[972] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Telephone overdue notices
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (KELLEY@LUB001.LAMAR.EDU)
Tue Aug 11 13:19:03 1992
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1992 11:27:39 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
From: KELLEY@LUB001.LAMAR.EDU
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
Please reply to the author, not PACS-L. thank you
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hello, I'm Sharon Kelley, a System Support Specialist for the
Lamar University Library in Beaumont, Texas. We are a mid-size
academic library using Data Research software.
Early this year, we began using a commercial telephone messaging
system to remind our borrowers about overdue books, or to notify them
of items to be picked up from the Hold shelves. (I gave a talk on our
system at the Data Research User's group at ALA in June).
There are a number of systems available; most consist of a PC with a
voice board and messaging software. This will be connected to a phone
line. Software on the PC is able to accept a list of phone
numbers, and identify those numbers with a particular message
to be "played" to someone at each of those numbers. These
messages are voice recordings usually made by someone at the
site, and these can be altered as needed. These recorded messages
are stored on the hard disk like a regular file. Other features
are available on many of these systems, such as touch-tone caller
response, phone bulletin board-like messages and "message mailboxes"
that permit you or borrowers to leave messages.
Your options include buying the voice board and writing your own
software, ( about $800.00, but difficult for several reasons);
buying a board with various types of pc software which allow you
to configure your system by means of script files, programs or menu
choices, (~$2000.00 and up...); or a turnkey system set
up for your library, (~$3000.00 and up...). In addition, you may need
to include the cost of a PC and extra phone line.
If you want, I can send a list of vendors and would be glad to share
what we have learned in our implementation.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-
= Sharon Kelley Internet: Kelley@LUB001.LAMAR.EDU =
- System Support Specialist THEnet: LUB001::KELLEY -
= Lamar University Library =
- P. O. Box 10021 -
= Beaumont, Texas 77710 =
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