LibAnswers is a cost-effective solution to consolidate many reference tasks into one easy-to-use system. It is a web reference system, but it is also an online reference knowledge base, and a great FAQ builder. The optional Reference Analytics module is the easiest and the most effective way to analyze, organize, and keep track of *all* reference transactions. One system, many uses, one low price.
The collaborative aspect of the system means the librarians can share reference duties and get help when answering questions. You can reuse any existing answers in the system. In addition, the system will give recommendations from any library which uses the LibAnswers system. LibAnswers has a strong Community component built in.
"Social" is in LibAnswers DNA. The librarians can collaborate and share answers. The users can also share and forward any content in the system. They can post comments and improve answers. Patrons can send and receive answers using Twitter. The system is also fully integrated with LibGuides so patrons can ask questions and search the knowledge base from your LibGuides system. In addition, any Web-based chat system (Meebo, Plugoo, LibraryH3lp, etc.) can be embedded into all LibAnswers pages.
Simply embed the "ASK US" widgets on blogs, courseware systems, websites, etc. and the patrons have full access to the reference knowledge base at their fingertips. They can query the database and submit new questions from anywhere. LibAnswers collects detailed statistics about where the questions are coming from.
LibAnswers statistics give you an in-depth view of your online reference use - the number of questions asked/answered, number of visits, number of topics, monthly statistics, daily/hourly distributions, etc. With the optional Analytics module LibAnswers becomes a full reference tracking and analysis system - you can record and produce statistics for *all* reference questions - online, phone, IM, SMS, live ref, etc. LibAnswers Reference Analytics is the most comprehensive and easiest to use reference statistics package.
LibAnswers is a hosted system, which means we take care of the servers, the infrastructure, data backups etc. so you don't have to worry about any of that. We build the customized system just for your institution and you can even have your customized domain (with the optional custom domain mapping). The look and feel of your system is also fully customizable so you can adjust the stylesheets, and the look to match your institution's branding requirements. If you are already using a knowledge base or stats management package, transitioning to LibAnswers is a snap - we will help you migrate all your data to LibAnswers.
Our customers rave about our products but they also rave about our support. Some call it legendary, others wonder if we ever sleep. The truth is we love what we do and it shows. Our products work great, but whenever there is a question or a bug or if you need help with something - we are always available to help. We have 1,000+ libraries on board and we will gladly share our customer list with anyone - we guarantee a glowing recommendation from every single institution we have on board.
Our web 2.0 products have set new standards for library web software, and just as importantly we are setting new standards in how library vendors work with clients. We have a vibrant user community (and a dedicated community website, The Springshare Lounge) for clients to share ideas, tips, best practices, feature requests, etc. We listen to customers' feedback (in fact, we love it and encourage it every step of the way) and we continually improve our products and add new features to ensure our software works well for all types of libraries and their specific needs. We are here for you and want to be your technology partner - our products will evolve as your needs evolve too. Whatever your needs, we will make sure we meet them.
The pricing is based on the size of your institution (FTE for academic, or # of card holders for public), and ranges between $599/year and $1,099/year (this includes an unlimited number of concurrent logons). Most libraries would be in the lower price range - email us for an exact quote.
The Analytics module is optional, it costs between $299/year and $699/year, depending on your library's size.
If you ever decide to cancel LibAnswers we will give you all of your data back in an XML format within 30 days of canceling. Then you can repurpose it and reuse it in any way you see fit.
Yes, each institution gets their own customized system and only your library's questions and answers will be in it. We have many community features but these are just on the admin side and do not impact the content your patrons see.
Certainly! We have a real, fully functioning demo at http://demo.libanswers.com. Getting a free account on it is a great way to learn the ins and outs of the system first hand, and see for yourself the features and the benefits of LibAnswers. So, get your trial account today and start the fun!