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Explore transactional, marketing, and automated borrower tools
Keep all of your communications under one umbrella.
It's easier that way.
If you email your patrons, you should be using MessageBee.
Email is the #1 preferred method of communication among library patrons. MessageBee makes email effective with customized, easy-to-use templates. By sending marketing emails like newsletters and specialized email lists, MessageBee can boost patron engagement.
If you’re not using MessageBee to send marketing-style emails, ask yourself:
Does my email service automatically update with current ILS records?
Do I get useful reporting, send, open, and click data?
Does my existing service have integration with library apps?
If you answered ‘no’ to any of these, consider adding MessageBee marketing.
Key Features
Simple and Useful Online Portal
The MessageBee online portal and designer is simple to design, schedule, and send communications.
Staff-friendly Reporting Tools
Our robust reporting tools allow you to get nearly-instant feedback on your messages and deliverability stats.
Integrates With Your System
By combining with your existing MessageBee utilization, it makes it much simpler to keep all of your communication under one umbrella.
Why MessageBee Marketing?
MessageBee combines a great user interface with the power of the ILS. By integrating with your library’s patron database, you can build email lists based on identifying features, like home branch, last active date, and how long they’ve used the library.
ILS Integration
MessageBee synchs with the ILS so that patron lists are always up to date, something a standalone email service can’t do.
Create Custom Lists
Create and build email lists based on patron criteria, like home branch, new card holders, or event registrants and send personalized emails to the right patrons.
Custom Email Campaigns
Create and automate custom campaigns for uses like a welcome message for new card signups or re-engagement emails for lapsed users.
Tools, Reporting, and More
MessageBee has great reporting tools and deliverability aids that maximize the reach of your emails. Our Customer Support team also have lots of experience to help you, too!
Are you experiencing SMS deliverability issues?
Frustrated that all of your communication tools are in different places?
Looking to upgrade on your ILS-generated notices?
MessageBee transactional can help.
Unique has helped thousands of libraries upgrade their transactional communications. MessageBee puts the power of communicating with patrons back into the hands of the library and away from the ILS. No more limitations on wording, color, or design of your holds, pre-due/courtesy, overdue, bill or welcome email notices. Engage with the patron on your terms with your library brand.
Is your library using SMS notices for patron transactions?
MessageBee Brings Higher SMS Delivery Rates
Our SMS notifications reached over 97% delivery in 2025. We’ve solved delivery headaches for a lot of libraries who’s SMS updates were not reaching patrons. Did you know that carriers updated their technology, removing the existing email-to-gateway system that many ILSes were built on.
Case Study: Unique Solved This Library’s SMS Deliverability Problem
Fort Worth Public Library switched from outdated email-to-SMS gateways — which weren’t working — to MessageBee’s modern SMS platform built for 10-DLC compliance and real-time visibility. Unique handled carrier registration, provided a library-specific phone number, and assisted with patron messaging so that the library’s messages are recognized and tracked. Within months, deliverability jumped from ~41% to over 90%, reaching ~97% by 2025.
How we did it:
Replaced unreliable email-to-SMS gateways with a 10-DLC compliant SMS service that carriers trust.
Registered the library with carriers and provisioned a dedicated, local SMS number patrons recognize.
Built in real-time reporting and delivery tracking so staff can see exactly which texts were delivered.
Proactively monitored deliverability and spam filters with tools that adapt to carrier rules.
Seamlessly renew library cards and grant immediate access to new users with our automated tools.
Save your staff from distracting work with these new time-saving and barrier-removing tools from Unique.
Benefits for Libraries
- No manual address verifications
- Automatically expires cards for patrons that move
- Accurate library user count
Benefits for Users
- Removes barriers and unnecessary trips to the library
- No surprises with expired library cards
- Uninterrupted access to the library
Case Study: Arlington Public Library
The Problem: Manual Renewals Were Inefficient and Created Patron Barriers
Patrons faced unnecessary burdens, and staff were being burdened with menial tasks.
Before beginning Automated Borrower Renewal, patrons had to come into the library in person to verify their addresses to renew their library card.
“In the past, we faced a lot of complaints from patrons who either called in or came in to say they didn’t like having to be in-person to verify their addresses.”
– Arlington’s IT Manager Connie Wu
Benefits for Libraries:
- No manual address verifications
- Accurate library user count
- Reduces fraudulent accounts
Benefits for Users:
- Immediate access to library resources with a valid address
- A barcode for in-library transactions
- Removes Barriers and unnecessary trips to the library
Ready to add to your MessageBee experience?
Let's get you started.