Texting a Librarian Using a GV Number: Pros and Cons

I finally got a Google Voice (GV) number for my library to launch Text a Librarian reference service! After running some tests, it seems to work well so far. To monitor the service, the text messages are forwarded to the library email account. A FAQ page was created to help those who need more information about this service.

There are two ways to send messages (SMS) using a Google Voice (GV) number:

1). Sending text messages from Gmail Chat box

Pros:

• Avoid SMS charges
• Convenient for Gmail account holders
• Convenient for patrons without a cellphone
• Act like live chat or IM

Cons

• Some learning curve for the initial setup. Users have to know where to enable SMS to send a text message
• Have to have internet connection to be able to send and receive text messages

2). Sending text messages from a cellphone

Pros:

• Instant, direct, and fast communications
• Convenient for those who have text message service from their cellphone carriers
• No internet connection is needed
  

Cons:

• display sender's cellphone number

From the stand point of providing Text a Librarian service, here are my wish list for GV:

• Be able to choose a desired GV phone number
• Be able to reply to the text message from any non-Gmail accounts once GV messages are forwarded
• Be able to archive text messages in a meaningful way within GV account (e.g., create folders or subfolders)

You are welcome to share your experience in using GV to provide library services.

Google Voice SMS -- Libraries

I've been playing with Google Voice since I received the invitation to pick my GV number.



Awesome things I like about GV:

1. Use GV SMS. When people text me back, I can receive their text messages either from my cell phone or my GV interface.
2. Forward my home phone to my GV number and choose to listen to voice messages or view them in my email right from my computer.
3. Transcribe voice messages left at my home phone to text messages and email messages and deliver them either to my cellphone or GV interface.
   

I still consider myself a beginner of using GV and there are more GV features for further exploration and experience.

While I was testing GV SMS, one thought came to my mind: can libraries use this feature to provide SMS reference service? We can call it Text a Librarian. Thinking about this I immediately sent a request to get a GV number for the library.

I can almost see how Text a Librarian comes live:

Patrons send text messages to the library's GV number from their cellphone, desktop, and laptops. Librarians login libraries' Google Voice account and answer questions using GV interface like the way they were using Instant Message.

Note that pick a GV number carefully. If you want to change your GV number later, you will be charged $10 for the change fee.