IM Reference Service: What Weve Learned

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IM Reference ServiceWhat Weve Learned

• Council on Library/Media Technicians
• June 24, 2005
• www.homerlibrary.org/HomerIM.ppt
• Brian Smith
• Homer Township Public Library

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What Ill Talk About

• IM in general.
• IM at HTPL.
• What weve learned.

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What Is Instant Messaging?

• Instant messaging (sometimes called IM or
  IMing) is the ability to easily see whether a
  chosen friend or co-worker is connected to the
  Internet and, if he or she is, to exchange
  messages with that individual.
• Ronald Lawrence Thompson,
• Information Technology and Management, 2d ed.
• (Boston McGraw-Hill, 2003)

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What Is Instant Messaging?

• Some people have described IM as
• Email on steroids.

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What Weve Learned

• Instant Messaging is more like
• Email on amphetamines.

Chronic use can induce psychosis
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Popular IM Programs

• AOL Instant Messenger
• www.aim.com
• Yahoo! Messenger
• messenger.yahoo.com
• MSN Messenger
• messenger.msn.com
• ICQ
• www.icq.com

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Popular IM Programs

• A utility like Trillian or GAIM can be used to
  manage multiple IM platforms.
• www.trillian.cc
• gaim.sourceforge.net

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IM at HTPL

• Officially started service in February.
• Only 1 of our 3 reference people really used IM
  before we started.
• We use AIM, but will be adding Yahoo and MSN soon.

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IM at HTPL

• IM is part of reference desk duty.
• Unavailable when were closed, taking a break, or
  helping others.
• On a typical day, patrons initiate about 10 or 15
  IM sessions with us.

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AIM Interface
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IM Reference Example

• bRitNyH8R hi
• homerlib hi
• homerlib do u have a question for the library?
• bRitNyH8R ya i need help with homewprk
• bRitNyH8R homework
• homerlib ok
• bRitNyH8R i need info on venus
• homerlib venus the planet or the goddess?
• bRitNyH8R planet
• homerlib hold on, ill try to find a site for u
  
• bRitNyH8R k

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Why Do IM Reference?

• Be available as many ways as possible
• On-site.
• Phone.
• Fax.
• Email.
• Collaborative webchat service.
• IM.

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Why Do IM Reference?

• About 75 of online teens have used instant
  messaging.
• About 20 of online teens say IM is the primary
  way they communicate with friends.
• About 40 of online teens say they use email and
  IM for school work.
• Source Pew Internet American Life Project

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Why Do IM Reference?

• 12 of U.S. adults use IM on a typical day.
• More than 25 of online seniors (59) use IM.
• More than 30 of office employees use IM at work.
• Sources Pew Internet American Life Project,
  ePolicy Institute

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IM EZ

• Make up a screen name and register.
• Download and install the software on the computer
  used for IM reference. (IM clients also have
  Web-based options.)
• Set up options.

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What Weve Learned

• Someone else is already using the screen name you
  really want!

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Options

• Your IM face
• Buddy icon. Directory information
  profile. Away message.

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What Weve Learned

• People look us up and read our profile
• We're working, so please don't IM us just to
  chat! We help a lot of people, so we might not be
  able to answer your IM right away. We're not on
  AIM when the library's closed, and we might be
  away some other times. Our website is
  www.homerlibrary.org and our email is
  askalibrarian_at_homerlibrary.org.

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What Weve Learned

• Kids get a kick out of seeing their screen
  names in our away message
• We're away from the desk right now, n. Call us
  at 708-301-7908 for help until midnight. If you
  can wait for a reply, our email is
  askalibrarian_at_homerlibrary.org.

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What Weve Learned

• Abraham Lincoln is a good buddy icon to use if
  you want to be told you have a really lame buddy
  icon.

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Options

• Annoyance reduction
• Turn off pop-ups and sounds. Block chat
  requests.

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Options
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What Weve Learned

• Set up anti-annoyance options before starting
  service!

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Before Starting Service

• Practice IMing with coworkers and friends.
• Learn some IM shorthand abbreviations.
• g2g brb k
• Get used to typing fast without caring as much
  about spelling or punctuation!

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What Weve Learned

• People dont use shorthand with us as much as we
  thought they would.
• Typing too fast can be dangerous its easy to
  send a reply to the wrong person.

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Advertising

• Business cards

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Advertising

• Signs

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Advertising

• Website

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Advertising

• Fliers sent to schools

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What Weve Learned

• Do not send fliers to every classroom on the same
  day!
• 100 IMs that day!

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Use and Abuse

• About half real questions Info on a
  subject. Catalog lookups and renewals.
  Library info (closing time, programs, etc.)
• Kids who just want to chat.
• Are you a person or robot?
• Rude and annoying people.
• Whats 22?

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What Weve Learned
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What Weve Learned
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What Weve Learned

• Bookmark sites used regularly to answer IM
  questions.
• Dont be afraid to get up to get books!
• If its going to take a while to find an answer,
  ask if you can IM back later.

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Some Potential Concerns

• Privacy issues.
• Online safety.
• Harassment of reference staff.
• Breakdown of formality.
• Viruses.

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ttyl

• AIM (me) homerlib17
• Email bsmith_at_homerlibrary.org
• This presentation
• www.homerlibrary.org/HomerIM.ppt