Local Librarians Now Offer a "TXT 4 Answers" Service

For immediate Release
September 16, 2009

Contact: Jodi Nielsen, Senior Program Educator
Washington County Cooperative Library Services
www.wccls.org
503-846-3235

Washington County, Oregon: This week the Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) is launching a pilot project that enables patrons to send a text message to a librarian from their hand held electronic devices. A librarian will text an expert answer back to the patron within 10 minutes during the hours of service.

The service, named “My Info Quest” is the first collaborative text messaging reference service of its kind. Alliance Library System in East Peoria, Illinois has partnered with participating libraries from across the country, and the companies Altarama and Peoplewhere, to build this exciting new reference service. Local participating libraries include WCCLS and six of its member libraries, including Beaverton City Library, Cedar Mill Community Library, Garden Home Community Library, Hillsboro Public Libraries, Sherwood Public Library and the Tigard Public Library.

Barbara O’Neill, Reference Program Supervisor with the Washington County Cooperative Library Services, reports that local librarians are eager to test out this new texting service. “Anyone can surf the internet, but to have a librarian actually verify the credibility of a source provides a much higher level of confidence in the answer.” Local librarians believe that electronically savvy texting patrons will appreciate the difference in the level of service.

So if you are on the go and need an answer — text your question to a “My Info Quest” librarian and have the answer delivered to your phone or PDA within minutes.

• Text 309-222-7740
• Text the code WCC in front of your question
• A librarian will text an expert answer within 10 minutes during the hours of service (see hours below)
• It's easy and accurate!

It is anticipated that My Info Quest will become very popular among teens and college students as a handy homework resource. However, students will not be the only ones who benefit from the rapid librarian text response service. If you have ever been stuck in a business meeting and needed to verify one last bit of information before a presentation to a big client — then you can image the value of such a service. Within minutes of receiving a request a My Info Quest librarian will text a response using an authoritative source.

Locally the hours of service for My Info Quest will be Monday – Friday: 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. If a WCCLS patron texts a message when the service is closed they will receive a message indicating that a response will be provided as soon as My Info Quest reopens. Nationwide, librarians from the participating libraries will collaborate to staff the service. The software for My Info Quest has been donated for the pilot program and will be available in Washington County throughout 2010.

For additional information patrons may stop by their local WCCLS member library or visit www.wccls.org.