Method 9

Chat and Instant Messaging

I chatted with Naomi (our Continuing Education Two-Step mentor) using Meebo and it worked well. I have also used chat lines for an insurance company and an appliance parts department trying to troubleshoot my oven when it cratered. Both experiences went well and I found the immediate gratification…well, gratifying. Phone trees never seem to address the question that I have, so the chat experience was much more personal and immediate. I felt in control of my communication need at the time. The telephone approach does not provide me with that sense of personal control in meeting my needs. The minute a machine or person answers the phone, I know that I go into a queue that is not on my time.

My academic library is using Meebo for Ask a Librarian service. I staff the chat line once a week, just for fun. The service is used, but not heavily, during my two-hour watch. Last week, a question was asked but the writer did not hang around for the answer even though I tried to respond as fast as possible. Maybe “instant” is not fast enough for certain generations of users.
The library staff has made it easy to use even though there are many campuses. It seems that libraries will need to use as many ways to connect with patrons as possible. It does mean that we have to stay current with the various technologies almost as soon as they appear on the horizon.

Facebook chat is fun to use and sometimes I find a relative or friend online and a spontaneous chat occurs – a little like bumping into someone in the hallway. We are probably just beginning to learn the many applications of this technology.

Method 8

I do enjoy the Social Networking aspect of Facebook. I have had a FB account for a year or more at the invitation of my son and daughter-in-law and many of my young relatives who are off to college or building their families and careers in a scattering of cities across the country. It is a great way to keep up daily with those who are far away. When colleagues left the job and moved away FB became a favored way to keep up with several people at once. Many people "friended" on FB play a lot of games; Mafia Wars and Farmville seem popular. It is not for me because it seems too time-consuming but it seems like a fun way to stay connected with others.

I also explored the Group sites provided – North Texas Partners since that is my alma mater; I joined the Librarians and Facebook Group, as well as, explored the Librarians 2.0 Interest Group. The Library of Congress FB provided a good idea of how to keep a notice short and generate interest in an event. Texas Tech does a good job of spotlighting services, hours, and technologies provided by the library system while personalizing with quips about the football team or whatever is seasonal. These are great ways to get new ideas and explore how others use the technology.

Privacy does concern me however, I am not sure what to do about it, since I enjoy the participation experience more than being concerned! I do prefer to keep my personal life separate from professional life.

My community college has several FB groups set up – Alumni – Sports – various campuses. This could be an opportunity for my campus which has 6 libraries at various sites. It does seem like another venue for keeping connected with students and faculty on campus. Although, it seems like stopping someone at random on the campus saying “…did you know…”