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About SMS Text Message Reference in Libraries

The single best way to have a successful Text a Librarian program is to actively promote your service to patrons. If they don’t know about it, they won’t use it. This blog is a showcase of libraries promoting their Text Message (SMS) Reference Services via Text a Librarian, powered by Mosio.

Text messaging is the most popular channel on mobile devices, having overtaken voice communications by most U.S. consumers. As the image illustrates below, 2/3 of mobile customers in July 2010 sent a text message to another phone compared to less than 1/3 who accessed a downloaded mobile application on their phones.

Text Messaging is Here to Stay

Text messaging is not a passing fad and it’s not something that can be glanced over and not considered. If you haven’t yet considered integrating text messaging (SMS) into your library communications, it’s time you should. If you have considered it or are currently using it, make sure you are doing it the permitted and certified way: through a mobile carrier approved short code service provider.

There are many companies claiming to be able to offer text messaging reference services and most of them are not approved by the mobile carriers. Some make it sound difficult to use a keyword and a short code. The misinformation is a shame, but they benefit from doing so. The truth is, they are simply skirting the proper ways of offering text messaging services and the mobile carriers are actively pursuing those not abiding by their rules.

Using hacks or workarounds are only a temporary solution and don’t allow you to take full advantage of the power of text messaging. There is a short video called “Six Questions to Ask When Considering a Text Messaging Reference Vendor” that many find helpful in their selection process.

The world is mobile and implementing mobile technologies at your library is exciting!

It will keep you relevant and gives you the opportunity to stay in constant contact with your patrons. Best of luck and hopefully some of these examples can show you the best way of going about promoting your text messaging reference solutions to patrons, giving you the most out of your service.