Instant Messaging is a widely used method of communication today. According to the most recent stats I could find, there are over 21 million users of AOL’s Instant Messenger program, 10.6 million users of Yahoo!’s Messenger program, and 10.3 million users of MSN Messenger. Sure there’s probably overlap, as many people (such as I) use more than one of these programs. But still, we’re talking tens of millions of people.

(For a full comparison of over 30 instant messenger programs, visit Wikipedia.)

What role can IM play in library Reference services? Should it be a part of what we do in Reference? Or is it just another technological distraction?

Instant Messaging Usage

First of all, just looking at the numbers, IM is more than just a fad. There were never that many Furbies sold! Instant Messaging has become one of the standard communication methods of Generation X and the Millenials. A survey published in PC Magazine just last week (”For Teens, E-Mail Takes a Back Seat to IM,” 9/20/2005, Vol. 24, Issue 16) shows that 42% of American adults use IM, while 75% of teens aged 12-17 do. For the younger generation, it’s the normal thing to do.

Because of this, our patrons are increasingly expecting others they interact with to use the same methods of communication. Translated: the more they use IM, the more they’ll expect LIBRARIES to use IM. Just like what happened with telephones and email. And this will be true whether you’re talking public or academic libraries.

Cell phones have added to the spread of IM usage. With a cell phone or mobile computing device, someone can text message anyone they know. From anywhere. This is much more widely done in Asia and Europe than in the United States, but it’s growing. Imagine a patron in the stacks somewhere text-messaging the Reference Desk to see if a book is checked out or if there are other books by the same author they’re looking for! And that’s if they don’t just bring up your online catalog and check for themselves. For those libraries that are smaller, this may not seem like that big a deal, but if you’ve got two or more floors and don’t have OPAC terminals everywhere, this could be a big help for a patron. Especially if they have a hard time getting around physically.

Examples

How might a library use IM as part of Reference services? What kinds of questions might our patrons ask via IM?

The same as they would via email, phone, or walking up to the Reference Desk. Given the nature of IM, though, questions tend to be more short answer, such as “how long are you open tonight?” or “where’s the web page that says how to cite my sources?” At the same time, many patrons have gotten used to carrying on conversations via IM. Sometimes over 10 minutes and sometimes just occasional messages over the course of the day. With IM, it is indeed possible to conduct a reference interview and to provide the patron with almost all the assistance you would provide if they walked up to the desk.

Buddy Lists are used by IM’ers to provide easy access to friends they chat with. Once a patron has added you to their “Buddy List,” they will be much more likely to ask future questions. When they see the library IM name on there, they know they can double-click and ask a question.

Virtual Reference Hours

Most libraries that I found that use IM in their Reference services post specific times that the IM service is available. Just because the technology CAN be used 24/7 doesn’t mean that every library has to. Even having it available during the hours the library is open is sometimes not practical, unless there is a team of people sharing the load. Instead, posting the hours that IM is available will let patrons know what they can expect.

IM screen names have to be communicated to patrons if they are going to contact the library via IM. The first place that this information should be posted is on the library website. I suggest a separate page just IM (or maybe IM and email), so that you can explain the process of downloading and using an IM program as well as listing your screen name(s) and hours of availability. Email addresses should be given as an alternative form of communication when outside the IM service hours. Bookmarks, flyers, emails, and posters are all excellent ways of getting the word out that you’ve got IM Reference available.

Distraction?

Can IM be a distraction in the workplace? Absolutely! Can email or the Internet be a distraction? For certain! Can the telephone or books or library journals or friends stopping by to chat be a distraction? Just as much!

What it comes down to is that ANYTHING can be a distraction in the workplace. In general, the newer something is, the greater the possibility of it being a distraction. Once a new technology becomes just another tool, it’s no more of a distraction than anything else.

Any conversations with patrons via IM should be considered either Reference or PR, and should never really be thought of as a distraction. Every positive interaction a patron has with the library builds up the library’s reputation!

Internal Communication

Instant Messaging can also be a help to the person at the Reference Desk. Even if that Reference Desk is one’s own office. If someone asks you a question you don’t know the answer to, the quickest answer can often be found by IMing someone on your Buddy List who would know the answer. It’s like having your own personal Reference Desk just a mouse click away.

Even if you don’t feel the need for this kind of support in performing your Reference duties, it’s a quick and easy way to communicate with your co-workers during the day. If someone’s busy or away from their desk, they can get back to you when they’re free. And it’s much less interruptive than calling them or stopping by their office.

This is not to say that IM should replace face-to-face communication with your co-workers. That should never happen. But it can save time and be less invasive when you’ve just got a quick question to ask.

Summary

Instant Messaging is an incredibly easy and ubiquitous form of communication. There is definitely a place for it in practically every library. Whether it’s to provide patrons with an alternative method of communication or to facilitate internal communication, IM can provide a great service to your library. It will not replace other methods of communication, such as phone, email, or live conversation, but by providing another communication option to patrons who are increasingly coming to expect it, you help maintain the viability of the library as a quality information resource.

Related Sites:
AOL Instant Messenger
ICQ
MSN Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger
Trillian