Patron Question Form Templates
Contents
About the Templates
Example #1 – Minimal Formatting and Required
Fields Only
Example #2 – Optional and Required Custom Fields
with E-mail Address Entered Twice
Example #3 – Optional and Required Custom Fields
with Numeric Format Verification
Example #4 – QuestionPoint Service Formatting
and Required Fields Only
Downloading a Question Form
Adding a Question Form to Your Web Site
About the Templates
Here are several question form templates that you can use to make QuestionPoint's
Ask a Librarian feature available to your patrons. They include both the
code (HTML and JavaScript) necessary to capture a patron's e-mail address
and question and submit them to QuestionPoint.
The first template (Example #1) contains only
the two fields required to submit a question to QuestionPoint. It has
minimal formatting to make it easier to adapt it to the look and feel
of your library's Web site.
The other two forms (Example #2 and Example
#3) have additional custom fields – both required and optional.
You can add up 10 custom fields to a question form. QuestionPoint does
not need the information from these additional fields, but you may find
it useful to add fields like these to your question form. Whenever the
patron adds data to a custom field, this data gets sent to QuestionPoint.
You see it when you check your questions. If you refer the question to
a partner library, they also see the additional data. Although it does
not appear on questions routed to the global reference network, it can
be useful to capture information required on the global form, such as
education level or turnaround time.
Where the fields are required, the form also includes JavaScript to verify
that the patron completes these fields before submitting the form. We
do not necessarily recommend that you use either of these forms without
modification. We include them to give you an idea of the types of possible
customization. The important thing is to collect the information useful
to you.
The last form (Example #4) has the same formatting
used in the QuestionPoint service and includes the QuestionPoint logo,
and the two required fields.
You are free to modify the formatting (colors, fonts, logos, and layout)
of these forms for as long as you retain the e-mail address and question
fields and the code that submits this information to QuestionPoint. For
example, you can include the form and JavaScript in a Web page that includes
the navigation features on your site's other Web's pages.
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Example #1 – Basic Question Form with Minimal
Formatting and Required Fields Only
Here is a graphic that shows the question form with minimal formatting.
This form contains only the two fields required to submit a question to
QuestionPoint. The minimal formatting makes it easier to adapt it to the
look and feel of your library's Web site. Click the graphic to view the
form in a separate browser window. While viewing the form in the other
window, you can download it for your use.
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Example #2 – Optional and Required Custom
Fields with E-mail Address Entered Twice
This form includes several optional and required custom (user-defined)
fields. The JavaScript that supports this form includes code to validate
the additional required fields. The table that follows explains the fields
and features added to this form.
Remember that the data from the additional fields gets sent to QuestionPoint;
staff from your library and staff from a partner library can see this
data. However, it does not appear on questions routed to the global reference
network.
Click the graphic to view the form in a separate browser window. While
viewing the form in the other window, you can download
it for your use.
| Item |
Description |
 |
Optional text field for the patron's name. |
 |
Required text field for patron to confirm e-mail address.
This may decrease typographical errors in e-mail addressed. The JavaScript
checks that both e-mail address entries match. |
 |
Optional text field for the patron's phone number. |
 |
Required drop-down list field for the patron to specify
the reason for his or her research. |
 |
Required radio button field to specify whether the patron
is willing to allow you to forward your question to another library.
This can be a referral partner in your QuestionPoint group (if applicable)
or the global reference network. |
 |
Buttons to submit the question (equivalent to the Ask
button in Example #1) and to blank out the
data in the form. |
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Example #3 – Optional and Required Custom
Fields with Numeric Format Verification
This is another example of a form with optional and required custom fields.
The JavaScript that supports this form includes code to validate the additional
required fields. The table that follows explains the fields and features
added to this form.
Remember that the data from the additional fields gets sent to QuestionPoint;
staff from your library and staff from a partner library can see this
data. However, it does not appear on questions routed to the global reference
network.
Click the graphic to view the form in a separate browser window. While
viewing the form in the other window, you can download
it for your use.
| Item |
Description |
|
Optional text field for the patron's name. |
|
Required text field for a university ID or other identification
number. The JavaScript includes more validation than simply checking
that the field contains a value. It verifies that the field contains
a specified number of characters (set to 10, but you can change this)
and that every character in the ID is a numeral. |
|
Required radio button field for the patron's status. |
|
Optional textarea field for the patron to specify resources
he or she has already consulted. |
|
Required drop-down list for the patron to indicate how
soon he or she needs an answer to the question. |
|
Buttons to submit the question (equivalent to the Ask
button in Example #1) and to blank out the
data in the form. |
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Example #4 – QuestionPoint Service Formatting
and Required Fields Only
Here is a graphic that shows the question form with QuestionPoint formatting
and the two required fields only. Click the graphic to view the form in
a separate browser window. While viewing the form in the other window,
you can download it for your use.
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Downloading a Question Form
- While viewing the form in a separate browser window, select File
> Save As or File > Save Page As from the new window's
browser menu.
- If you see an option for Save as type, choose Web Page, HTML only.
- Save the file in a location of your choice. You can use the default
file name provided (if your browser provides one) or provide a name
of your choice, such as qpquestionform.html.
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Adding a Question Form to Your Web Site
See:
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