Using SMS Alerts

If your library has acquired SMS Alerts, your patrons can receive mobile phone text messages as a supplement to certain circulation notices. Patrons at U.S. libraries can also send text messages to your library to renew items.

Once you have set up SMS Alerts at your library, patrons can opt in to send and receive text messages. Patrons who no longer want to receive SMS alerts can opt out from their patron record in the WebPAC, or authorized staff can opt patrons out from Sierra. Patrons of U.S. libraries can also opt out using their mobile phone.

Supplementing Notices with SMS Alerts

Patrons can receive the following types of SMS alerts:

All Libraries:

Courtesy

Hold Pickup

Hourly Overdue

Overdue

Non-U.S. Libraries Only:

Recall

Most alerts are generated when you send the corresponding notice type, except hold pickup alerts, which are sent when you place an item on the holdshelf. SMS alerts consist of short messages that are not item-specific; therefore, patrons who receive SMS alerts also receive the corresponding circulation notices.

Renewing Items via SMS

At U.S. libraries only, patrons who have opted in to receive SMS alerts can renew their items via text message. For more information, see Renewing Items via SMS (U.S. Libraries Only).

Setting Up SMS Alerts

To set up SMS Alerts:

1. Contact Innovative with the following information:
   • All Libraries
     • The types of SMS alerts you want enabled at your library.
     • The timeframe during which you want SMS alerts sent to patrons (e.g., 6 AM to 9 PM).
     • The text for each SMS alert enabled at your library, including an address (email or URL) or phone number patrons can use to find out more about the SMS alert. For example:

     The item you requested is available for pickup at the North Library. For more information go to: https://north.lib.edu/patroninfo

     SMS alerts can contain the following number of characters:

     Character Type	Example Languages	Maximum Length of Alert
     ASCII printable characters (codes 32-127)	English	160
     Extended ASCII (codes 128-255) and Non-Roman	Spanish, Arabic	70

   • Non-U.S. Libraries
     • A shortcode number of 16 digits or 11 alphanumeric characters to display as the SMS alert origin.
   • U.S. Libraries
     • The URL of a web page where your patrons can learn about SMS messaging at your library. This URL will be added to Innovative's website at http://www.iii.com/sms.

2. Enable SMS Alerts for your library's WebPAC. For more information, see Setting Up SMS Alerts in the WebPAC.

See also:

SMS Alerts Text Messages