Monday’s Motivational Minute – Diana Rojas
South Florida State College
South Florida Community College (SFCC) has a new name! They are now the South Florida State College! Back in September of 2011, approval was made for the addition of a baccalaureate degree at the college. The college District Board of Trustees was ready to make the name change after that accomplishment! The new name expands the mission of their college! Congrats SFSC!
Are you a Meebo User? Switch to Ask A Librarian!
If you are using Meebo Messenger, the service will be shutting down on July 11th. Are you looking for a replacement to chat with your students or patrons? Then Ask A Librarian is the switch you are looking for. Ask A Librarian can provide you with the same chat availability by embedding a widget on your library website. Ask A Librarian is a free service funded through the Florida Electronic Library: As Florida’s collaborative virtual reference service, Ask A Librarian allows users to connect with librarians via live chat, texting, and email for assistance with reference questions and research. Ask A Librarian is funded under the provisions of the LSTA from the IMLS and administered through the State Library of Florida. The service offers participating libraries FREE collaborative software, a local desk option, and an email management system. We also provide in-depth statistical reports. Widgets and Instant Invite: Widgets, embedded links making interactive chat seamless, and Instant Invite, a proactive chatting service, make Ask A Librarian an integral part of your virtual reference program. Statistics have shown a significant increase in local chat for libraries that use Instant Invites and have a widget embedded on their site. Widgets:
- Option to set up and chat similar to Meebo Messenger
- Customize your widget with your library colors, fonts, and themes
- Availability to embed on multiple website pages including Primo and LibGuides
- Set up to chat or email if a librarian in unavailable
Instant Invite
- Many customization options available
- Enables librarians to proactively invite website visitors to chat with librarians
- Allows you to set up conditional rules for pop-ups based on time, location, and context
Mobile Ask a Librarian: Ask A Librarian is also optimized for use on mobile devices and tablets. Check out this short video to see the mobile version! Get Started:Looking to get started with Ask A Librarian? Please contact Jessica Riggins for more information at rigginsj@tblc.org or 813-622-8252 ext. 226
Is your Library Website Mobile Friendly?
Does your library have a mobile page deployed on their website? If so, you can add an Ask a Librarian link! Ask a Librarian has a mobile friendly site allowing users to easily access their local library to chat, email or text right from their device!
We have designed a mobile friendly image for libraries to use. Please feel free to add this to your site as well. Download the image here.
If you need help or have a question, please email, Jessica Riggins.
Here is a list of custom URL’s for each library’s mobile local portal page:
Library Mobile EZ-URLs List
(more readable URL which redirects to longer portal/local page URL)
June AAL Superstar Award
Lena Phelps, June 2012 AAL Superstar
Our first winner is Lena Phelps, Chair of Library Services at South Florida Community College Library. Lena always goes above and beyond her duties on the statewide desk, jumping on to help her colleagues or picking up extra shifts. Her enthusiasm for the statewide program is very energetic. Her hard work never goes unnoticed on Ask a Librarian! Please help me welcome this month’s winner, Lena Phelps!
Ask a Librarian Texting Webinars
Monday, October 15, 10-11 am ET
Last Chance Webinars in Ask a Librarian!
E-Gov and the Get Help Florida Website
Monday, June 11, 2012 (registration closing soon!)
2-3 pm ET
Ask a Librarian Email Workshop
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
2:30-3:30 pm ET
Florida Digital Newspaper Library
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
10:30-11:30 am ET
Site Coordinator Drupal Workshop
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
2-3 pm ET
Time is ticking for these upcoming webinars, so why risk it? Register today!
AAL Superstar Award
Each month, the Ask a Librarian team will pick an outstanding member that has shown exceptional participation in the program. We see how hard you are working to make this statewide program work, and we want to acknowledge your commitment to the program. Many of you continuously step up in tough times, whether it is picking up an extra shift or helping a colleague on the statewide desk when others are busy. We see how you market AAL to your patrons and students to promote the program. This shows a commendable effort on your part to help AAL provide exemplary service month after month. 
We will announce an AAL Superstar at the beginning of each month. We will also highlight the winner’s accomplishments and dedication on the Ask a Librarian Blog and Facebook page. Once we announce the winner, we will send them the awesome AAL Superstar Plaque to display in their library. When the next winner is announced, the previous winner will help us celebrate the new winner by either passing the plaque onto them via the statewide delivery program, or sending it back to us at TBLC.
June AAL Superstar Award
Our first winner is Lena Phelps, Chair of Library Services at South Florida Community College. Lena always goes above and beyond her duties on the statewide desk, jumping on to help her colleagues or picking up extra shifts. Her enthusiasm for the statewide program is very energetic. Her hard work never goes unnoticed on Ask a Librarian! Please help me welcome this month’s winner, Lena Phelps! Don’t forget to send us a picture with the plaque, your hard work never goes unnoticed and we want your colleagues to see it!