Submit' will send the current transaction to the server and all fields will remain as selected. This is useful if you are entering many similar transactions one after another, and you don't need to change many fields between transactions.
• 'Submit & Clear' submits the current transaction and clears all fields after submission.