Text a Librarian FAQ

Text us at 66746 and start the first question you send us with askoviatt.

Service hours Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm.

Example: askoviatt What are the library hours on Saturdays?

What is Text a Librarian?

Text a Librarian is a service which enables you to use the text message feature of your mobile phone to send questions to and receive answers from Oviatt Library reference librarians

When can I use the service?

Text questions to us Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. We will respond as soon as possible during those hours. Questions not answered by 5:00 PM will be answered after 10:00 AM the next service day (M-F). Questions sent outside of service hours receive an automated response and are answered the next service day.

Please be aware that some text messages can be delayed or even fail due to problems with the connections between different telephone carriers.

What kind of questions can I ask via texting?

Use Text a Librarian to ask simple, quick questions (up to 160 characters) that can be answered in brief responses (up to 320 characters). If our responses exceed 160 characters, they appear as 2 messages.

To ask questions requiring lengthy, detailed, or immediate responses, please use one of the other options listed on our Ask a Librarian page.

What do I need to use the service?

To use the service, you need a mobile phone which is enabled to send and receive text messages.

What does the service cost?

The Library does not charge for this service, but charges from your cell phone provider may apply. These charges vary among plans and among telephone providers.

The Library does not take any responsibility for any charges your mobile phone provider may assess you for sending or receiving messages while using this service.

Do I always need to include askoviatt at the beginning of my questions?

No. You only need to include askoviatt for the first question you send to us.

What about my privacy?

Text a Librarian is private and secure: