Usually technology projects and branding go hand in hand, though a little big shakily at times. However, when I got the go ahead to buy a set of Flip Mino digital video cameras for our libraries, I decided to brand my little heart out. The result is a “design-your-own” Flip Mino with the library’s colors and logo. I love it. Hopefully it will look as good in person as it does online!
But this does beg the question…why not take advantage of cheap branding (in this case, free branding) whenever available? Customers will see us using our cameras at events, see the logo, and that connection between “You’re gonna be on YouTube!” and “The Library” is made.
And really, it doesn’t have to be a logo. It can be something fun, like a photo of each branch library on its own camera (instead of one uniform look). Or it could be the winning design from a teen design contest. Or…., well, you get the drift. Why not take advantage of potential fun when we can?
Welcome to the new Librarian in Black blog!
I have been working with my fabulous designers to create this new website which is now re-designed, re-functioned, and re-purposed.
I want to extend the biggest, most sincere thanks to SIDESHOW graphix, the geniuses who both designed and did all the coding work behind the scenes for the new site. Cris and Robert, you are brilliant, visionary, patient, and I am in awe of you. You absolutely understood the soul of Librarian in Black.
My new tag line, “Amazingly informed & therefore properly opinionated,” comes courtesy of a Michael Porter statement about yours truly.
Between the cats, the Victorian old-bookish feel to the images, and the stellar Sarah portrait, I am a very happy librarian blogger indeed.
For my readers, please update your links, bookmarks, and RSS feeds.
I want to thank all of my devoted readers and commentators. Together we make this library content sing.
Happy reading! And for bonus points, try to find both cats in the new site’s design!
Today our library, the San Jose Public Library, launched our new Text a Librarian service. As far as I can tell, we’re the first public library in California to offer text messaging services independent of a consortium model. There are others who participate in the My InfoQuest cooperative, which we are not a part of. Here are the details:
- The service is run through Mosio’s Text a Librarian.
- Text your question to 66746 and start the message with AskSJ
- The library responds to the user through the interface of our choice (web browser, email, IM, or text messaging) and the answer shows up to the customer as a text message
- Customers are encouraged to add 66746 as a contact for easy future access
- The library currently is answering questions from 1-6pm, Monday-Friday
- The service is completely secure & private – customers are assigned random user IDs so the library staff don’t see phone numbers connected with questions
- The service is mobile carrier certified, so we don’t need to worry about Verizon or AT&T blocking our number from sending messages to customers.
- It’s staffed jointly with the San Jose State University Library
librarians and a number of our public library staff at our main King
Library and at our many branches.
For more info on our service, see the San Jose Library Text-a-Librarian FAQ page.
On our first day, we’ve received 20 questions so far (as of 5pm).
We have received an immense amount of interest from the media as well — today I gave 3 radio interviews about the service and 1 television interview (along with SJPL’s Head of Reference, Joan Bowlby). Our press release also garnered a front page story on the San Jose Mercury News Local section today, as well as a brief 30-second spot on this morning’s local Fox affiliate through a press release we sent out.
UPDATE: LOTS OF VIDEO, AUDIO, & STORIES
I’m very interested to see how much the service takes off in the upcoming week, as people have heard about it and start to use it and spread the word.
That’s a lot of awesomeness for one day! How do you spell H-O-T?
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