Thing 8

Communication

I couldn't help but think of communication theorists Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman when reviewing instant messaging. The notion of 'the medium is the message' comes from these two theorists, meaning of course that communication is dictated in part by the intermediary. These technologies, in that they enable communication, act as intermediaries. Thus, they affect the message that is being broadcast. How IM, Google Chat, Facebook, etc act as mediums, thus affect the message, is beyond my understanding, but I do think it's important to keep in mind that what you communicate to a person is affected by how you do so.

If there is one thing I understand about Web 2.0, it's that a sense of immediacy is associated with communication. Tools like instant messaging are offered with stand alone programs (such as Skype) as well as being offered through email providers (Gmail chat) and social network sites (Facebook). What I find so interesting about these media tools and communication advancements is their ability to illustrate, at least for me, the duality that is required on part of information professionals. On a personal level, I don't have a Facebook account nor do I don't chat through IM technologies. But from a professional viewpoint, I understand that these tools truly offer a vital opportunity for librarians' to reach a broader community in need of access and reference resources. This notion 'duality' when it comes to librarians is extremely important, as it promotes an open and somewhat neutral stance on part of the librarian.

These technologies also demonstrate the importance for librarians to keep as up-to-date with technological changes and fads as possible. When it comes to library use of them, IM (and other 'immediate' communicative programs) focus on convenience, access, and image. By participating in and using Web 2.0 tools creates an image of a 'modern' library that's changed to mirror the times. For younger generations, this image may create a more friendly, attractive, and enticing environment. Convenience is also important to facilitate library and reference services. Access to these services can also be affected if these communication tools are utilized. It is important, though, to remember that in almost every computer access and literacy is a must for anyone to benefit from these tools - thus a large portion of a community may be left out of the discussion. This provides another realm that libraries can act as educators - in that they both can provide access to computers and instruction as to how these tools can be used.

One use that I find helpful as a library user is the ability to have email notifications sent by my public library. For example, a message is sent to me as the due date for any checked out material approaches, as well as messages informing me of newly acquired titles and most popular titles. When it comes to inter-departmental communications, email also enables a larger audience to be more quickly enlightened to new ideas or cooperative projects, etc.