On the librarian side, the interface is the same as it is today, with all the tools you need to collaboratively handle chat patrons, review and refer session transcripts and obtain reports and statistics on chat activity. On the patron side, you will be able to provide access to your chat service via a widget, which will connect to your QuestionPoint account.

Here's how it works:
When you deploy Qwidget on your library Web site, your users will enter your service through the widget interface. On the librarian side, they will appear in the chat monitor inside QuestionPoint. This allows multiple librarians to use your existing QuestionPoint account to handle users that come in via the widget, along with all other patrons arriving via the Web-based chat and email forms in use today. The same collaborative and administrative tools would be available as well.

What is a widget?
A widget is a small application that adds utility or other information from external sources, via html code that you add to your Web page.

Qwidget availability:
Qwidget will be available as part of QuestionPoint. A preview version of Qwidget will be available after the next software install (currently scheduled for March 2008). OCLC will be showing a prerelease view of Qwidget at the OCLC booth (#1543) at ALA Midwinter, as well as at the QP User Group meeting, January 14, 10:30 to noon. In addition, OCLC plans to hold a virtual user group meeting prior to the release, and details will be sent via the QuestionPoint listserv and posted on the Blog.