I think that using mobile phones for communication between the library and students will probably prove to be the most popular way to exchange information with the students. They always have their phones and they don’t need to log in etc… I definately found that it got better results when I was working in a bookshop and mass texting customer when goods arrived. There are commercial business of course now that offer text reference services. A friend of mine works for AQA (Any Question Answered) and answers general queries by text (such as how long would it take a Stanna Stairlift to get to the moon) and it is popular enough for her to support herself after a fashion even though she only gets 30p of every pound spent by the punter! Surfed around for examples of how libraries were using text referencing and I could only find US based ones. Such as:
The Times-Reporter
Posted Mar 27, 2008 @ 10:54 PM
Starting Tuesday, the Tuscarawas County Public Library at New Philadelphia will begin offering instant messaging reference service. During open hours, reference staff will respond to questions that allow short answers via instant messaging on the library’s Web site at www.tusclibrary.org
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:26 PM EDT
y cant i find my sox…u know where they r
Queens Library staff probably can’t answer this question for you. But this is one of the few exceptions – librarians there can actually respond to a surprisingly wild variety of inquiries including texting,
I’m sure there are UK ones as well…
I also found this referencing service in a library in Kansas that had all its’ links for IM, Chat, Text, & E-mail on one page and I especially liked it so here is the link if you are interested:
