IM...your students use it, so why don't you

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IM...your students use it, so why don't you?

• Kate WengerAndrew Whitis
• Muskingum College Library

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What is IM?

• IM Instant Messaging
• Conversation in real-time

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Why use it?

• Free
• Quick
• Convenient
• Serve remote users
• User anonymity
• Librarian not busy
• Multi-tasking Millennials preferred communication
  tool

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How Americans Use Instant Messaging

• Ages 18 27 (Millennials)
• 62 use IM
• 57 use IM more often than email
• 49 use IM while doing other tasks
• 35 use IM for 1 hours per day

Pew Internet and American Life Project. September
2004. Margin of error 5
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IM vs. Chat

• Local, Local, Local
• Faster
• Less formal
• Easier to train staff
• Students already using
• Nothing to download
• No compatibility issues

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r u there?

• brb
• lol
• ttyl
• afk
• l8r
• thx
• btdtgts

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r u there?

• brb be right back
• lol laughing out loud
• ttyl talk to you later
• afk away from keyboard
• l8r later
• thx thanks
• btdtgts been there, done that, got the
  t-shirt!

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IM Etiquette

• Grammar, capitalization and punctuation are
  optional
• Emoticons
• Brief messages
• DONT TYPE IN ALL CAPS
• IM mindset

-
-)
-)
-o
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How to get started

• Create a screen name
• Install Trillian, Gaim, or Fire (Mac) or skip the
  install and keep Meebo or Kool IM open in a
  browser window
• Train staff

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Marketing Your Service

• Library web site
• Computer lab desktop image
• Stickers
• Pens
• Campus newspaper and radio

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Questions Weve Received

• I need to find an article on gifted children in
  a teaching magazine.
• Is this title a scholarly journal or a popular
  magazine?
• How do I get into Lexis-Nexis off-campus?
• Is this book on reserve?

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Challenges

• Reduced inhibitions
• 24x7
• Campus network security concerns
• Undefined end
• Shift changes
• Privacy
• buddy lists
• transcripts

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Questions

• Take a handout for more information
• Feel free to IM us
• askwenger
• askwhitis