The 'how to' guide for ALA Ambassadors using the text-an-ambassador service during ALA Annual 2009

1. Text an ALA Ambassador
Quick Start Guide 2009
www.textalibrarian.com
support@textalibrarian.com
Confidential - Copyright 2007-2009, Mosio, Inc.

2. Welcome!
Hello Ambassadors!
Thank you very much for taking the time to get familiar with how Text an ALA
Ambassador works.
This Quick Start Guide will help you to get started answering questions
right away. Part 1 focuses on the details of using the web interface
called a “microboard”. Part 2 shows what attendees will experience. Due to the
nature of the how the service will be used at the conference, not all features will
be necessary. We welcome you to sign up for an online webinar to see the full
service or visit us at booth #2957 if you would like a live demo.
We look forward to working with you!
The Text a Librarian Team
www.textalibrarian.com

3. Part 1: Logging In
Login
You will be provided with login information specific to the location of the information booth. Use
this information to log in to the ALA “microboard” online at http://start.textalibrarian.com/

4. Part 1: How You Are Notified
Notifications
(Click on the keyword
or refresh the page to
see and answer the
new question.)
Text a Librarian provides 4 ways to be notified of new questions: the microboard, email, instant message
and text message. For the purposes of the conference, the microboard will be the only option necessary.
The microboard will flash with scrolling alerts letting you know a new question has been posted. To view
and answer the new question, refresh the internet browser or click on the underlined keyword “ala” to
refresh.

5. Part 1: How You Respond
Answering Questions
To answer a question, click on the red
“Answer” button, and then type in the
answer window on the answer page. Click
“Send My Answer”.
Each answer window can send 2 text
messages. If you need to send additional
messages after you have sent the first
answer, click on the green “Add Answer”
button.
If another Ambassador has already begun
answering the question, the “I Got It”
feature will appear above the answer
window (image lower right)
Please note: You will see a custom footer
displayed as soon as you begin typing.
The footer will drop off as you type if your I Got It Feature (not displayed above)
response requires the entire answer area.
An alert will appear above the answer window to let you know when another
Ambassador is already answering the question

6. Part 1: Answer Follow Up
Add Answer or Close Question
When an attendee replies to an answer, a new notification alert will scroll on the microboard.
The follow-up message is contained in the same question thread and is now at the top of the
microboard signifying an active conversation is occurring. If the attendee has requested more
information, click the green “Add Answer” to continue the conversation. If there is no response
necessary click the “Close this question” button at the bottom of the question thread. Closing
the question allows the question thread to drop into chronological order on the microboard.

7. Part 1: Favorites, Flags & Delete
Great questions, Inappropriate questions
Favorites
Clicking on the star underneath the “Answer” button
marks a question as a favorite. Click on “My Favorites” to
view those questions you have marked as favorites
(FAQs, training questions, etc.).
Flags
Clicking on the flag underneath the “Answer” button flags
a
question as inappropriate, which triggers an email to your
administrator. If necessary, your administrator can send
an
email to support@textalibrarian.com to have the phone
number blocked from sending future messages to your
microboard.
Delete
Clicking on the trash can underneath the “Answer” button
deletes a question from the microboard.

8. Part 2: How Attendees Text Questions
Compose New SMS to 66746, type Keyword “ALA” + Question, Send
Attendees will send in questions by composing an SMS/text message to “66746”, which spells
“MOSIO” and is the Text a Librarian short code (aka phone number). They will start their
questions with the keyword “ALA”, then enter a [space], then type their question and finally
press “Send”.
1) Compose New SMS/Text Message to 66746
2) Type “ALA" [space] "Question" (example: ALA What time do you close tonight?)
3) Send

9. Part 2: Attendee Receives Answer
Attendee Options
Attendee receives the answer via text
message, and can then do 1 of 3 things:
1) Forward on to others to share or for
future reference.
2) Reply for more information (keyword
not required for reply).
3) Nothing, if s/he is happy with the
answer.
Please note: The very first time an attendee sends in a question, s/he will receive an automated message that says:
“Your question has been posted, thank you! Reply STOP to quit, HELP for info. Powered by Mosio. Standard
messaging charges apply. T&Cs mosio.com/terms.php.” This is an automated message that mobile phone carriers
require by law to be sent upon the first message sent to any mobile service like Text a Librarian. This automated
message is sent to the attendee once, only after the first question.

10. Finished
Success!
Once again, there are many other features of Text a
Librarian that will not be used at the conference
(collaboration, reporting, notifications, etc.) so we
welcome you to stop by booth #2957 for a demo of the
full service.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
support@textalibrarian.com