I just finished chatting with Susan using IM, and after some searching for a few basic instructions it was fun. I was surprised at how dense I was, or at how deep I had to look for a simple instruction/keystoke/function. We are so fortunate to have the staff we do at NLC to hold our hands through this project - they have the patience of saints.

I am not sure that I would use IM as a patron asking a reference question to a library. One of our best services to the public is the "personal touch" and human interaction. They depend on us for assistance when they cannot solve a reference or search problem, and putting technology in the middle could be off-putting to the majority. At least with the population in a mostly rural area. More sophisticated audiences and patrons might enjoy the speed (?) and impersonality.


I was somewhat disappointed that more of my family does not use IM. The next two generations think it takes too much time compared to texting or calling, and my niece in the State Department e-mails me at very odd hours.