There has been some confusion concerning the "old" 3 vs. "new" 4 patrons-at-a-time limit. The previous AskALibrarian software did not have a maximum of 3 active patrons, it was actually 3 patrons/queue. So, a KIN24x7 account that monitored three queues would max out at 9 possible active patrons at a time. Librarians were encouraged within the KIN24x7 guidelines to work with a maximum of 3 patrons at a time; however, a number of KIN24x7 agents would routinely pick up 4, 5, or 6 patrons at a time.
With the new Spark software, the limit is set at 4 maximum *regardless* of the number of queues monitored by an individual account. This maximum precludes librarians who were comfortable working with more than 3 from taking more than 4 calls. With some librarians taking 4, 5, or 6, my feeling was that 4 should be a maximum for *anyone* to serve at a given time. (Some librarians have found it possible to open more than 4 under certain circumstances. This is not recommended. Simply do not pick up more than 4 calls at a time.)
It was never the intention of the "4-patron-limit" to mandate librarians constantly having 4 active patrons at a time. The 4 was set as a buffer: "You can work with 3, but feel free to take 4 if you're comfortable." I apologize for any lack of clarity on my part. You will still get incoming patron alerts, but if you are not comfortable working with more than 3, please do not pick up more than 3 at a time. All veteran KIN24x7 librarians should be able to work with 2 or 3 patrons, and a 4th spot is available for those able to negotiate that many.
Your feedback and input is welcomed.
- Don Boozer, KIN24x7 Coordinator