IM in the Library

In this scenario I want you to assume that you're trying to bring IM software into a Library setting (you can pick the the purpose/type of Library)

Give me (I'm the boss), your top 5 reasons that I should authorize this (do you best to counter my reservations ahead of time)

(You can start with a brief explanation of the situation if you like)

On this page please paste in the bullet pts that you decided on with your partner and make sure to indicate who you are:

e.g.

sg and tg (using my dog's initials :-)

(Teddy and I would like to bring in Yahoo IM in to do...)

• idea 1
• idea 2
• ...

HN and GC:

Heather and Gabrielle are reference librarians at Transylvania Community College. Their boss, Steve, is not very tech-savvy and tends to resist the introduction of any new technology into the library (he’s still getting used to the new voicemail system). Our patrons have been wondering why we don’t use IM at the reference desk, and we are trying to convince Steve to let us give it a try…..

Memorandum

To: Steve

From: Heather & Gabrielle

Re: Instant Messaging (IM) Technology in the Library

As you are aware, a number of our patrons, both professors and students, have been requesting the addition of IM technology to our reference desk. Per your request, here are our top five reasons to implement this new technology in our library:

1) Availability: Adding an IM widget to our reference page will allow patrons to see at a glance if someone is available to help them. We will be able to respond to their question(s) right away and give them an idea of how long the research is going to take. This will expand our customer service by offering another way for patrons to use library services when they are not able to come into the building. Previous surveys of our students and faculty have shown that many of our patrons prefer to use our services 'after dark'. Adding an IM reference service gives us greater connectivity to these patrons. We can also use IM with each other in the library so that we don't have to leave the reference/circulation desk to ask another librarian a question. We can remain engaged with a patron in-person while we IM our colleagues, rather than asking them to wait while we step away or make a phone call.

2) Multi-Tasking: Both patrons and librarians can multi-task with IM. For example, if a patron calls or comes to the desk to ask a question, we have to work with them one-at-a-time. We can work with multiple IM inquiries at one time, and patrons will be able to do other things while they are waiting for a response to their question(s). This increases the likelihood that they will “stay on the line” until their query is satisfactorily resolved.

3) Anonymity: Patrons who do not feel comfortable asking questions in person or over the phone can IM their question(s) without feeling embarrassed. We can ignore or block any user who abuses the system.

4) Statistics: We can auto-save transcripts of our IM exchanges! This will help us keep more accurate statistics on the kinds of questions we are answering. It will also help us with programming and collection development by providing insight into what our patron needs are.

5) Usage: Many of our patrons are already using IM. If we implement IM technology in the library, we will be providing them with another way to access our resources. It is very likely that this will increase our usage statistics. You may think not many people are using IM to communicate, but the PEW Internet and American Life Project published a report in 2004 that indicated that 53 million American adults were using IM and that IM was gaining a following in U.S. workplaces. Here is a link to a .pdf of the report: http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Instantmessage_Report.pdf. Other academic libraries, like Princeton University, are successfully using IM with their patrons: http://library.princeton.edu/help/chat-faq.php.

rm and rr

Our reference librarians have had a number of requests from students (via email and in person) for screen names, so they can reach us online. Several of us have shared our screen names with students and faculty, and have a growing list of "buddies" who contact us with questions about the libraries and their information needs. We would like to expand this informal practice, adding IM/chat reference as a natural expansion of our current asynchronous virtual reference service (i.e., email).

Offering IM/chat reference services at our university's academic libraries will:

• Reach our student population in a medium where they are very comfortable and already conducting much of their research. IM/chat reference will position our reference librarians where our students need us, when they need us.
• Position the university library system as a 21st century source of information and online expertise, affecting a likely increase in live visits by students who might otherwise "satisfice" their information needs with what they find on the open web.
• Allow the libraries to offer extended reference hours--reference librarians can cover IM/chat reference for multiple libraries, and/or while telecommuting from home.
• Expand user-centered library services to our academic community (including our growing population of distance learners), with zero capital outlay.
• Establishing a formal IM system will also enhance staff communication between the various satellite libraries, as well as communication with colleagues in other library systems.

jg and jh

These points were written with a typical public library in mind.

• You may say that most of our patrons are not comfortable using IM. This may in fact be the case. Studies do show, however, that IM is a rapidly growing trend that more and more people will be forced to use over time (not only socially, but in school and the workplace.) By incorporating IM in our reference service, we are also offering people a supportive place to start practicing and using it.
• IM is not a flash in the pan. Many technology trends come and go, but IM has been around for an eternity in web terms. Its use continues to increase and that trend should continue. Young people who could be our patrons for years to come are great users of IM. Also, people who might not otherwise use IM are becoming familiar with it through its increasing use in their workplaces. IM is not something a library can afford to ignore.
• IM is a preferred method of communication among teens and younger adults. If we want patrons to communicate with us and utilize our services, we need to know how to communicate with them this way. It is also a preferred method of communication for low-income people, so a library can use IM to reach out to this often underserved group.
• IM could make internal communications within the library more immediate and efficient. Walking to different offices or parts of the library to ask someone a question takes valuable time and using IM gets a more immediate response than email. IM conversations can also be more productive than meetings because they are concise and direct. Training library staff to use and be comfortable with IM should be considered as essential to professional development as any other type of technical training.
• IM gives people a quick and convenient way to get fast answers to simple questions (like "What time is the library open today?" or "Do you have such and such a book?"). Links and data can also be transmitted via IM, which can enhance the response to some reference questions. It is a way to extend the library's reach beyond its walls out into the community. It will never replace other types of services such as support for in-depth research projects, but it can be an excellent adjunct to other ways a library communicates with its community.

jc and jf

IM (instant messaging) in our conventional public library

• IM offers instant communication with peers in both the home library and consortium libraries, which promotes internal communication.

• IM is a good tool for virtual reference and external communication with patrons, because it can provide instant results and the most up-to-date information.

• IM is popular with kids and young adults, as email is becoming less popular as a means of communication. It may aid in bringing in a younger generation of users who might not otherwise patronize the library for their information needs.

• IM is a passive tool that can be minimized or maximized as the librarian needs to focus on other tasks, which allows for multitasking. It can run in the background and doesn’t affect other functions of the computer.

• IM is free, and works best with a high-speed internet connection, which most libraries already utilize. Telephones, another means for offsite reference, can cost both the user and the library.

• IM provides a transcript of the reference interview, which allows both the user and the librarian to refer back to it while doing research. It also allows for file-sharing between the librarian and user (for digital texts, etc.).

• IM is already used in other libraries, making it a professionally accepted reference and communication tool.

• Using an IM service like Meebo, a chat aggregator, allows the library to connect to users of many different chat clients without having to download the various clients.

• Co-browsing with users via IM allows for greater examination and explanation of sources and helps the librarian best meet the user’s needs.

la and lja

Leila and Laura are librarians in a 300 attorney office of a NYC law firm which has offices in cities around the world. The managing partner is not technologically savvy, sees IM as a "toy" and suspects that the introduction of IM into the workplace would reduce staff efficiency and cost the firm money overall.

1. The addition of IM service will improve client availability. Clients are more technologically savvy. They use IM, are used to the immediate access it provides them and they are beginning to demand that their attorneys are available on aa 24/7 basis. IM will allow us to better service our large corporate clients who have begun to see IM as de rigeur. Most of our attorneys spend hours on conference calls. Often, they may need to ask the client a question during the call, but they do not want to interrupt the call and do not want the attorney and client on the other side of the transaction to hear the question. IM provides the opportunity for our attorneys to speak" to our clients" privately during conference calls without disrupting the call itself.

2. The addition of IM will increase attorney billable hours. While some attorneys may not be comfortable using IM at first, the associates use it on a daily basis. The use of IM is another tool that we can give them to increase their availability and to expand their ability to bill hours to clients. IM allows for the opportunity to multitask, so that attorneys, while on the telephone with a court clerk for one client, for example, could be IMing on an entirely different matter. The technology provides the attorney with assistance with efficiency that expands his/her billing potential.

3. Increase in revenue will offset losses. It is true that, particularly at first, there will be some employees that utilize IM for their personal enjoyment. In the case of attorneys, if IM makes it easier for them to communicate with family, and thus easier for them to remain in the office billing the neccesary hours, it is a helpful tool for them. In terms of staff overuse of IM, we believe that abuse of this technology can be addressed much in the same way that abuse of email or telephone is handled. Policies must be developed and publicized. When and employee's use of IM interferes with an employee's ability to do the work or when it is used in an unprofessional or inappropriate manner, the employee can be disciplined.

4. IM can promote interdepartmental collaboration. Because IM synchronous. it allows people to have near immediate answers to questions and opinions of colleagues, even if they are in a meeting or on the telephone. This facilitates the coordination of projects between attorneys, departments and offices. It would rarely be necessary to wait until someone is off the phone to have the answer to a simple question such as whether he could attend a meeting a week from Friday.

5. Library Services will be improved, saving attorney time. At present, attorneys spend a significant amount of time trying to obtain information from the library. For a quick reference question, it is often more convenient for them to physically come to the library; however, since the library is often on another floor, that is not the best use of their time. Email or telephone, may not yield an answer in the time frame that they need due to the fact that the librarian may be on another call or may be on the floor helping another attorney. IM would allow the librarian to handle several reference questions at a time, thus increasing availabilty to attorneys. Attorneys would even be able to access the library catalog itself through IM, so that they would not have to physically come to the library. They could check to see what they needed and then request it on line. This would save attorney time that is often not capable of being billed to clients.

Overall, the benefits IM could provide to the firm outweigh the possible disadvantages. It is a service that more and more firms will be providing to clients. We believe that it is essential that we begin providing this service to our clients and attorneys as well.

sc and ta

To: Steve the Boss

Re: Request for enhanced customer services

We are requesting the addition of IM capabilities to our small public library. Many libraries in the area are already providing these services and we need to continue to serve our patron base. By adding this service we will enhance our offerings in the following manner:

No geographical barriers – many of our patrons are unable to get into the library as often as they would like, using IM they can receive assistance without having to travel away from their home

No IT budget increase required – because there are no additional technology costs associated with adding IM we can provide an increased value proposition without incurring any additional line item costs

Start-up training is minimal – the IM clients freely available are intuitive and easy to use, training our current staff would take just a few sessions

Very powerful virtual reference tool – the ability to quickly exchange small bits of information accurately will enhance our offerings, IM provides the ability to cut/paste data thereby eliminating the need for potentially incorrect verbal transcriptions

Client-centric tool – many of our library patrons are already using IM as a means of communication with other companies as well as individuals, adding this to our library shows we are in touch with the client base and understand how they like to communicate

JK and KC (Jaim and Kalyani)

To: Director of Library

RE: Reasons to implement an IM system on the librarys web page.

1. Teenagers: A growing segment of the population, prefers online communication to phone communication, the library would be able to reach out to these kids with a chat box on the main page of the library. Kids may not want to get quick info unless they can chat.

2. Reference: many people prefer to do everyday research over the internet, providing a chat reference service brings the library into the 21st century. People want answers quickly without going to the library physically to get the reference answers they want. The library will still be able to provide services to its patrons, if there is a library barcode id to get access to the reference chat(thus freeing the librarians to provide for paying patrons)

3. Circulation help: patrons who have circ issues(fines etc...renewals) can get help, renew via im or support to use the web based renewal systems. Many patrons may find chat more comfortable than using a somewhat confusing catalog system(many of which are over a decade old)

4. Smart Help: A chat box will open when the system detects that the patron is confused. There are a number of programs that can detect this. Once the chat box opens, one of the librarians can ask th epatron if he needs help.

5. Intra-library communication: Implenting a library wide chat system, will make the library more effecient. Staff can IM each other instead of calling each other or walking over. A chat session can be a lot quicker than a phone call.

to: Steve the Boss Librarian Guy

from: Amy (aa) and Danielle (dh) lowly interns

re: IM reference program

We know from previous conversations you feel that IM is primarily used for socializing by kids and teens, but we would argue that is precisely why the library should implement an IM reference program. There has been long-standing concern that the library is losing its relevance as technology moves forward and our older patrons age. By providing services via technology our younger patrons are familiar and comfortable with, we will continue to be seen as a valuable resource by the next generation of potential library users. If we choose not do so, we risk losing them to other insitutions, or even their own self-reliance. We would like to suggest a pilot IM reference program using the free, web-based IM aggregator meebo.com.

• IM will not cost the library anything beyond the staffing, which can, depending on the popularity of the service once it's implemented, be handled by whomever is already at the reference desk.
• adding an IM widget from meebo.com is easy for our webmaster, and publicizes the service via the library homepage, plus users can see if a librarian is available before they ask their question (unlike our current email reference service)
• the current email reference system is far more time-consuming, as multiple emails may have to be exchanged to hone the question--IM would allow our reference librarians to have that conversation in real time and respond more quickly
• kids/teens are often reluctant to ask reference questions in person, especially if they are personal, or about sex/medical issues. IM allows them to ask those questions anonymously rather than face-to-face
• kids/teens are not self-mobile, they have to rely on family and friends to bring them physically to the library. IM would allow us to serve our younger patrons remotely
• IM is the most common form of communication used by kids/teens after text messaging, meaning it's a medium they are used to and willing to use extensively...we can meet them on their terms, perhaps even show them something new (meebo) if they currently use a stand-alone IM client. this exchange of tech information can only create a positive rapport between our youngest users, who expect us to know and understand how they research
• not all IMing is social or teen oriented--the number of adults using IM on a daily basis is increasing, particularly in the business world. providing online services to adults makes sense as well, especially as they too are often unable to physically come to the library due to work or other time constraints. IM provides us with a great opportunity for outreach
• finally, IMing with a patron, regardless of their age, allows immediate exchange of links and data, which in return gives us the opportunity to get fairly instant feedback, and the ability to continue to assist if necessary. we can often even simultaneously view the same information the patron is viewing, and come to a consensus together as to whether the question has been addressed adequately

In short, IM would allow us to work for all of our patrons, especially the younger ones, at their convenience and collaboratively. Which is exactly what they're looking for.

TH & TK (TOM AND TARA)

Dear Steve, Grand High Lord of the Library

Here are a few reasons we think IM is a good idea for the library:

1. im would be useful as a virtual reference service for general public questions and/or students completing assignments. Plus, used anyway by age group/could be taught to community

2. im would help conduct inter- and intra-library business. Less time spent in long meetings, less time and expense travelling to locations, less coverage that has to be found for attendees.

3. im could facilitate virtual study groups in quiet areas; so if 'quiet rooms' were booked, or didn't exist, students or users could still do group work. Think of saving $ if you don't have to section off your library to create these spaces.

4. im would be great PR & outreach to working professionals who need immediate answers and can get them on PDAs - especially true in special/academic libraries, but why not public?

5. im is more and more accepted way of doing business and reference, and the patrons are coming to EXPECT it....we need to meet users demands and needs, and that makes IM more and more necessary.

LH and LJ (Lauren and Lisa)

To: Steve

From: Lauren and Lisa

RE: IM in the Public Library

Steve, the following are reasons why we feel IM would be a great asset to our public library:

1) It's Free! What's better than that? A service that can help us out without any worry of affecting our bottom line!

2) We can reach more users Not only can we reach out to users within the library using our computers, but now we can reach out to users who aren't even within the confines our our walls.

3) It's a excellent tool for reference Our reference department can field more questions, and help those who do not have the time or means to make it to the library. It also helps those folks who do not feel comfortable coming up to a librarian to ask a question by submitting questions anonymously. Sometimes people are shy or self-conscious about asking for help. Librarians can use Meebo to insert multimedia into their answers, should something like that be needed.

4) It's widely available and easy to use There are so many sites that users can choose from. Meebo aggregates them all, so we can see multiple services at once. Users can choose any service they want to communicate with us, and using any of the services are as easy as typing and clicking send.

5) We can reach a new generation of users The tech-savvy children and teens that are growing up in today's world expect this kind of instant gratification in terms of communication and information delivery. If we do not start using these kinds of technologies, we will lose an entire generation of library users.

We hope you take these considerations into account to set forth a new IM policy in the library.

Thanks for your time!

Lauren and Lisa