Wow, I am excited to see what other libraries are doing. The videos and the articles that I read are not pictures of the library world that I grew up in. It is exciting to see libraries moving forward and making themselves more available to students...in an academic setting, shouldn't that be one of the most important things? I think so.
TJ Jones Memorial Library, uses e-mail on an inter-campus level. We can e-mail and send out reminders all using the tool Microsoft outlook. Outside of e-mailing regular full and part-time employees we are discouraged from using e-mail. This is understandable especially considering the outside influence and hindrance it could have on the work day. I, however, would like to see an e-mail account set up specifically for the reference librarian on duty. The librarian on duty could check it along with her other work e-mail. I think this would better serve patrons.
Texting and IMing may be a good way to make the library and information more readily available. I love the idea of having real time reference questions via texting and IMing, I do worry a little bit about the physical use of the library. Would offering these services decrease how many people are physically in the library. This effect could be devastating on our small library. It could take our low circulation volume and wipe it out.
However, now that I am thinking about it, would offering e-services (as it has been referred to) bring more people in. Is it becoming a more inviting place to be by taking the step out of our comfort zone? I think it could go either way, but I am willing to take a gamble on it in hopes for the better. Besides, as long as students are getting what they need we are serving our purpose. Right?
If anyone has gone through this situation I would be interested in hearing the outcome. Thanks.
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