Getting More Patron Usage from your Text a Librarian Service | Best Practices from Mosio’s Text a Librarian

The video below is a recorded session discussing how we’re seeing libraries increase patron usage. Below is a transcript of the notes taken during the recording.

 

Increasing Patron Usage of your Text a Librarian Service:

 

Get patrons to register their phones.

 

The following conversation took place late in the evening as part of a podcast test run…

 

We decided to keep it as is.

 

Best practices for increasing Text a Librarian usage among patrons.

 

Your cell phone is your database of contacts.

 

No one remembers phone numbers anymore.

 

If someone’s number isn’t in your phone, they’re not an active part your world.

 

Even voting on American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance requires you to “remember later.”

 

The goal isn’t about marketing or promoting your service, it’s about registering patron phones.

 

Simply put:
Your library’s contact info needs to be on their phone.

 

Academic libraries have shown us the best practice for getting patrons to use their text a librarian service.

 

Text for Instructions is the best way to get patrons to register their phones.

 

Text KEYWORD to 66746.
(Except use your library’s keyword)

 

Text for Instructions presents the patron with a different experience.

It gives them a specific call to action right NOW.

With your info in their phone, they’ll have it when they are out in the world.

 

Focus on getting them to text in the first time – register their phones.

 

It doesn’t hurt to remind them regularly too (text message alerts are great for that).

 

All promotional materials and instructions should have that “TRY IT NOW!” call to action.

 

Libraries are getting this and putting it into practice, with success!

 

Everyone is texting, encourage them to text with you.

Research shows they prefer it over a phone call.

 

Academic Libraries have a different opportunity with orientation.

 

But…
Public Libraries can do it at various times where they have the attention of groups of people.

 

Events
Speakers
Training
Open Houses
Announcements

Text for Instructions works!
It educates patrons on how to begin asking questions…

 

And…
it is also great for having patrons sign up to receive alerts and announcements.

 

1) Get Patrons to Register their phones.

2) Use Text for Instructions to do it.

3) Remind them whenever possible.

Thanks!

Mosio’s Text a Librarian

www.textalibrarian.com

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