CCS News
JUNE 28, 2013
FROM THE COMPUTER ROOM:
Texting trial with Wilmette:
As some of you have noticed, we are starting our SMS Text for Holds. We have loaded the product on the Production server, and some of you may have seen the Short Message Service-SMS tab under some of the User menu selections. It is a 3 day process, and hope by the time you read this, it will be cleared up, and ready to begin using SMS. For now Wilmette will be the first to go live. First they will do the hold notifications with staff (starting July 16 due to vacations), then eventually open it up to their patrons. The two other libraries that where part of the test Text team will follow if they like, once Wilmette completes their test and all looks good.
SMS texting will allow library staff to notify patrons of their Holds, Overdues, Fines, library announcement (like early closing), and individual messages to a patron. We are going to use the same template for most of these notices. It was agreed by the test team, and there is only a 160 character limit for each text message. If your library is interested in starting Texting, once we open this up. please open up a Help Desk ticket, and give yourself 6 weeks once the ticket is open. (Please don’t do this yet!!)
For now we are looking to offer Texting to the rest of the libraries beginning in October or later. The first 3 test libraries will be the leaders for this new service, and hopefully an asset to other libraries to assist with any questions you may have. For now the SMS product is "out of the box," meaning there is no customizing of reports or special messages other than what is offered as standard. The 3 message templates we are currently using contain the library name, and let the patron know they have a # of holds, an overdue, or the fine and amount. No title information, or other identifying information in regards to book/item title, or patron id.
People will not be able to reply to Text Messages, it is just a one way service. Please make sure patrons are aware of this. Text message will also count as a Hold Notice sent. Patrons will have to chose the method they want to use to be contacted for their Notice(s). The current ways to contact patrons are through mail, library staff calling, SVA, email and now Text. As for the templates, we realize libraries have different lengths they will hold a trapped hold for a patron on their hold shelves. That is why opening up a Help Desk incident for Texting is important to track and finalize your library’s text configuration. – Frank Correa
We hope all the ALA attendees from CCS have a great conference, and look forward to seeing at least some of you there!
CCS MEETINGS NEXT WEEK:
Tues., 7/2 and Wed., 7/3, 9:30-4:30, Glenview: RDA Training (you must be registered!)
