Voice Assistants

Voice assistants (Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc) seem to be everywhere these days. What are libraries doing with them?

 

Some libraries are loaning them to patrons or educating their users about them...

• Skeptical of Smart Speakers?
  https://dppl.org/blog/post/skeptical-of-smart-speakers
• Framingham Public Library is pleased to offer Google Home...
  https://framinghamlibrary.org/google-home

Some library staff are just starting to think about and experiment with how they might be used in libraries...

• Library and academic related services on Google Assistant and Alexa - a preliminary survey
  http://musingsaboutlibrarianship.blogspot.com/2018/06/library-and-academic-related-services.html
• Conversational Systems and Libraries
  http://www.davidleeking.com/conversational-systems-and-libraries/
• ALA: Voice Control
  http://www.ala.org/tools/future/trends/voicecontrol
• Alexa provides a new resource tool to the Missouri Valley Public Library
  http://www.enterprisepub.com/movalley/news/alexa-provides-a-new-resource-tool-to-the-missouri-valley/article_fc739dd0-7a82-11e6-b694-3b99d28d9504.html

Some libraries are developing skills/actions for the devices* to make their libraries' information more accessible to patrons using the devices...

• Designing an Alexa Skill for the Public Library
  https://medium.com/@alexcollier/designing-an-alexa-skill-for-the-public-library-6ec43604062a
• Worthington Libraries: Voice Assistants
  https://www.worthingtonlibraries.org/visit/services/voice-assistants
• Online Searcher - "Serving Patrons Using Voice Assistants at Worthington"
  http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=133216866&site=ehost-live  (available through BadgerLink)
• New Alexa Skill debuts this week at DCDL
  https://www.delgazette.com/news/59607/new-alexa-skill-debuts-this-week-at-dcdl

And some libraries are promoting library services that can work with the devices.

• hoopla Now Suports Amazon Alexa Devices!
  https://www.lapl.org/alexa-meet-hoopla

Some takeaways:

• Voice Assistants are designed to be personal/home devices and may have some challenges being integrated into a library environment
  • library networks are designed to keep users' data private, where voice assistants would like to communicate with other devices in the area
  • how comfortable would patrons be interacting with a voice assistant in a public space?
• This is a technology that will likely become more and more popular over time
  (Remember how the crew on Star Trek would ask the ship's computer something and it would answer?** It sure seems like that's where we're headed.)
• Libraries' best option may be to make their content more easily accessible to these devices and to promote content and services that work with the devices at patrons' homes

Do you have a voice assistant at your house? What is your impression?
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* Check out libraries with Alexa skills and with Google Actions
**Amazon now allows users to change the "wake word" for its Alexa voice-enabled assistant and allows "Computer" as a wake word, to the delight of Star Trek fans: http://time.com/4645187/amazon-echo-star-trek-computer-voice/