Zoho Chat: Another Way to get Answers

Welcome back to Coe for the spring semester (not that it feels much like springtime yet!)  As people settle back into the routine of studying, attending class, and all the other parts of a normal day, we wanted to make sure that the campus community is aware of all the different way that they can get help with research and get questions answered.  Although the reference desk staff is always willing to help, sometimes you're studying outside of the library and can't easily come ask a question; other times, you may just not feel like speaking to someone in person.  Although emailing the reference staff (either Katelyn or Harlene) can come in handy, there might be times when you would like a more immediate answer.  These situations are when Zoho comes in handy.

If you're unfamiliar with Zoho, it's a chat program that replaces Meebo, our previous chat widget embedded in the library's website.  We had to replace Meebo after it was purchased Google; after much research and evaluation, Zoho was found to be the optimal replacement option.  Zoho can be found on the library's main page, in essentially the same spot as Meebo; however, the main difference is that Zoho pops out into a new window in order to allow the user to send and receive messages.  Other than that, it operates much the same way that Meebo did.  Also, it's important that Zoho is only operating when the full-time staff is here (Monday-Friday, 8 AM-4:30 PM) and in the evening 8-10:30 PM Sunday-Wednesday.  If you have any issues using Zoho, feel free to let us know, either via email or in the library's virtual suggestion box located on the website's main page.  Zoho is just another way in which we hope to reach and help more of the Coe community, give it a try next time you have a question!

-Katelyn, Head of Reference

New Chat Service

What's this, you say?  Say "Hello" to the library's new chat widget, Zoho.  The library staff evaluated several different chat options over the course of the summer in our efforts to replace Meebo, purchased by Google and taken offline.  Zoho was the winner, which you can now find on webpages throughout the library's website.

What has changed from Meebo?  In some ways, not a great deal.  You'll still be able to use Zoho much like you would have used our chat functionality previously.  It's web-based, so you need not install any software.  It's anonymous as well. However, one major change is that when you click on box to ask a question, a new, separate window will pop up. meaning you need not few losing your original question and text when navigating pages.

If you notice any bugs with Zoho, please do let us know, either via the comments sections here, or drop us a line by email.  We are always looking for ways to improve our website and better serve the Coe Community, so if there's things you think that we should know about your chat experience, we want to hear them.  Thanks, and welcome back to Coe!  We're glad you're here and can't wait to get another year underway.

Katelyn, Head of Reference

Where's Meebo?

If you pay a visit to the library website in coming weeks, you're going to notice one major change.  Our friendly little Meebo chat box is gone.  As a library, we really like being able to offer a chat feature to our users, so why would we get rid of such a useful tool?  Short answer: because we had to .

At the beginning of June, word hit the web that Google was buying Meebo.  Here's an article on the purchase if you're interested.  Google more likely than not purchased Meebo to use a chat feature within their social network, Google Plus.  This means that they decided to shut down Meebo as a free web application that could be embedded in a variety of websites.  So, over the last month and a half, the library staff has been evaluating a variety of replacement options.  There are quite a few things to consider, including the ability to remain anonymous while asking a question, so don't be surprised if you see us try out one or two different chat features as we figure out what works best for the patrons here at Stewart Memorial Library.  If you run into any problems using web chat, please let us know, and please also feel free to email myself, or other members of the library staff if you have a question that needs addressing.  Or, you can always drop by the reference department to get your questions answered in person as well.  Thanks for your patience as we make this transition, and I hope that you are having a great summer!

-Katelyn, Head of Reference