IM Reference An Introduction by Gretchen Keer June 2005

What is IM? How do I use AIM? Chatting IM etiquette Shortcut to the shorthand Further reading

What is IM? Instant Messaging – Software –AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, etc. Communication tool, like the phone or Has its own shorthand

How do I use AIM? Download the software – Create a nickname & log in mccclibrarian Build your buddy list

Chat one-on-one Send URLs Use the away message function

Emote with emoticons! To make a smiley face, type :) When you send your message, the :) will look like

Chatting When someone wants to ask you a question, a little box will appear on your screen, like this:

User ____ has sent you a message. Would you like to accept it? Click Yes Then a little box like this will appear: Type a response in the bottom half & click Send or hit enter.

Sometimes more than one IM will appear at a time. Acknowledge each IM as it appears but dont feel you have to talk to them all at once. Ask the subsequent IMers to wait while you help the first patron in the virtual queue.

IM Etiquette Think about it like a phone conversation They cant see you, so explain if youre going to go look for something Write in an informal voice; ignore typos unless they obscure your meaning entirely If you feel comfortable, try out some shorthand expressions

Dont type in all caps (thats yelling) Send a couple short messages rather than one long message Dont be afraid to ask an IM patron to wait if youre busy If needed, recommend the patron call or instead

IM Shorthand brb = be right back lol = laugh(ing) out loud ttyl = talk to you later ttfn = ta ta for now bbl = be back later omg = oh my gosh/god rotfl = rolling on the floor laughing *g* or = grin yt = you too thx = thanks

Further Reading Communication Strategies for Instant Messaging and Chat Reference Services by Jody Condit Fagan and Christina M. Desai (in Digital Reference Services, ed. Bill Katz) How Americans Use Instant Messaging Pew Internet & American Life Project by Eulynn Shiu and Amanda Lenhart ( _Report.pdf) _Report.pdf