LibKey Nomad++ lets you integrate a chat service into LibKey Nomad to help your library meet users wherever they're researching! We currently offer integrations for LibAnswers' LibChat service, LibraryH3lp and WhatsApp. There is also a "Custom Chat Link" option for linking Nomad to a URL of your choice.
Read on for more information on how to configure these services in the Third Iron Admin Portal.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LibChat
When integrating a LibChat widget into LibKey Nomad++ please ensure you use the following widget options.
1. Choose the “in-page chat” widget type so the widget will be displayed plainly without any effects or buttons.
2. Leave the width value at the default value of 100%. If you'd like to experiment with different height values LibKey Nomad++ will try to accommodate them and resize the chat window accordingly.
3. Ensure the colors you’re using in your LibChat widget settings compliment the ones used in LibKey Nomad++’s Design Studio. LibKey Nomad++'s Design Studio settings control how the LibKey Nomad button looks but not the LibChat widget itself. The LibChat widget will still use the text and background colors defined in the LibAnswers admin portal.
4. Under "Widget Behavior" please avoid the setting to "Activate LibAnswers search" if your chat is unavailable. This option will not currently work properly in LibKey Nomad. All other options will work correctly.
If you have an existing chat widget you would like to reuse in LibKey Nomad++ it may be easier to copy the existing widget and change the specific settings needed for LibKey Nomad++. You can copy an existing widget in the Chat Widgets area under the LibChat menu item in the LibAnswers admin portal:
Options for working with your widgets are off to the right including the "Copy Widget" option:
Once you have a widget setup with the correct settings we will need the widget's script URL. This is shown in the same location shown above under the "View Widget Code" option:
Please save that URL in the space provided in the Third Iron Admin Portal to connect that widget to LibKey Nomad++.
LibraryH3lp
When integrating a LibraryH3lp snippet into LibKey Nomad++ there are several important settings to check:
- Ensure you’re using the “embedded chat box” widget style. It’s strongly recommended you create a new snippet specifically for use in Nomad++.
- Change the width value in your snippet’s Chat Skin to 100% so that the chat box is responsive and will fill the space available within LibKey Nomad++.
- Check any colors or design elements you’re using in your Chat Skin settings to ensure they complement the ones used in LibKey Nomad++’s Design Studio.
For more detailed information on configuring a snippet for LibKey Nomad++ please reference this setup guide from LibraryH3lp.
After you’ve configured your snippet and checked the relevant settings we will need your snippet URL. Within your list of Chat Snippets, you can find the Chat Snippet URL by selecting the new chat snippet from the list of Chat Snippets and inspecting the embed code.
Copy the URL at the end of the “x.src” line without quotation marks (see yellow highlight in the screenshot below) into the space provided in the Third Iron Admin Portal to connect the new Chat Snippet to LibKey Nomad++.
To configure the Chat integration for WhatsApp all you need to enter is the contact phone number you would like requests to get directed to. Please ensure you save the phone number in full international format with country code and do not include any parentheses, dashes or other symbols.
Custom Chat Link
The Custom Chat Link option allows libraries to link LibKey Nomad++ to a chat or contact service not covered by our other integrations. This option accepts any URL the library wants to link to. It could also be used to link to something like a contact page or chat portal on your organization's website.
Libraries can also specify the tooltip text which should be shown when a user hovers over the chat icon shown in LibKey Nomad++. For libraries configured to support multiple languages options for all configured languages will be shown.
Visually the Custom Chat Link will appear as an extra chat bubble icon on Nomad++ which opens the configured URL in a new tab.
Chat Module FAQs
How does LibKey Nomad++'s chat integration behave if our LibChat or LibraryH3lp is currently unavailable?
LibKey Nomad++ uses the exact same settings you've configured in the LibAnswers or LibraryH3lp admin portal. If you've configured special messaging or fallback options to display when no agent is available or it is outside your monitored hours those settings will carry over to what's shown in LibKey Nomad++.
Do you plan to add support for other chat services?
We are considering adding integrations for several additional chat services in 2024. If there's a specific service you're interested in seeing in LibKey Nomad++ please feel free to contact our support team to let them know.