Fundamentals of Reference

Online Reference Service 75

from either the librarian or the patron, only
the words typed on the screen. As in chat,
IM users often use a variety of abbreviations
and shortcuts in what they type (e.g., LOL =
“laughing out loud” or BTW = “by the way”).
Most professionals agree that the librarian
should take cues from the patron in deciding
how many of these shortcuts to use or how
informal to be. The best course of action is to
maintain some measure of decorum but, just
as you might in an in-person encounter, use humor if appropriate.
IMR, like telephone, e-mail, and chat reference, offers benefits and chal-
lenges. Some of the benefits of IMR are

1. As its name indicates, IMR offers a patron instant access, no line to
   stand in, no busy signal to endure or telephone tree to navigate.


2. Little staff training is needed, since the software used is not
   complicated.


3. IMR provides service at the time and point of need.


4. IMR allows patrons to ask questions they may feel uncomfortable
   posing in person.

Some of the challenges of IM reference are

1. The absence of visual clues, like
   facial expressions, may make it
   difficult to determine if the patron
   understands the librarian’s response.


2. Frequent updates may be needed,
   such as “I’m still looking” or “This
   may take a few minutes” to assure
   the patron that the librarian has not
   disconnected.


3. The nature of IM itself may lead
   patrons to expect an instantaneous,
   complete response before a reference
   interview can be conducted.

Sarah Houghton, “Instant

Messaging: Quick and Dirty

Reference for Teens and

Others,” Public Libraries 44,

no. 4 (July/August 2005): 192–

93. This is an account of how
    one public library instituted an
    IMR service.

Jody Condit Fagan and Christina

M. Desai, “Communication

Strategies for Instant Messaging

and Chat Reference Services,”

Reference Librarian 38, no.

79/80 (2003): 121–55. This

article analyzes actual online

reference conversations in

order to demonstrate how

online skills can substitute for

the nonverbal communication

skills used in face-to-face

reference transactions.