3. EmailEmail has been around longer than
the Internet—early inceptions date
to the late 1960s using mainframe
computers. Now, almost everyone
has at least one email address.
With more than 1.5 billion email
users sending 183 million email
messages a day, it would seem
email has a secure role in online
communication and collaboration,
in spite of many new tools.
Everyone needs to understand and
use email. If you don’t already,
consider offering, classes on email
for your patrons using these free
email services:
•Gmail
•Yahoo! Mail
•Hotmail
4. Social media
Facebook – Quickly becoming the
number one social media website in
America, Facebook allows you to
connect to family, friends, and
colleagues. If you’re interested in
creating your own Facebook Fan
Page for your organization click here.
Twitter – Can you communicate
messages in 140 characters or
less? Millions of Twitter users can and
do every single day throughout the
world. Twitter allows individuals to
easily communicate and share ideas
with anyone who chooses to join their
network.
5. Instant messaging
Google Talk
Yahoo! Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)
Are popular
instant messaging
services.
6. Text messaging
Short Message Service
(SMS), commonly called text
messaging, lets users send
short messages of up to 160
characters via cell phone or
other communication device.
There is a basic cost
involved depending on your
provider for those who send
and receive text
messages. With 500 billion
text messages being sent
per year, it seems that text
messaging is permeating our
culture. Are you part of the
revolution?
7. Blog prompts
Communicate your thoughts on these
tools in this communication tool--your
blog!
Describe how your library uses email.
Has it improved productivity?
Share your thoughts on online reference
using some of the other Web 2.0
communication tools.
Are you an active user of text
messaging, IM, or other communication
tools?
Which OPAL or MINITEX Web conference
(Webinar) did you attend? How was it?
What do you think o this communication
tool?
8. Video hosting and sharing
YouTube.com – It’s Google’s and it’s the
most popular place to find video online.
Now allows for multiple file format
uploads (HD, SD, 720p, 1080, etc). Is
probably the best place to park your
videos and then embed them back into
your website or share them via social
media sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Vimeo.com – Allows for HD video
content downloading. Might be useful
for “pool” footage or releasing your own
video to the media so they can use it in
the highest resolution (similar to
handing them a videotape).
