3. 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 1. Question is born in patron’s mind
4. 2. 1. Question is born in patron’s mind 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 3. Patron submits question
5. 2. 1. Question is born in patron’s mind 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 3. Patron submits question 4. Question is successfully received
6. 5. Question is fully assessed 2. 1. Question is born in patron’s mind 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 3. Patron submits question 4. Question is successfully received 5. Question is fully assessed (in Incoming Category)
7. 6. Question is sent to appropriate TBA Category 2. 1. Question is born in patron’s mind 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 3. Patron submits question 4. Question is successfully received 5. Question is fully assessed 5. Question is fully assessed (in Incoming Category)
8. 7. Students and Reference Volunteers claim a question 2. 1. Question is born in patron’s mind 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 3. Patron submits question 4. Question is successfully received 5. Question is in Incoming category 6. Question is fully assessed 5. Question is fully assessed (in Incoming Category) 6. Question is sent to appropriate TBA Category
9. 2. 1. Question is born in patron’s mind 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 3. Patron submits question 4. Question is successfully received 5. Question is in Incoming category 6. Question is fully assessed 7. Question is sent to TBA category 5. Question is fully assessed (in Incoming Category) 6. Question is sent to appropriate TBA Category 7. Students and Reference Volunteers claim a question 8. The response are carefully prepared and sent to patron
10. 2. 1. Question is born in patron’s mind 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 3. Patron submits question 4. Question is successfully received 5. Question is in Incoming category 6. Question is fully assessed 7. Question is sent to TBA category 5. Question is fully assessed (in Incoming Category) 6. Question is sent to appropriate TBA Category 7. Students and Reference Volunteers claim a question 9. The response is set to “Answered” 8. The response are carefully prepared and sent to patron
11. 10. Last rites of question ( final review and inactivation) 3. Patron submits question 1. Question is born in patron’s mind 2. Seeks answer – uses IPL’s Ask a Question Service 4. Question is successfully received 5. Question is fully assessed (in Incoming Category) 7. Students and Reference Volunteers claim a question 6. Question is sent to appropriate TBA Category 9. The response is set to “Answered” 8. The response are carefully prepared and sent to patron
Hinweis der Redaktion
If equipped with computer and Internet access (only about 50% of world population at most)
Patron fills out form
Good to know the technology is working. If patron uses a language that is very different than English, letters often look like number signs and symbols. Question is now in Incoming Category.
IPL staff and volunteer staff who have access to the Incoming Category (not MLS students doing course-work) assess question according to simple criteria, such as: will it bounce (does the email address look right?), is it spam, is it a medical, legal, tax question, is it a very difficult question, do they need it right now, are they asking something we can provide (within our scope)?
There are two TBA Categories: Factual and Reference sources. This is the area where the students and Reference Volunteers are allowed to answer “real questions” after they have successfully completed Practice Questions.
Pressing “Claim” on QRC puts your name on it. The IPL requires that the question is now answered within 24 hours.
The answer process includes three reliable sources and working links to these sources and to the answers within the sources, as well as walking the patron through the process. We encourage using Word, for formatting and checking spelling/grammar, but also so that if their Internet connection goes down, they do not lose their hard work by creating the answer in the form itself. Then it is put into the form and, once the student or volunteer presses “Send” it’s on its way.
After IPL management reviews the question, it is considered “inactivated,” and is ready to put to rest.