AI That Takes Admin Off Your Librarians
Libraries spend staff time answering the same patron questions and building program flyers and reports. 12² builds an approved-answer assistant, content templates and report workflows around the library's systems.
Library Patron & Programs Desk · From $2,500 + $249/mo, by team size · proposed estimate · It says it is an automated assistant whenever it talks to someone directly, and your team reviews what it drafts before it goes out.
Ai for libraries: the short answer.
12² builds AI for libraries that takes routine work off their librarians: answering hours and card questions from approved answers, drafting program descriptions and newsletters, compiling monthly statistics and drafting grant applications. It runs inside the tools you already use. It never touches patron records.
Sources
- General office-writing evidence, not a study of this job: in an RCT, ChatGPT cut professional writing time 40% and raised quality (Noy & Zhang, Science 2023)news.mit.edu
Research figures above describe the cited studies, not results 12² promises. Results vary. Disclosures
Where the hours go now.
Hours, card and policy questions
Libraries spend staff time answering the same patron questions and building program flyers and reports.
Program descriptions and newsletters
Written up by hand, one at a time, after the real work is done.
Monthly statistics reports
Rebuilt from scratch each time, usually at the end of the day.
What it handles, and what it never does.
What it handles
- Hours, card and policy questionsIt answers hours, card and policy questions from approved answers.
- Program descriptions and newslettersIt drafts program descriptions and newsletters.
- Monthly statistics reportsIt compiles monthly statistics reports.
- Drafting grant applications from program dataIt drafts grant applications from program data.
- Hand-off to your teamAnything that needs a person goes to the right person, with the details attached.
What it never does
- Make up a price or a factIt works only from the documents, records and price lists you give it. Anything it can't find goes to your team.
- Promise a resultQuestions about outcomes go to the person who does the work.
- Pretend to be a personIt says it is an automated assistant whenever it talks to someone directly.
- Send anything on its ownDrafts wait for your team's approval before anything goes out.
Built and tested on your own work.
Before handoff, we run your build on your own real examples and fix anything that misses.
- Tested on your own workBefore handoff, we run your build on your own real examples and fix anything that misses.
- Retainer, then balance on deliveryRetainer up front. Work starts once the retainer is paid; the balance is due on delivery when the agreed test cases pass.
- Fixed price, scope and timelineAll three in writing before work starts. The timeline is set in your quote.
- What 12² buildsAn approved-answer assistant, content templates and report workflows around the library's systems.
- How it connectsWe confirm how it connects to your systems on the first call and write it into your quote.
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See also: all industry packages · pricing
From $2,500 + $249/moSetup + monthly, by size. The monthly fee covers monitoring, fixes and re-tests for your package as your templates, documents and staff change. AI and software usage is billed at cost. Proposed starting estimates by team size, not fixed prices; the final price is in a written quote.
- Small: Small office (1-10 staff)From $2,500 + $249/mo. The core build for 1-10 staff: an approved-answer assistant, content templates and report workflows around the library's systems. Proposed estimate. Small tier; monthly covers hosting, monitoring and fixes.
- Mid-size: Growing office (11-50 staff)From $6,500 + $549/mo. Everything in Small office, for more users, inboxes and calendars, with hand-off rules set for each role. Proposed estimate. More users, locations or integrations.
- Enterprise: Multi-site / enterprise (50+ staff or multiple locations)From $15,000, custom quote. Everything in Growing office, across locations or departments, with system integrations and a security review scoped in your custom quote. Proposed estimate floor; scope, integrations and security review set the final number. No cap.
- Retainer up front Work starts once the retainer is paid; the balance is due on delivery when the agreed test cases pass. Scope, price and timeline are agreed in writing before work starts.
- You own itThe accounts, scripts, templates and data sit in your name. You can leave at any time.
- Compliance and dataPatron-record confidentiality laws (unverified per state); public libraries buy under their procurement rules.
- Not professional adviceStudent records stay under your FERPA and privacy policies, and your educators approve what goes to students and families. 12² builds software and automations. It is not a licensed professional in your field, and your team makes every professional decision. Disclosures
Straight answers.
Does it see patron records?
No. It answers from approved policy text.
How does payment work?
Retainer up front. Work starts once the retainer is paid; the balance is due on delivery when the agreed test cases pass.
How long does it take?
Timelines are set per project in the quote, after we see your systems and volume.
Are these prices final?
No. They are proposed starting estimates. You get a written custom quote after a short scoping call.
Tell us how you handle hours, card and policy questions now.
A few lines is enough. If it's a fit we'll say so, and if it isn't we'll tell you why.
- You'll hear back within one business day12² reads your note and replies about your project.
- A free 20-minute callHow the work runs now, what gets missed, and what your team needs from it.
- A fixed quoteYour size, scope, date and price in writing before any work starts.
Prefer email? Write to [email protected]
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