Thing #7 - Web 2.0 Communication Tools

Describe how your library uses email. Has it improved productivity?
In the library where I work, we use email to communicate with each other and with other students, staff and faculty at the college. It has been a very efficient way to reach us all, even if we are sometimes at home or at meetings. We also use the email messaging function within our III Millenium Circulation and Interlibrary Loan modules to send Arrival, Hold, Overdue, and Cancel messages to patrons, as well as to ask them questions. I have not found the amount of messages to be overwhelming, and have consequently not needed to organize my messages in any particular way. I have not found them to be distracting as I work. In fact, I rather enjoy the little popups that appear on my screen periodically to alert that I have a new message.

Share your thoughts on online reference using some of the other Web 2.0 communication tools:
We would have to do some kind of a survey or poll to see what students/staff/faculty use any of these tools before we would decide to implement IM or SAS as reference aids. I know some of the students use text messaging and IM, as I observe them doing this on the computers. The survey results would be very interesting, as well as implementing one or more of these tools for online reference. My gut feeling is that they would be used a lot by our students in particular.

It was interesting to read the below quote from the Smart Libraries newsletter, in particular because we use III Millenium at our library:

III to Build in SMS
To make it easier for libraries to include SMS in their communications options, Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III) says it build SMS messaging into future versions of its Millennium library automation system. Some of the functionality expected from the vendor’s SMS integration into its ILS includes the ability to send text messages to patrons’ mobile phones so library users can be alerted when requested materials are available as well as to help libraries provide other circulation-related functions.
Given that many library patrons interact almost constantly through their cell phones, receiving library notices through them will be more convenient and immediate than printed notices or even e-mail.
Edge Hill College of Higher Education located in Ormskirk, near Lancashire in the United Kingdom, recently signed with Innovative to migrate from its current Geac Advance system to Millennium. This library will also be Innovative’s development partner in its initiative to develop SMS capabilities for Millennium. Because text messaging has been prevalent there longer than in the U.S., it’s not surprising to see a U.K, library anxious to more forward with SMS.
Innovative has a short of history of adapting systems for portable and wireless devices. The company has offered AirPAC—an online catalog designed specifically for cell phones, PDAs, and other small devices—since June 2001.

Are you an active member of text messaging, IM, or other communication tools?
Not in the library, but I have used IM with one of my library school friends, and my daughter and I IM each other on occasion... If my cell phone had the capability, I know I would enjoy text messaging with other people ;-)

Which OPAL or Minitex Web Conference did you attend?
I have attended several Webinars put out by Minitex over the years. I have found them to be a very effective learning tool. The facets that have helped me the most were 1) the ability to interact by phone with the instructor during the presentation, and 2) the archival facet, so I can look at it again or print something out if I choose to later. I will be attending another Minitex webinar "Introduction to Using OCLC Resource Sharing Statistics" on March 12 from 10-11 a.m. I look forward to this as I am the Interlibrary Loan Supervisor, and I will appreciate finding out new things that will help me when I do my Annual Year End ILL Report in July.