Chat

Chat provides persistent access across a site to the Ask a Librarian chat service. 

It is used on the main library website, Library Search, and a number of other U-M Library sites.

When to use chat

Chat can be added to any site in the U-M Library web presence that’s supported by Ask a Librarian staff and is recommended if the site has a “Contact” page.

In consideration of their staffing capacity, please contact the Design System team before adding this reusable design and we will coordinate with our Ask a Librarian colleagues about your use case.

Features of chat

Our customized LibraryH3lp chat displays collapsed in the lower right corner of the user’s browser window for all pages in the respective site.

• Chat has a border shadow to provide contrast with site backgrounds.
• Users have the option to expand the chat out into a new window.
• Chat clearly differentiates which messages are from the user and which are from the library staff member.
• Keyboard users can access chat through the skip link.

Relevant WCAG guidelines

• 1.3.1 Info and Relationships
• 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence
• 2.1 Keyboard
• 2.4.1 Bypass Block
• 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value
• 4.1.3 Status Messages

Code example

See example pen by U-M Library Design System (@umlibrary-designsystem) on CodePen.