Innovative™, part of Clarivate™, recently launched new SMS and telephony notifications for Polaris library patrons through Innovative Phone Alerts.
Three Polaris libraries participated in beta testing of the new alerts through a variety of combinations: SMS notifications, outbound phone notifications, and inbound phone answering.
These new solutions are modern, cloud-based options with easy set up and management for library staff. They integrate with the Polaris notices and policies and can be scheduled to send on a recurring time that works for the library. This means wherever patrons are, they can be conveniently informed when their library hold is ready, or reminded when checked out materials are due.
“Most of us are used to getting phone calls or text reminders from retailers and doctor offices. Why shouldn’t that also be true for library reminders?” asked Tom Jacobson, Vice President of Product Management at Innovative.
Patrons love that SMS messages are short, succinct, and easy to read. Staff love that the system is low maintenance.
Libraries who purchase an Innovative Phone Alerts package can also add on Dial-a-Story at no additional cost. This service allows libraries to place audio content on a phone line for patrons who need an option to call in and listen. Libraries can set up a menu of options where patrons can choose to listen to a reading of the week’s events, staff reading a book, a podcast, a poem, or anything they imagine.
To learn more about these new solutions, you can download one or all the following brochures:
Voice and SMS notifications are available for all Polaris libraries. Contact an Account Manager to learn more or request a demo.