Thing 12 More IM and its use at VBPL

The next assignment for this week things IM is a more indepth look at how the VB library system is using IM for reference work. The library has an account with meebo, a site that allows the library to have multiple IM accounts available at the same time, so a wider group of users have access to this reference service. More info of this task:



http://vbpl2point0.blogspot.com/2007/11/thing-12-discover-how-vbpl-is-using-im.html



With this task, I was surprised at how short the articles were about IM reference and using meebo. I was exploring the meebo site itself and found very little info on the site itself (in the blog and help section), so I signed into my IM account (for the first time in ages). I get caught up in trends, but I have yet to catch on to IM-ing again. Then again, I never thought I would be into myspace or facebook, and now I use it almost as much as email (not more than it, still). Meebo is neat in that it's web-based, no programs to install with constant updates to install later.

Now to IM and VBPL's IM reference: Using meebo is definitely a good idea, just in how it allows for wider access to users with different IM programs. I've seen some IM reference and talked with staff who provide this service. It just started recently and was minimally advertised with minuscule bookmarks (though it's on the library website somewhere). Somedays, there are no users at all, and the staff start IM-ing themselves or other coworkers who notice the lack of hits will IM them. When it is used, there is actually real need for help. It works out mostly, though I've heard that 1 staff member had problems with someone who was too impatient, expecting immediate answers (on the phone, they'd be put on hold or the question taken down to be researched and the customer contacted later).

I was actually curious if there are lots of pranks (outside of coworkers :) ) from people who are incredulous about the new service. Okay, I've done it once, but my coworker caught on pretty quick because she was next to me :) One of the articles mentioned how a typical user greeting is "Are you a real person?" "Are you a robot?". Actually, there's been little of that, according to the one I asked. IM at its full advantage: people just ask their question and then go. Less formality than a phone call or even email but with more anonymity. I guess I'd call this a good service. It's one more service the library offers, so where's the bad in that??