Beatrice comments:
I’m a brand new librarian in a new job and getting giddy just reading this. I love the idea of the IM bookmark as a promotion. May we “borrow” this idea? My library is currently offering e/m and virtual ref, but virtual ref is sporadically active at best. I’m going to be talking to my colleagues today about trying chat reference (probably using Trillian); on any given day that I walk around the library I see students using databases, the web and one or two IM applications all at once. I’m hoping that we’ll even reach those working from their dorm rooms.
This makes my heart warm. Beatrice – please borrow away! That’s one of the beautiful things about all this library coolness around … we borrow, change, grab inspiration and downright share all the time. Go for it! That goes for anyone that might be IMing and need some inspiration!