text reference question

[Heather Dalal]

I started this message as a reply to Reference via Chat, but now I have 
a question about text.
We've been trialing libraryh3lp for a while. They are really 
understanding and will extend free trials as long as you need to trial. 
They understand how busy it can be working in an academic library.

However, Mosio called me up and they tried to warn me that the 
libraryh3lp/twilio service is a hack and it's not the legit way to 
provide text reference.  He said carriers (AT&T, Verizon, etc) prefer 
the short numbers and a carrier could shut the number down if they found 
out about it.   If a patron called up and said none of his texts were 
being received, we couldn't investigate and if we did, then that's how 
we'd get caught. Sounds so fishy!   I wasn't sure if he was just trying 
to scare me or not.  But I couldn't come up with the right terms to 
google this to find out if he's employing sales tactics or if this is 
something we should worry about.

Anyone have thought on this?
Thank you,

Heather

-- 


Heather Dalal, MLIS, MEd (Instructional Design)
Assistant Professor I-Librarian
Moore Library, Rider University
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099
609-895-5731

On 3/7/2013 3:41 PM, Ferree, Curtis wrote:
> We use Library H3lp for both text and IM.  I believe they use Twillio as their SMS client. We've been very happy with them.  We can embed chat windows on the home page and in our libguides and in our databases.  Students are able to text us via their mobile device, but we answer it from the IM chat window.
>
> http://libraryh3lp.com/
>
>
> --CF
>
>
> Curtis Ferree
> Reference and Electronic Resources Librarian
> DiMenna-Nyselius Library
> Fairfield University
> 1073 North Benson Road
> Fairfield, CT 06824-5195
> Tel: 203.254.4000 Ext. 2185
> Fax: 203.254.4133
> cferree at mail.fairfield.edu<mailto:cferree at mail.fairfield.edu>
> AIM: cferree1
>
> From: Melanie Hogue <mhogue at CHESTATEELIBRARY.ORG<mailto:mhogue at CHESTATEELIBRARY.ORG>>
> Reply-To: Web technologies in libraries <WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU<mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU>>
> Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 13:53:38 -0500
> To: <WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU<mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU>>
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] Reference via chat?
>
> Pardon cross-posting – What solutions are your libraries currently using for reference via texting/chat? I find all sorts of great articles about successes but very little about workflows or tech info about how these are set up.
>
> Specifically, we would like patrons to be able to text to a chat window from their phones (but not have to answer with a phone. Multiple devices seem inefficient and small keyboards are awkward. I looked into Google; but it seems patrons have to be registered members before they can initiate (call us instead of us – them) via chat.
>
> Melanie A. Hogue, Systems Librarian
> Chestatee Regional Library System
> Dawsonville, Georgia
> 706-344-3690 Ext. 20
>
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2013-03-18