Plugin for Pidgin

Today we're releasing the first version of our LibraryH3lp plugin for Pidgin (Windows version). It has the following features:

1. Displays the full roll-back of a chat to the recipient of a transfer.
2. Repeats an incoming chat alert noise at a configurable interval in seconds until a librarian sends a message to the patron.
3. Automatically approves incoming buddy requests.
4. Automatically cleans up all those guest123456@libraryh3lp.com buddies that accumulate in your buddy list.
   

The first feature, showing the full history of a chat to the recipient of a transfer, is a very helpful time saver. It means the the librarian answering a transferred chat does not need to follow the "chat management" link in order to read the prior discussion between the patron and the first librarian.

The second feature, the repeating new chat alert sound, is especially handy for staffing models where it is not guaranteed that a librarian will be physically looking for incoming chats visually all the time. In my library's main chat service, we answer the chats on computers near, but not actually right at, the reference desk. We rely on sound alerts to let us know of incoming chats, and the looping sound prevents us from accidentally missing anything when the phone rings or we're away from the desk for a short time. It also lets staff nearby in their offices know when the desk is slammed and no one is immediately picking up a chat, so that we can pitch in on the fly to help out. You can set the repeat sound to suit your preferences: 60 seconds, 30 seconds, etc... Notes:

1. The sound will not repeat for simple new responses from the patron once a chat is underway; it is limited to their initial message (see important configuration notes at the end of this post).
   
2. If more than one computer with the plugin receives a chat because multiple librarians are signed into the queue in question, the sound will stop looping on all the computers when the first librarian sends a response to the patron.

The third feature, automatic approval of buddy requests, is useful for buddying other librarians who are staffing your services. This provides an easy method of librarian-to-librarian communication. To buddy another LibraryH3lp user, pick Buddies-->Add Buddy and enter the desired account. Example: marian-the-librarian@libraryh3lp.com. If you're using other accounts besides LibraryH3lp accounts in Pidgin, be sure to buddy to the right one. The plugin should also auto-approve similar requests from other systems.

The last feature, automatic clean-up of guest accounts left by your patrons' chat sessions, is a nice housekeeping feature.

To get the plugin:

1. Save the plugin's zip file from our wiki.
   
2. Unzip and save the libraryh3lp.dll file in Pidgin's plugins directory (usually c:\program files\pidgin\plugins\).
   
3. Enable the plugin in Pidgin at Tools-->Plugins.
   
4. Click configure plugin and set the desired interval for the new message alert sound.
5. Check Tools-->Preferences--Sounds and select message received begins new conversation. This is not turned on by default.

(Edited 26 May 2008 to reflect the automatic buddy clean-up feature.)
(Edited 16 Nov 2008 to generalize link to plugin zip file download.)