Virtual Reference:Endless Possibilities

(Meebo, Skype & more)

Dan SichUniversity of Western Ontario

Overview

• Meebo, MeeboMe• Skype & Unyte• Issues• Statistics• Other options

UWaterloo Timeline

Past:• LSSI• Docutek (until April 2007)• MSN (since March 2006)Present:• Meebo, MeeboMe (since January 2007)• Skype & Unyte (pilot since October 2007)

Meebo

• Free web service for IM• Multiple accounts, one interface• Web-based: zero installs, zero updates• MeeboMe chat boxes

www.meebo.com

MeeboMe chat box

• Easy to customize (size, title)• Includes status indicator

(wording is hard-coded)• Embed code (references .swf) is

automatically generated• Limited customizability

Transcripts

• MeeboMe: no• Meebo: optional, but awkward recovery• Time for analysis?• Privacy concerns?

Patron won’t stand still

Avoiding missing messages

• Firefox Meebo add-onhttps://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5700

• Sidebar & pop-up previews, flashing tab & task bar

Anonymity, offline messages

• Contact info?• Time stamp?• Still there?

Stats: Docutek vs. IMN

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No serviceAug 2005

StartedMSN

StartedMeebo

Started evening hours pilot, Feb 26

MSN passesDocutek

Ended evening hours pilot & stopped Docutek, mid-April

% questions by account type

Hab.la• A MeeboMe alternative, uses embed code• Can be monitored with Meebo, Pidgin, etc.• Transcripts not lost between pages• Uses cookies, shows patron’s URL• Floating / absolute positioning• Start collapsed / expanded• Vanish when offline (optional)• Max 5 simultaneous widgets/IPs

http://static.hab.la/js/html/url_handler.html?siteid=5334-379603-10-3528&wcsid=gjvUXqmevgDbufavbPVNFOieEiaSVQxg&url=http://

www.lib.uwaterloo.ca

Hab.la + library resources

LibraryH3lp

• http://libraryh3lp.blogspot.com/• open-source• Javascript• Customizable• Chat boxes

Endless Possibilities…

Skype

• VOIP• Faster than chat• Has chat• Very intuitive• Free• Requires install• One more login• Super-nodes

Unyte• One-way screen-sharing• No co-browse• Any webpage, browser or program;

no proxy issues• Requires (host-side) install• Dependent upon Skype• No patron plug-in• Free version available, but…• Functionality can vanish• Unyted, but interrupted• Web slow = Unyte slow

Have you tried our Skype a Librarian

service yet?

Add us: uwlibchat

Call us (Voice-Over IP)

Chat with us

Part of the Library’s Ask a Librarian service www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/asklib

When you need research help...Skype a Librarian!

VOIP or chat MONDAY to FRIDAY12 noon – 4pm

Publicity

Skype stats: total, VOIP & UnyteN

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Low Skype & Unyte numbers

• Skype not installed on public workstations• Do students prefer chat?• Where are the students?• Extend the trial• Staff need practice• Skype use during renovations?

References & links• Stephanie J. Graves, Christina M. Desai. (2006). Instruction via chat reference: Does co-

browse help? Reference Services Review, 34(3), 340.• http://www.libsuccess.org/ (see “Libraries Using MeeboMe for Embeeded Chat”)• http://solokay.blogspot.com/ (Solomon’s VoIP World)• www.meebo.com• www.meebome.com• www.pidgin.im• www.ceruleanstudios.com (Trillian)• www.hab.la (Hab.la widgets)• http://libraryh3lp.blogspot.com (LibraryH3lp widgets)• www.plugoo.com (Plugoo widgets)• www.skype.com• http://heartbeat.skype.com/• www.unyte.net • https://extras.skype.com/1101/view (Spontania)• http://www.convenos.com/ • https://www.yugma.com/• http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/asklib (UWaterloo’s Ask a Librarian page)• http://www.lib.uwo.ca/taylor/imresearchhelp.shtml (UWO’s Research Help via IM)• www.shushers.ca/libraridan (my blog, LibrariDan)

Contact

• dansich@gmail.com (including chat)

• Skype: dansich (London/Waterloo)

• www.shushers.ca/libraridan (see LibraryH3lp in action)