Thing 7. Web 2.0 Communication Tools

Email

I love email. As our library’s secretary do a lot of room scheduling, supply ordering, sending work orders to the physical plant, and anything else that a staff member or patron might need. Email is quick way for me to receive information about these needs and usually the best and easiest way for me to respond to them. However, I agree with most of the productivity hints. I like to deal with the quick, easy to answer emails right away and get them off my plate. I do not like to write long emails so unless I need to inform several people about something I will usually just go and talk to the person or call. I personally like to have my auto check look for messages frequently. I believe that I am pretty good at determining if a message is important enough that it would need an immediate response. If it doesn’t I will just ignore it until I am able to look it.

IM

Our librarians here have an IM reference service. It seems to go well for them. I do not use IM at work but I do use it home on occasion. I used it a lot more when I was in college. I guess the novelty of IMing the person across hall has worn off.

Text Messaging

I do text message some with my teenage nieces and nephews. It is a great way to stay in touch with them. It is much easier to text them then to get them to talk to their aunt or uncle on the phone. While I know what I am doing when I text, I am always amazed at how fast my nieces and nephews can type away and send their message. In the time it takes me to send one message they have sent five.

I spent a semester in Norway about 5 years ago. Texting is king there. Their cell phones are basically purchased for texting purposes. On any form of public transportation you would see people, young and old, texting. It was very rare to see someone actually talk on their cell phone. This is because all of their cell phones are prepaid and it uses less minutes to text than to talk.

Texting is already important in everyday life of college and high school students. I can see how text messaging reference service may become something that is very important to library users.

Web Conference

I have attended several webinars for training in the different ALEPH modules. While I think that these are a wonderful tool and it is great to not have to travel somewhere to attend training, webinars are not favorite. I have a hard time focusing on what is being discussed. This may just be that I am more of a hands on learner.