HI, this topic is Instant Messaging.  In the Children’s Dept we are always logging onto meebo to field questions from our patrons.  I have had some “real” questions when I have been sitting at the desk.  A few questions in the beginning were about hours of the library, then the harder questions started coming in.  One night two patrons kept emailing daily the same questions.  I had seen the transcipt between them on an earlier day.  When the same questions came up I cut and pasted the same responses, since the girls wanted the same information again.  The girls were thrilled with the same information, they would get impatient when you weren’t quick enough.  But the phone rings or someone is standing in front of you, so I did not always go as fast as they wanted.

In my personal life, I am constantly im’ing my sister.  We are both on aol and instead of using the phone early in the morning, or late at night, we are back and forth.  When my kids were beginning to type, I would have them IM their cousin and go back and forth.  With that as a motivation they became quicker at typing since someone is waiting for the response.

When I was taking my library classes, I had to IM different libraries for answers to questions.  I used the AskAway and it was usually the Schaumburg Library that would repond.  I had to record how quickly they responded and what exactly was their response.  I then also had to IM different libraries and compare the answers.

 I just found out at the staff meeting today Kate said we can go quickly over this item.  I am off to Overdrive.