I think that Instant Messaging is a great addition to library communication paths. IMing became popular when I was a teenager and when I went to college it became essential. If you were not on IM you would miss out on just about every social event. I remember we would send mass Ims to everyone letting them know what time to meet in the cafeteria for dinner. It was also used for class work and allowed group projects to flow much smoother than usual. On top of this I saw IM keep many a long distance relationship alive. Because IMing has been a means of communication that I take for granted I am excited to see it being used in the library environment.
I feel IMing can work in libraries for a number of reasons. First, the article “How Americans Use Instant Messaging” pointed out the rising number of adults using IM. This means that not only does our youth population rely on it, but their parents, and possibly grandparents are also using it. And, based on the articles it is gaining popularity. This means that the people using IM include just about everyone. So, if just about everyone is using a form of technology this means that enough of our customers are using it to make it worth while for us to offer it as a communication tool.
Secondly, I feel that IM could be a strong tool for helping young people become familiar with the reference tools at their library. This population wants instant gratification. IM is one way to do this while also reaching people who either won’t or can’t make it physically to the library. This also leads to some problems. We can not always instantly answer a question. We may need a minute to look things up or find the necessary resources. Will patrons have the patience for this? I will have to ask the librarians working IM here at VB to find out what they have seen so far.
Lastly, the article “Teens and Technology” pointed out that teens see email as “how they communicate with adults.” It even mentioned that not all teens maintain email accounts but many use IM. I am wondering if it would be worth while to do outreach in the local high schools. This is a population that could really use the help of IM Reference while doing homework. I know I would have loved to have a librarian on standby during high school and college classes.
I feel IMing can work in libraries for a number of reasons. First, the article “How Americans Use Instant Messaging” pointed out the rising number of adults using IM. This means that not only does our youth population rely on it, but their parents, and possibly grandparents are also using it. And, based on the articles it is gaining popularity. This means that the people using IM include just about everyone. So, if just about everyone is using a form of technology this means that enough of our customers are using it to make it worth while for us to offer it as a communication tool.
Secondly, I feel that IM could be a strong tool for helping young people become familiar with the reference tools at their library. This population wants instant gratification. IM is one way to do this while also reaching people who either won’t or can’t make it physically to the library. This also leads to some problems. We can not always instantly answer a question. We may need a minute to look things up or find the necessary resources. Will patrons have the patience for this? I will have to ask the librarians working IM here at VB to find out what they have seen so far.
Lastly, the article “Teens and Technology” pointed out that teens see email as “how they communicate with adults.” It even mentioned that not all teens maintain email accounts but many use IM. I am wondering if it would be worth while to do outreach in the local high schools. This is a population that could really use the help of IM Reference while doing homework. I know I would have loved to have a librarian on standby during high school and college classes.
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