IM and libraries: ready for a new ride? Tuesday, 28 March 2006 4:51 pm
Posted by Dongmei in CIL2006, IM.1 comment so far
At CIL2006, many libraries reported that they are using IM as another means of ref service, to complement chat ref service and email ref service (and of course, traditional ref services).
- IM Resources: Michael Stephens has a "Tech Tips" piece (about FASTER IM) in the April 2006 issue of Computers in Libraries.
- IM Web links: in this post "Tech Tips for Every Librarian: FASTER IM" on his blog Tame the Web: Libraries and Technology, he posted all the links that he mentioned in the article.
- IM Library Success: on the "Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki", there's a page on "Librarians who IM".
- a survey study: interested in some stats of libraries doing IM? Michael Stephens did a survey study that he presented at Computers in Libraries 2006. I didn't go to that session, but he posted some findings on his blog, "Librarian: How Do you IM? A TTW Survey", check it out.
As we here at CofC Libraries are looking into providing IM as a ref service means, I think that Michael Stephen's suggestions for moving forward with IM in Libraries apply to us well:
- More education
- More case studies/ Let's tell some stories of successful IM interaction A guide to librarian’s IM names on a wiki
- More discussion with key players (IT, etc)
- Examination of security issues
