LibraryCall is pleased to introduce SoundTrack, a new service that allows libraries, museums, and galleries to offer a low-cost audio component to existing self-paced exhibits, including popular library StoryWalks.
Here's how it works: callers dial a local number, select their preferred listening language, and press keys corresponding to numbered exhibits to hear audio recordings. Exhibiting institutions can opt to include welcome messages and instructions, activity suggestions, interstitial music and messages, and closing calls to action. An easy-to-use management app allows staff to upload audio and view caller statistics.
"We launched LibraryCall during the pandemic to help libraries connect with hard-to-reach community members using a device most people own– a telephone," says Lori Ayre, LibraryCall Principal. "Phones are a great way to meet patrons where they are, no wifi needed! Almost everyone has one, so why not capitalize on that? With the addition of LibraryCall Soundtrack to our suite of services, libraries and other institutions have the ability to share multilingual audio recordings over the phone and enhance their self-directed installations, including Storywalks."
LibraryCall's first SoundTrack partner, Corona Public Library (CA), has offered StoryWalks since June 2021, merging literacy, physical activity, and family fun in a permanent outdoor installation. LibraryCall is excited to support the listen-along component of this successful program.
Librarian Jennifer Bauserman says, "City of Corona Community Services welcomes this opportunity to work with LibraryCall in creating a more user-friendly audio enabled element to our StoryWalk. The City of Corona's StoryWalk is a permanent installation at Mountain Gate Park with bilingual panels that separate a storybook by pages along a park trail. Each monthly StoryWalk features interactive elements and audio narration to listen to the story in both English and Spanish. Users can now listen to each monthly StoryWalk by calling our StoryWalk phone number and easily hearing each panel read aloud using their phone's keypad. Our StoryWalk installation encourages families to get outdoors and enjoy their local park and provides important educational and early literacy opportunities that will be enhanced using the StoryWalk phone number. We would like to thank LibraryCall for their wonderful work in setting up this service and we are excited for everyone to get a chance to start using it this July."
Corona Public Library will feature the story The Greatest Adventure in Mountain Gate Park (3100 South Main Street, Corona CA 92882) starting in July 2022.
LibraryCall provides affordable phone and web app technologies to help libraries connect with patrons outside the library. Other services offered by LibraryCall include Storytime Direct and Dial-A-Story Studio. For more information, visit www.librarycall.com