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Texting Reference: What is Success?
Chuck Page
Reference and Instruction Librarian
Lansing Community College
Reference at Lansing Community College
Cost: $864/year
Comparison to free products (Google)
Integration into QuestionPoint
No new interface/software
Discussions with other academic libraries/librarians
Michigan Virtual Reference Conference 2013
Let’s try it and see what happens. Nothing to lose!
Choosing to Text!
Appropriate Text Reference Questions
Research & Inappropriate Text Reference Questions
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Informational (Library Related) Informational (Non Library Related) Research (Redirected) Inappropriate
Texts Received by Type
Texting a Contact List (students, faculty, etc.)
Best Practices Differentiate between texts (TXT MSG), emails, and chat before answering.
When staffing, check for texts at least every 30 minutes and respond ASAP.
If unable to respond to a text during your shift, notify the next librarian of the unanswered text.
Someone should check for texts first thing every morning and respond ASAP.
Be polite and professional, yet brief.
Keep responses under 160 characters.
In order to keep responses under 160 characters, consider using some texting abbreviations. Keep in mind that not all users will be familiar with all of these. Intuitive substitutes (B/be, 4/for, U/you, etc.) are fairly safe.
Redirect to more appropriate resources, when needed.
No need to hyperlink (<www>) urls. Many phones recognize urls and hyperlink automatically.
Links can be useful. Include urls, phone numbers, and email addresses when appropriate.
Staffing • At the Reference Desk • In an Office • Carrying a Phone • Even from Home
Marketing
Marketing is the Key to Success
On Your Website
Blog
Text Reference Page
Help Page
In Person
Bookmarks
Posters
Word of Mouth
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June - July 2013 Aug - Sept 2013 Oct - Nov 2013 Dec-13 Jan - Feb 2014 March - present
Text Questions with and without Marketing
Marketing No Marketing
Discussion
How is text reference useful?
What indicates that a text reference service is a success?
What could make a text reference service more successful?
What barriers cause a text reference service to fail?
In Your Group
Brainstorm
Choose 2 or 3 main takeaways
Ideas
Opinions
Experiences
Share with everyone
Suggested Reads
Luo, Lili. “Text a librarian: a look from the user perspective.” Reference Services Review 42.1 (2014): 34-51. Print.
Luo, Lili. "Text Reference Service: Delivery, Characteristics, and Best Practices." Reference Services Review 39.3 (2011): 482-96. ProQuest. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Luo, Lili, and Emily Weak. "Texting 4 Answers: What Questions do People Ask?" Reference & User Services Quarterly 51.2 (2011): 133-42. ProQuest. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Ruppel, Margie, and Amy Vecchione. ""it's Research made Easier!" SMS and Chat Reference Perceptions." Reference Services Review 40.3 (2012): 423-48. ProQuest. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
