IM a Librarian: the Meebo, SkypeUnyte solution

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IM a Librarian the Meebo, Skype-Unyte solution

• Dan Sich
• University of Waterloo

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Overview

• Meebo
• Skype Unyte
• Background, implementation
• Issues, hurdles
• Promotion, Stats
• Future directions

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Past experience

• LSSI (tutor.com)
• Docutek
• Co-browsing infrequent
• MSN
• M-F, 12-4pm

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Meebo

• Web service for IM
• Multiple accounts, one interface
• Web based zero install, zero updates
• MeeboMe widgets
• Free

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www.meebo.com
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MeeboMe

• Chat box
• Status indicator
• Easy to make customize
• Code is automatically generatedsrc"http//widget.meebo.com/mm.swf?_CODE _"
  type"application/x-shockwave-flash"
  wmode"transparent" width"190"
  height"275"
• Copy paste

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Other widgets, IM clients

• Pidgin www.pidgin.im
• Trillian www.ceruleanstudios.com
• Plugoo www.plugoo.com
• Hab.la www.hab.la
• www.shushers.ca/libraridan
• www.libsuccess.org

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January 2007

• Launched IM a Librarian
• Shared Meebo ID
• Kept same MSN account
• Added Google Talk, Yahoo! and AIM
• Added MeeboMe widget
• Kept Docutek

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Practices

• Staffed Mon-Fri, 12-4pm
• Google Calendar for scheduling
• Emails are forwarded
• Procedures always evolving

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Transcripts

• MeeboMe no
• Meebo yes
• Painful transcript recovery
• No time for analysis
• Privacy concerns (U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act of
  2001)
• Turn them off

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Issue patron wont stand still

• Stay on the page, please

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4
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3
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Issue offline messages

• Contact info?
• Time stamps
• Are you still there?
• Contact info?

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Issue missed messages

• Firefox Meebo add-onhttps//addons.mozilla.org/en
  -US/firefox/addon/5700
• Flashing tab task, pop-up sidebar preview

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Issue anonymity

• Nickname meeboguest
• Weirdos

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How to block patrons
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Issue librarian/widget cant connect

• Cant login?
• Keep getting booted?
• MeeboMe wont connect
• Check Meebo forums
• Have backup plan

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MeeboMe alternative Hab.la

• www.hab.la
• Chat widgets
• MeeboMe replacement
• Widgets look work differently
• Works with Meebo, Pidgin, etc.

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Good about Hab.la

• Shows what page patron is on, and how they got
  there
• Chat boxes float
• Colour selection
• Can configure to start collapsed (default) or
  expandedconfig.vars"start_expanded" 1
• Can configure to vanish when offlineconfig.vars
  "hide_not_available" 1
• No lost transcripts
• Widget follows users who click hyperlinks
• Ideal for blogs
• Programmers are open to suggestions

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Bad about Hab.la

• Require cookies
• Poor documentation
• No nicknames
• Trouble connecting
• Max 5 simultaneous widgets

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Promotion

• Library homepage Whats New?
• news _at_ your library
• Pass it on

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Keeping stats

• Pen paper, 1 tick per question
• IMs MeeboMe MSN Google Talk Yahoo! AIM
• MeeboMes highest
• MSNs frequent
• Google chats occasional
• Yahoo! and AIM chat extremely rare
• contacts in Buddy List
• IMs Docutek

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Evening hours pilot

• 4-7pm, Mon-Thurs
• Meebo Docutek
• Staffed by less-busy info desk
• Results numbers too low

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Stats Docutek vs. IM
Evening hours pilot Feb 26-April 13
Stopped Docutek April 16
Started Meebo
MSN passes Docutek
No service Aug 2005
Started MSN
Number of questions
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Staff use

• Contact other staff
• Referring questions
• Contact other libraries

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Other Meebo features

• Applications (the rocket)
• VOIP (low quality)
• Video VOIP
• Backgammon, etc.

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Other Meebo/IM options

• No size fits all
• Monitor MeeboMe widgets with Pidgin
• Monitor Hab.la widgets with Meebo, Pidgin, etc.
• Plugoo widgets
• Theres always something new

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Skype Unyte (Lyte)
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Skype

• VOIP
• Faster than chat
• Has chat
• Very intuitive
• Free
• Requires install
• One more login

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Unyte

• One-way screen-sharing
• No co-browse
• Any webpage, browser or program
• Works with Skype, Meebo, etc.
• No proxy issues
• Requires (host-side) install
• No plug-in required for patron
• Free version available

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Free puppy

• Provider has no obligations
• Functionality can vanish
• Choose the applications to share no longer free

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Unyte Lyte caveats, issues

• Unyte interrupted stop sharing
• Screen lag web slow, Unyte slow
• Skype unavailable, Unyte unavailable

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Tools/Do More Unyte is bad
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Skype vs. bandwidth

• Super-nodes bandwidth consumption
• Prevention Windows registry patch
• Work with campus IT

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http//heartbeat.skype.com
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Earphone head? Ring PC speaker
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Skyped viruses

• Skype users targeted by virushttp//www.cbc.ca/
  technology/story/2007/09/10/tech-skype.html
• Beware attachments URLs
• Always check with sender

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Marketing to managers

• Already interested
• Skype Unyte are free
• Headsets are cheap
• Who staffs it?
• Systems staff workload (installs)

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Timeline

• Started testing March 2007
• Aimed for Sept launch
• Software installed mid-Sept
• Quick training
• Pilot Oct 1 end of April

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Quick poll Did you know?
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Skype buttons
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Skype buttons on subject page
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First steps

• Oct 1st launch pilot
• Oct 2nd 1st chat (with Unyte)
• Oct 3rd 1st VOIP

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Patron feedback

• I am really pleased that UW is offering this
  service. Thanks!

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Skype stats chat, VOIP Unyte
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Future of Skype-Unyte reference?

• 4 more months
• Not installed on public workstations
• Systems workload
• Do students prefer chat?
• Staff need practice

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Unyte alternatives

• Spontania https//extras.skype.com/1101/view 
• Covenos http//www.convenos.com/
• Yugma https//www.yugma.com/
• Solomons VoIP Worldhttp//solokay.blogspot.com/2
  007/09/review-of-skype-desktop-sharing-options.htm
  l

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References links

• Stephanie J. Graves, Christina M. Desai. (2006).
  Instruction via chat reference Does co-browse
  help? Reference Services Review, 34(3), 340.
• http//www.libsuccess.org/ (see Libraries Using
  MeeboMe for Embeeded Chat)
• http//solokay.blogspot.com/ (Solomons VoIP
  World)
• www.meebo.com
• www.meebome.com
• www.pidgin.im
• www.ceruleanstudios.com (Trillian)
• www.hab.la (Hab.la widgets)
• www.plugoo.com (Plugoo widgets)
• www.skype.com
• http//heartbeat.skype.com/
• www.unyte.net
• https//extras.skype.com/1101/view (Spontania)
• http//www.convenos.com/
• https//www.yugma.com/
• www.shushers.ca/libraridan (my blog, LibrariDan)

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Contact

• Im moving from UW to UWO, so my work email
  address will be changing.
• You can always reach me at
• dansich_at_gmail.com (including chat)
• Skype dansich (Waterloo/London)
• www.shushers.ca/libraridan (see Hab.la in action)