AskAway Blog

We've learned a lot about the QuestionPoint software over the past year. Here are some tips that you can use to prevent and recover from technical glitches.
Prevent Screen flickerings
Screen flickering/refreshing uncontrollably? This is often caused by double-clicking on a New Patron rather than single-clicking. It can also occur if you click once on a New Patron, but they are very slow to load, so you click again. Be sure to only click once on each New Patron.
Check your IE settings

In preparation for the new term, a new service-wide script has been added to assist you in dealing with prank questions.
What is a prank question?
Any inappropriate question that is not actually obscene, abusive or threatening.
E.g. Are you fat? Are you hot?
Here is the text of the new script:
Problem - Prank
This service is for questions related to library use. You are welcome to use the AskAway service if you have such a question.

There have been some problems with the AskAway software today.
Service Providers reported that their messages were not getting through to patrons while chatting. Also, messages were also being lost in IM between service providers. Cobrowse was also not working properly.
The problems will chatting and IM have been addressed. If you do experience additional problems, please contact Gordon, Sunni, and/or Niki:
http://www.eln.bc.ca/askaway/index.php?page=contacts

From the QP listserv:
A free one-hour web training session for QuestionPoint librarians who want to learn to use or review the features of Flash-based chat and/or co-browse will be held on Wednesday, December 12th, 11:30 AM Eastern Standard Time (4:30 PM GMT). The session assumes familiarity with the basic concepts of virtual reference and QuestionPoint, but no previous experience with Flash-based chat is required.