Who should handle IM questions and where and when

Averaging less than one question per two hour session, and having done about five sessions so far (as it happens, three in one week), the biggest problem has been boredom and figuring out what it is feasible to do while keeping an eye or ear on Meebo. I think each branch might want to rethink the circumstances in which it is done. For instance, at WW, the person who handles the book drop and the phone could (if qualified) also do IM at the same time. At BA, the person who watches over the public internet computers could do it.

The person who receives the IM request need not necessarily be the person who researches the question.

IM & Libraries

IM & Libraries

As far as reference questions go, IM is certainly more useful for library-customer communication than email, but perhaps not as quick and/or effective as a phone call. It seems to take longer to get answers to questions in the reference interview. I picture the customer sending off their question and then IM-ing someone else while they wait for an answer.

Still, if IM is what customers are used to, than we need to provide it.