Darcy Gervasio

Reference & Instruction Librarian/

Text Reference Coordinator

SUNY Purchase College Library

ALA Midwinter, January 2012

Dallas, TX

In the 3rd quarter of 2011, U.S. teens aged 13-17 sent on average 3,417 texts per month.*

18-24 year olds sent 1,914 texts per month…that’s 3 texts per hour!

The majority of Americans aged18-24 (53%) and 25-34 (64%) now own smartphones.

The average cell-phone user texts more than calls. Average user receives/places 12.3 calls per day but receives/sends 41.5 texts per day. (Pew Internet, 2011)

*data and image

from Nielsen Wire,

December 2011

(guy)

Small, undergrad liberal arts campus

Most students have mobile phones

Popular Ask Us 24/7 Chat (IM) service

Rolled out text reference service March 1, 2010

What are the library’s hours?

How do I log onto the wifi with my laptop?

What’s the call number for book X?

Help! The printer’s not working!

Where is the “N” section?

“Still of Drew Barrymore in Scream.” Dimension Films. 1996. Retrieved from Internet Movie Database. http:www.imdbcom/media/rm3957037312/tt0117571

Roving Reference

posters throughout

the stacks

Signs stuck

to every

printer in

the library

Total Text Questions Spring 2011: 76*

Total Text Messages Fall 2011: 506**

Total Unique Questions Fall 2011: 394

*pilot with Mosio software began March 1, 2011 (mid-semester)

**SpringShare software rolled out August 22, 2011 (start of semester)

After-hours texts tripled from Nov. to Dec. 2011 during Finals Period, when the

Library was open 24 hours (but Text Us was only staffed until 10pm).

In other words, the later the Library was open, the later patrons

texted us … even though Text Us service hours had not changed.

Approximately 57% of texts received in

Fall 2011 were sent from inside the library

5% were in-depth research questions

36% dealt with printer, computer, or wifi

issues

29% were directional (both inside and

outside the library

25% were ready reference

Text (SMS) Reference Chat (IM) Reference

Short, one-off Q&A. No space for

reference interview

Longer dialog/ full reference interview is

possible

Not always synchronous Synchronous

Interaction often prompted by real-

world or location-specific need

Interaction often related to virtual need

or using online resources

Directional & quick reference questions In-depth research questions

Patrons expect a short, speedy answer

Patrons expect a longer conversation

Librarians often don’t have enough

characters to tutor/lead and must

provide ready reference answers

Librarians often try to tutor and lead

patrons to the answer without “doing

the work for them”

“Are tootsie rolls gluten free?” -Received 10/31/11 @ 4:07pm

Librarian Reply:

“The following link says YES. www.tootsie.com/health_info.php”

“Hi. Where would I find books on 18th century sensibility and British Romantic literature?”

-Received 10/6/11 @ 7:44pm

Librarian Reply:

“Many options (tough 2 answer in SMS). See Culture of Sensibility HQ1593.B37 1992 or http://tinyurl.com/OxfordCompanionEnglishLit. See ref desk 4 help.”

“Will someone let us know downstairs when we

need to leave? I've never been up this late.

My phone is about to die, and it’s my only clock.”

-Received 9/30/11 @ 12:19 am

Librarian Reply:

“Before closing, the lights

blink & library workers

come around to check

for students. Thanks for your question!”

Harkens back to pre-Google days of telephone

Ready Reference.

Anonymity of text might appeal to shy patrons.

Serves patrons who don’t have smartphones/data

plans (bridges a digital divide).

Hard to teach information literacy & research skills in

150 characters!

Does text reference play into a culture of instant

gratification and spoon-fed answers?

Text reference is not “just another virtual reference tool.”

Text questions are often related to and sent from the

brick-and-mortar library.

Texting is a unique increasingly popular means of communication requiring specialized best practices and implementation.

Text Reference can supplement and deepen face-to-face library services, especially when paired with Roving Reference.

“Kids Today: How the Class of 2011 Engages with Media.” Nielsen Wire 8 June

2011. Web. 10 Jan. 2012.

“New Mobile Obsession: U.S. Teens Triple Data Usage.” Nielsen Wire 15 Dec.

2011. Web. 10 Jan. 2012.

Smith, Aaron. “How Americans Use Text Messaging.” Pew Internet 19 Sept.

2011. Web. 17 Jan. 2012.

“U.S. Teen Mobile Report: Calling Yesterday, Texting Today, Using Apps

Tomorrow.” Nielsen Wire 14 Oct. 2010. Web. 10 Jan. 2012.

Image Credits:

› Photographs of Purchase College Library taken by Darcy Gervasio, 2011.

› Text Us posters, button & marketing materials designed by Darcy Gervasio, 2011.

› Public Domain clip art taken from OpenClipArt.org and Wikimedia Commons.

› Screenshots from “Texts from Last Night,” “Damn You Auto Correct,” SpringShare’s LibAnswers SMS Statistics Module, and Purchase College Library Catalog taken by Darcy Gervasio using Jing.

› “Average Number of Messages Exchanged Per Month by Age and Gender.” Nielsen Wire. 2011. Retrieved from Nielsen Wire. Web. 10 Jan. 2012

› “Still of Drew Barrymore in Scream.” Dimension Films. 1996. Retrieved from Internet Movie Database. Web. 10 Jan. 2012

› “Tootsie Roll Wallpaper Image.” Tootsie Roll Industries. Retrieved from from www.tootsie.com. Web. 17 Jan. 2012