#8

Based on my practicum experience at Denison University's Doane Library, it seems that Web 2.0 tools such as instant messaging (IM), SMS/text messaging, and web conferencing, though implemented and widely available, still are not utilized much in this particular academic library's setting.  I imagine that this lack of utilization is due mostly to Denison's small size, both in terms of geography and population.  Being a four-year residential school on an intimate campus means that the library is a merely a hop, skip, or jump away!  Only once in the two or so months of my service there have I witnessed someone contacting a librarian via the Meebo chat tool -- and that was a hoax or miscommunication of some sort.  To be fair, though, I imagine it probably does get more use at night and during the cooler seasons when a student may be less inclined to leave their dorm room.

Beyond circumstances such as these, I think another occasion where chatting and text messaging can be useful are when a student may be ill -- able to do work in their room with a laptop, but physically unable to venture out for various health reasons.  As far as web-conferencing or webinaring are concerned, I believe undergraduates would be less inclined to pursue such an avenue of communication, but for graduate students potentially exploring research topics at remote campuses this could be quite fortuitous.  I believe the classic librarian would likewise eat up this format because it replicates the face-to-face encounter of the reference desk interview, an experience that has been hugely dwindling in numbers for years.

I'd be interested to see how an academic library at a larger university incorporates these useful communication tools.  I don't see any problems with the usefulness of Web 2.0 communication tools in any type of library; where I see the problem is in the utilization.  Despite the technological advancements we've seen arise in recent history, there is still a substantial deficit in exploration of these tools on both the user and administrative side.