New! Custom offline messages for Twilio SMS gateways

Big news! We just updated our Twilio SMS gateway on the main US server to deliver messages sent when your queue is offline. And you can now customize the "we're offline" message a patron receives when texting to an offline queue.

Offline message delivery works like this. When a librarian brings the queue online, the librarian will receive any messages texted to your phone number while the queue was offline. The librarian will also receive system-generated metadata that states how long ago, in hours and minutes, the patron's message was sent. The messages will appear as a regular chat, allowing the librarian to get back in touch with the patron instantly.

Also, by popular request, each Twilio phone number can have its own customized "we're offline" message. Librarians have often wanted to provide their hours or a link to their service hours page, for instance, so the patron will have some idea of when to expect a reply.

If you'd like to customize the "we're offline" message for your Twilio phone number(s), please email your phone number(s) and the exact wording of your offline message to support@libraryh3lp.com.