PlusOne – Marketing Musings » Doing research?

One of the hundreds of web page summaries that arrive in my email in box each day courtesy of Google alerts was one about a US university that is allowing people to text in information requests.

We (Southeastern Louisiana University) talk these days about going where the users are. What the librarians at SELU noted was the prevalence of students using text messaging to communicate with each other. Could the library have a place there? Should the library try? One thing is for sure, the experience is useful to consider as we look for more ways to reach our users and their information needs.

Of course it is not only libraries that can use SMS as an additional access mechanism – any organisation that needs to answer questions or distribute information to an audience that either is one the move or not regularly accessing email can use it.

Systems can easily be set up to allow messages to be recieved to email accounts, allowing easy keyboard responses, with the option of providing extended information if people supply their email address as well.

While the SELU’s uptake of the service has been slow, they acknowledge they have not promoted it very well just yet. But the service is proven so they are extending and expanding.

This is a pioneer field. Trendspotting librarians might take note: what these brave folks are doing out on the edge of our market may pave the way for wider use of SMS for reference and information services.

Want to try it for your organisation (think widely – customer feedback/information no matter what the product, cars, food, knowledge) … then give us a call!