Method 9

I watch them at the tables in front of the reference desk keying away at those tiny keys with flying fingers and then reading the answers on those even tinier screens. It is another world.
But I do know how to chat. The university installed a campus wide chat line 18 months ago. The library was thinking about putting in Meebo back then (its free remember) but the campus went another way and we followed it. All offices on campus that have a web page have a chat line link right on their home pages as well as one one the university's main page. Our program can track messages, transfer them from one department to another, store prerecorded messages to push out to a patron if they ask a standard question we answer all the time, and of course transfer it to our email if no one is online when the message comes in. We still get more phone calls than chats but the questions are often the same as the ones we get in person. My perference in order is in person, phone, email, and chat. I will never win any texting contest but I can answer most reference questions online.
I like the web based chat service we have although I know that IM from one of the Big 3 services is another options for the future. Our campus just does not want to use it at this time and those decisions are made at a higher level than the library's.
Anyway I forgot that librarys like mine are built of steel and concrete. (a lot of steel and concrete and very few windows.) I have a nice new IPhone with an IM application which will not work the minute I step across the front door. Guess I will have to hope the 3G upgrade coming to my area in Jan. will improve reception.