Txt 4 Info: Is Adding SMS for Reference Right For Your Library?

Conference Year
Online Northwest 2010
Session
4
Type
Breakout Session
Presenters
  • Liz Paulus, Cedar Mill Community Library
  • Barbara O’Neill, Washington County Cooperative Library Services
Abstract

On average, 3.5 billion text messages are sent daily in the United States. Americans are now texting twice as much as they are talking on their mobile phones, making text messaging the preferred method of communication for people on the go. Texting is also vital to a key library target audience ­ students ­ who are a prime audience for what we provide: information services of many stripes. How can libraries offer this new channel for interaction in a way that works best both for users and for staff? Come learn more about the current state of SMS­-based reference around the country, in both libraries and the commercial sector. Two librarians from Washington County talk about their experiences in the nationwide My Info Quest project (www.myinfoquest.info), where a collaborative group of over 50 libraries is working together via Gmail, Altarama SMS, Peoplewhere and OPALOnline to offer local SMS service for patrons. This pilot project has given us a close­up look at how important planning, creative problem solving, and good workflow design are essential to program success. We will also review current software and technologies used in libraries for SMS service, how they integrate with existing virtual reference efforts, and how library services compare with commercial services such as ChaCha and KGB.

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