In New Jersey, Teens, Parents Alerted by Text to Library Programs
State library's pilot program includes contests, Spanish-language texting
Lynn Blumenstein -- Library Journal, 7/17/2009
- Goal of pilot: find out what works
- Carrier's phone number use to save money
- Outreach includes Spanish-language texting, contests, interactivity
The New Jersey State Library (NJSL), no stranger to innovative programs (read about LJ's 2008 Librarian of the Year NJ State Librarian Norma Blake), has launched a six-month pilot using mobile communications to promote library services. Libraries will use text messaging, averaging two messages a week, as a tool to reach out to teens and the parents of younger children.
"Mobile phone usage is at the leading edge of a cultural change in communications," said Nancy Dowd, NJSL's director of marketing. "It’s important for libraries to keep up on those technologies that will help them reach existing customers, as well as inform new people of how libraries can help them."
Marketing mobile services
Mobile marketing is harder to sign people up, said Dowd, but the response rate is much higher. Besides the traditional use of banners, postcards, and flyers announcing the service, the program also will have a presence on Facebook and MySpace.
NJSL also has come up with some different promotional efforts. At the end of every library program, staffers take a few minutes to describe the new service and ask for signups. Anyone who recommends a friend is entered into a contest--text us your favorite song or book; results to be posted in the library. Prizes range from iTune cards and Best Buy dollars to candy.
Finding out and sharing what works
Six public libraries (Atlantic County Library System, Mays Landing; Belleville Public Library; Burlington County Library System, Westampton; Cherry Hill Public Library; East Orange Public Library; Hackensack’s Johnson Free Public Library; Howell Public Library; and Princeton Public Library), the New Jersey State Library, and the state library’s Library for the Blind and Handicapped were chosen to represent the wide variety of libraries in the state and "to find out what works," Dowd told LJ. "Our goals are outcomes, not numbers."
Another goal of the pilot is to share results. NJSL will present initial findings at the Internet Librarian conference, which takes place mid-way (October 26-28) through the pilot, and at an Illinois Library Association meeting in December, when the pilot is complete.
Simple, realistic scenario
"We've incorporated a realistic timeline," said Dowd, who noted that the six-month time period, beginning at the time of the grant award, mimics a real-life implementation. The libraries will offer a basic SMS/texting service, without videos or photos.
NJSL is working with a carrier that offers its own phone number and provides libraries with a "short code." This method is much cheaper than owning one's own phone number and short code; that could cost $50,000, said Dowd.
Targeting teens and parents
NJSL determined through research that teens and parents are the two groups that text the most, said Dowd. Teens don't use email, nor do they Twitter, said Dowd. The latter service is used most by adults and businesses.
Hispanic outreach
East Orange Public Library, serving a large population of English-speaking children with Spanish-speaking parents, will offer text messaging in Spanish. The library has four Spanish-speaking staffers who will guide the project. Similar projects using other languages are in development, said Dowd.
Interactivity; instant results
With mobile outreach allowing for more interactivity, some incentives are more immediate. Princeton Public Library announced the service at a recent film festival, signing people up on site and offering participants a chance to vote for their favorite movie. Contest results were texted as people were leaving the event.
