1. Populating the Knowledge Base,Entering Questions, and Analytics
LibAnswers
“How-to” Guide Series
Part 2
Populating the Knowledge Base,Entering Questions, and Analytics

2. What is the Knowledge Base?
The LibAnswers Knowledge Base is a tool that uses the questions generated by library staff (via patrons and other staff members) to create a rich, searchable FAQ database that allows for quick user access to general questions about the library, its resources, and even the university.

3. Public vs. Private
As you may have noticed, LibAnswers gives its users many opportunities to make questions either public or private.
~A public question/answer pair means any LibAnswers user can see the pair (it goes into the Knowledge Base)
~A private question/answer pair means only the person asking and the person answering the question can see it

4. When to populate the Knowledge Base:
When populating the Knowledge Base, it is important to keep in mind which types of questions would be more helpful on a public setting or a private setting. While there are no right or wrong answers to this, here are some recommendations:

5. Public:
~General questions about the library, resources, or the university.
~If a question is complicated, you may want to consider keeping it private, but adding a more generalized version of the question/answer pair from which others may benefit to the KB
~Any “on the fly” reference questions you may get at the desk that would benefit library users

6. Private:
~Long or complicated questions that users seeking general information would not keyword search the library's website for
~Questions specific to a patron's research
~Questions of a more personal nature

7. One last thought about the Knowledge Base...
You also may want to keep in mind the process of entering/editing questions stored within LibAnswers to put them in the KB. It would probably be more beneficial to enter/edit questions (should you choose to enter them into the KB) as soon as possible, rather than letting them build up. This way, the essence of the question will be fresh in your mind and you won't get a backlog of work!

8. 2 Methods to Entering Questions:
1) Enter a question/answer pair in the staff mode
2) Record a non-LibAnswers reference transaction

9. How to enter in Staff Mode:
Entering a pair in staff mode will bring you to the same screen as it would if you are answering a question. To enter a question:
1) Once you've logged in, click the link labeled, “Enter a question/answer pair in the staff mode”
2) Type the question next to the “Q” icon
3) If more detail is needed, more space is provided under the question field
4) Save the question by clicking the “Click here to save the question” button
5) Enter the answer as you would if you were answering a question sent via LibAnswers (see Part 1 of series)

10. How to enter a Non-LibAnswers Transaction:
Recording a reference transaction will bring you to a similar screen as it would if you are answering a question. To enter a question:
1) Once you've logged in, click the link labeled, “Record a non-LibAnswers reference transaction”
2) Type in the question and the answer in the text boxes labeled, “Q” and “A,” respectively
**The next steps are optional and are available on the next slide. Whether or not you should choose these options will be explained later in the guide.**

11. How to enter a Non-LibAnswers Transaction:
3) If you want the pair the populate the Knowledge Base click the box marked, “Include this question and answer in the public knowledge base”
~If you choose not to populate the Knowledge Base, the question will be private—only staff, the “asker,” and the “answerer” will see it
~To check if the question you are entering is in the Knowledge Base, enter it into the search field
4) Record the analytics of the transaction by entering the specific information requested into the appropriate fields, then click the “Submit” button to complete.

12. What's the difference?
As you've seen, both entry modes allow the user to enter a question/answer pair and analytics. However, some reference situations are more appropriate for entry in one mode or the other. Let's examine:

13. Staff Mode:
Entering a question in Staff Mode is best for populating the Knowledge Base. You may notice:
The primary function on the page is to enter and answer a question
You still have the option to enter analytics, but this function is not primary.
There are more options for assigning metadata to the pair--topics, keyword tags, links, files, etc.--all of which could make for a richer experience understanding the answer to a question (these options are only available if the question is set to public)

14. Non-LibAnswers Transaction:
Entering a non-LibAnswers Transaction is best for recording reference transaction statistics (or “Analytics”). You may notice:
The statistics option is readily available--in Staff Mode, you have to pick entering “Analytics” as an option
You still have the ability to enter a question/answer pair should you feel motivated to do so

15. Analytics
LibAnswers allows its administrators to record analytics for any question/ answer pair or recorded reference transaction. This allows for any administrator to see who the library is helping, what they are helping with, when, where, and how.

16. Analytics
The ability to record these statistics, as you may have already noticed, is available in three ways:
1) Entering a question/answer pair
~To do this, after answering your pair in this mode, click the check box marked, “Record analytics for this reference transaction” and the fields will come up on the screen.

17. Analytics 2) Recording a non-LibAnswers reference transaction:
~The statistics fields are already available on the page in this mode. Simply, scroll down the page to the blue boxes above the “Submit” button and fill in appropriately

18. Analytics 3) The Analytics Tab
~Hover over the tab marked “Analytics” at the top of any page while in Admin Mode. You will be presented some options in a drop down menu:
-Define Metadata Fields
-Record a New Transaction
-Knowledge Base Explorer
-Statistical Reports Wizard
-Visual Data Alalyzer

19. Analytics Tab—What You Can Do
Define Metadata Fields:
~This option allows admin users to create and edits the fields by which they measure question/answer pairs and reference transactions
Record a New Transaction:
~This option brings the user back to the “Record a non-LibAnswers reference transaction page”
Knowledge Base Explorer:
~This option allows the admin user to search the KB for question/answer pairs using the metadata fields that are set up. It also includes a list of all the question/answer pairs entered into the system, even the deleted ones!

20. Analytics Tab—What you can do
Statistical Reports Wizard:
~This option also allows the user to search the KB via the metadata fields. It also records, tabulates, and visualizes the KB data by months, days, hours, etc. and by the metadata fields. Users can create reports with this data and even export data to Excel.
Visual Data Analyzer:
~This option allows the user to create their own graph using the metadata. This can also be exported to Excel.

21. See you next time for Part 3!