LibraryCall - Services for Reaching Across the Digital Divide
Submitted by Lori Ayre on Tue, 07/20/2021 - 8:35amDuring COVID, we got busy putting together some services that would enable libraries to reach patrons without a broadband connection. With libraries closed, we knew these were the people who needed our help. From that inspiration, LibraryCall services were borne. We've created several services including:
Storytime Commons - a repository of high-quality, updated stories that we've adapted for the times. These are stories that our Dial-A-Story customers can select and schedule for their Dial-A-Story programs. We pull stories from this collection for our Storytime Direct service.
Dial-A-Story Studio - a service that enables libraries to implement their own Dial-A-Story service. They can use our Storytime Direct stories and may upload their own. Libraries set their own schedules, have as many phone numbers as they like, track their stats, and use our widgets so that the service is available to phone-only patrons as well as online patrons.
Storytime Direct - a service that allows libraries to deliver a new story every week without having to do any work to make it happen. We push a new story from our Storytime Commons collection each week. Libraries may have an English line or both an English and Spanish line. We set you up with the phone numbers, widgets for online users to enjoy the stories, and all the library needs to do is let people know about the service. Couldn't be easier or more affordable to reach across the digitial divide.
Resource Hotline - tools to deliver timely information to people by phone. Our interface makes it easy for libraries to change the content that gets delivered, and track how callers use the service. Callers can leave messages, be routed to another number (e.g. another community resource) or listen to recordings prepared by staff.
Community Calendar - this smart calendar reads whatever events are coming up based on the time the call is made. Callers don't have to listen to information about events that have passed. With one phone call, they can hear exactly what's happening and learn how to participate. Library staff choose what to include - could be library-only events or communty-wide events. It's completely customizable by the library.
These services are currently offered under the heading of LibraryCall. More information about the services (and others we have in the works) at LibraryCall.com.