using text messaging to enhance library services
DESCRIPTION
Presented by Diana Silveira and Chad Mairn for NEFLIN, 5/25/2011.According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of adult cell phone owners use text messaging. On average, teens send and receive five times more texts per day than adults; however, both of these demographics are sending questions, receiving notifications, and communicating with their friends, family, and social networks. As users grow more comfortable with this messaging environment, libraries have a unique opportunity to communicate directly with these users via their mobile devices. Join Chad Mairn and Diana Silveira from Novare Library Services to learn how to enhance your library services with text messaging. In this informal “tech talk”, they will discuss how your library can answer reference questions; push circulation notifications; promote library programming, new resources, and service information to their users, and more.TRANSCRIPT
Using Text Messaging to Enhance Library Services
Presented by: Diana Silveira & Chad Mairn
Novare Library Services
http://www.slideshare.net/chadmairn
http://www.delicious.com/dee987/SMS
Objectives
• What is SMS?• SMS Facts• Reference Questions • Push Circulation Notices• Send Catalog Records• Promote Library Programming & Services• Future of SMS• Promotion• Questions/Discussion
The Basics
• SMS means Short Message Service (i.e., text messaging)
• 160 character limit
Terms to know:
• Texting/SMS• Shortcode• Blast• Incoming/outgoing • Smart phone• Clever phone• Google Texting Lingo
Uploaded to Flickr on November 8, 2007 by Travelin' Librarian
Uploaded to Flickr on November 29, 2006 by Michael Casey
The Facts• 72% of U.S. adult cellphone users
send and receive text messages (68.1 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device (Jan 2011))
• The average U.S. mobile teen now sends or receives an average of 2,899 text-messages per month compared to 191 calls
• Teen females, who send and receive an average of 4,050 texts per month.
Reference Questions
• Ask a Librarian's SMS • Twilio• Google Voice
Create a simple (and free) SMS Reference Service
1. Get a free Google Voice number.
2. Promote the number.
3. Optional: use free GVMax service to send notifications via Instant Messaging, emails, Prowl & Howl notifications, Twitter, HttpPost, and SMS.
4. Optional: use Twitter and go800corp.com so users can text your twitter name to 46800 and be connected to your phone.
Circulation Notices
Existing software that can help a library send hold, overdue, and other circulation-based notifications to users.
Some examples:• Mosio• Shoutbomb• Twilio• ILS Vendors with functionality:
Koha, Innovative, and Polaris.
Send Catalog Records
Other Ideas for SMS in your library
• Blast Announcements! • SMS Programming Ideas
– Trivia Night– Polls– Registration for Programs– Feedback from users– Contests
Promoting SMS
• QR (Quick Response) Codes• Email• Website
Pros and Cons of SMS for your library
Pros:• Low Cost• Easy to Implement• Immediately available • Flexible• Connects directly with users• Statistics• Platform ubiquitous
Cons:• Leaves out non-SMS users• Standard texting rates may apply
Future of SMS
• Payments• Geo-fencing marketing• Voice (TTS, STT)• App to Person Messaging• Person to App Messaging• Group Messaging (Beluga,
GroupMe) • Directions/Maps• SPAM/Malicious apps!
Questions/Discussion
What are your plans for SMS?
Contact Information
Contact Information
http://www.slideshare.net/chadmairn
http://www.delicious.com/dee987/SMS