Location
Chateau Sugarloaf Hill, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia PA
Start Date
27-4-2018 1:15 PM
Document Type
Poster
Description
When a library user finds an electronic resource that is not properly configured for access through Ezproxy, an error message states that a host error has occurred. This error message, full of text and technical jargon, can be confusing to users. The page also does not give users an easy option to report the problem or a way to navigate back to where they started. As a result, Electronic Resources staff at Rowan University rarely received notifications of host errors from users. In order to improve user experience and correct host errors, a Google Form was created and customized to automatically capture the technical information needed to resolve the error and give users the option of providing more information, such as their name and email. Eresources staff further customized the form to generate an email containing data from the form and integrate that email into the support ticketing system. Later to improve security and support system integration, the form was moved from Google forms to Rowan’s own server. Since implementation in October 2017, data has proven this tool’s usefulness and uncovered many problems ranging from the expected host errors, to full EZproxy stanza updates, and even flaws in discovery systems. The various implementations of this project, from fast, free, and simple options to more advanced and secure options, may be useful for many libraries. By collaborating with library users to uncover errors, Eresources staff has improved user experience, access, and efficiency for Rowan University’s libraries.
Included in
"Forming" a Collaborative Resolution to EZproxy Host Errors
Chateau Sugarloaf Hill, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia PA
When a library user finds an electronic resource that is not properly configured for access through Ezproxy, an error message states that a host error has occurred. This error message, full of text and technical jargon, can be confusing to users. The page also does not give users an easy option to report the problem or a way to navigate back to where they started. As a result, Electronic Resources staff at Rowan University rarely received notifications of host errors from users. In order to improve user experience and correct host errors, a Google Form was created and customized to automatically capture the technical information needed to resolve the error and give users the option of providing more information, such as their name and email. Eresources staff further customized the form to generate an email containing data from the form and integrate that email into the support ticketing system. Later to improve security and support system integration, the form was moved from Google forms to Rowan’s own server. Since implementation in October 2017, data has proven this tool’s usefulness and uncovered many problems ranging from the expected host errors, to full EZproxy stanza updates, and even flaws in discovery systems. The various implementations of this project, from fast, free, and simple options to more advanced and secure options, may be useful for many libraries. By collaborating with library users to uncover errors, Eresources staff has improved user experience, access, and efficiency for Rowan University’s libraries.