Biz Buzz

Text a Librarian

Have a research question that you can't find by Google? Maybe you can find it with a text from your iPhone or cell phone.

Customers now can text message and instant message their research questions to Tulsa City-County Library's AskUs Hotline in addition to e-mailing, faxing and telephoning.

"Whether you need information about a community organization or directions to a local business or the answer to a research question, we're here to answer your questions quickly, accurately and efficiently," said Ellen Cummings, managing librarian, Tulsa City-County Library Research Center. "Earlier this year, we added IM'ing and text messaging as options because we want customers to be able to reach us in the communications format that they are most comfortable with."

Customers can telephone their questions to the AskUs Hotline at (918)549-7323 Monday through Thursday, 9am to 9pm; Friday and Saturday, 9am to 5pm; and Sunday, September through May, 1 to 5pm. Send faxes to (918)549-7416.

Librarians will respond to IM's and text messages from noon to 8:30pm, Monday through Thursday, and noon to 5pm, Friday and Saturday.

Customers can text AskTCCL to 66746. The first time you use Text a Librarian, you will need to include the keyword "AskTCCL" in the message. Visit tulsalibrary.org to send an e-mail or instant message. Click on the AskUs icon.

Cummings said there are benefits to texting your questions to Tulsa City-County Library's AsKUs service instead of ChaCha.

"For starters, we won't send you an advertising text back, as ChaCha does," she said. "Plus, we're local, so we have local information, and we always cite our sources."

For more information about AskUs or Tulsa City-County Library's Research Center, call (918)549-7323.

Hands-On Education

If you have been to a game at the new Tulsa Drillers ONEOK Field, you have seen the new gigantic media screen with its flashy images. An Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology multimedia student, Preston Lynn from Sulphur, helped develop the content for the screen, while working as an intern for Drillers' video production coordinator David Ruckman.

Ruckman said that Preston is a much-needed "sparkplug" for ONEOK Field. "Preston's take on baseball production and all of the elements involved is refreshing, and his attitude is trumped only by his relentless work ethic."

The Drillers' video board unit is among the largest in minor league baseball, at 48 feet wide. "We are essentially putting on a live television program centered on baseball with 'commercial breaks' about our sponsored in-game contests and announcements," Ruckman said. He added that the Drillers also use two message boards to display messages, advertisements for sponsors, self-promotional information for the ballpark amenities, and more.

Chris Hopkins, OSUIT's Multimedia Instructor, says that being able to provide qualified interns for companies like the Tulsa Drillers is what sets its degree program apart from others. "It is essential that we build relationships with companies that use cutting edge technology, such as the Drillers, so we can continue to place students in internship learning environments to enhance their education."

Ruckman said, "I imagine that OSUIT's Multimedia internship program prepares all of its students with a skill set like Preston's, so I hope to be plucking a few more elite students from OSUIT to work with us in future baseball seasons."

Hopkins added that OSUIT's Visual Communications program has a 25-year reputation of preparing students to go into the workforce immediately following graduation and have the skills necessary to be immediately effective in their careers.

For Tulsa Drillers' game schedules, tickets and information, visit TulsaDrillers.com.