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Auto Dialer Provider CallFire Powers Dial-In Renewal Service

TMCnews


TMCnews Featured Article


July 05, 2011

Auto Dialer Provider CallFire Powers Dial-In Renewal Service

By Jamie Epstein, TMCnet Web Editor


The Central Library Consortium revealed that due to its work with auto dialer provider CallFire, it can now offer an easy way for book lovers to renew their memberships to its libraries, by simply dialing a phone number. The service allows library users to see the current outstanding titles of books that have recently been checked out under their name, and even gives them the ability to renew any items they want.


In addition, this new service alerts them if anything they have requested is ready to be picked up at the library.

Select libraries worked together to formulate the Central Library Consortium (CLC), in order to design a computerized library network that allows a way to easily share resources among members.

The just launched service was developed in-house by CLC using a RESTful API from Polaris Library Systems and cloud based telephony services from CallFire, a press release stated. Before this new service was implemented, the CLC analyzed various other dial-in services from other vendors but quickly realized that the products came at a very high price tag (News - Alert) and were not easily used.

 “The level of flexibility we have with CallFire and the Polaris API is great. We were able to tailor a solution to meet our specific requirements. The entire project only took about two months to implement.” said Wes Osborn, CLC system administrator, who was the lead developer on the project, in a statement.

CLC used the CallFire Interactive Voice Response (IVR) designer to simply create interactive phone menu systems. According to the release, the IVR designer also has the capability to gather data from other Web services. CallFire offers customers “flat” minute rates and an elevated level of maintenance of toll free numbers at a fair price. “It’s wonderful that this service is maintained in the cloud and we didn’t have to purchase any additional telephone lines or make any up front purchases of expensive equipment.” said Carol Roddy, CLC’s executive director.

The CallFire system receives information about specific library users through use of the Polaris API, a web-based service that retains information directly from the Polaris catalog. “It is great to know that even as we upgrade Polaris the API functionality will remain consistent and we won’t have to recode our solution unless we’re ready to add new functionality. We’re also glad that the code we developed can be freely shared with other Polaris libraries that might be interested in the same functionality,” said Wes Osborn.

Jeffrey Young, lead software developer with Polaris Library Systems commented, “The success of the Polaris ILS Platform is directly tied to our customer’s use of our Polaris API services. These services were added to open up the Polaris feature set and to allow others to extend Polaris in a controlled manner. I am excited to hear that CLC’s creative use of the Polaris API service allowed them to develop and deploy a cost-effective alternative to traditional telephony services. Polaris is committed to expanding our API services and customers like CLC are helping to drive that development. “

The CLC has plans in the near future to continue to increase the ways in which the Polaris API can be used to offer increased services to both its member libraries and their devoted readers.

To gain access to this service, call: 1-877-77-BOOKS (1-877-772-6657).


Jamie Epstein is a TMCnet Web Editor. Previously she interned at News 12 Long Island as a reporter's assistant. After working as an administrative assistant for a year, she joined TMC (News - Alert) as a Web editor for TMCnet. Jamie grew up on the North Shore of Long Island and holds a bachelor's degree in mass communication with a concentration in broadcasting from Five Towns College. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Carrie Schmelkin







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