WebJunction - Virtual Reference

RE: Digital Reference Summit questions: Qwiget

2009-10-01T16:05:53Z

Here's an answer to the Qwiget question, "Qwidget powered by java, flash, or something else?" from Susan:

The QuestionPoint Qwidget uses JavaScript so there is nothing additional the patron needs to have installed on their browser. The HTML we give the libraries to embed on the library web page contains the path back to the scripts we host (so the full javascript is not viewable in the Qwidget code)

Thanks!

Digital Reference Summit questions

2009-09-30T22:10:53Z

Here are some questions that came up in today's webinar or in on twitter #digref. The archive and associated resources for this outstanding session are available: Digital Reference Summit: Be Where Your Users Are with Susan McGlamery, Stephen Francoeur and Alison Miller.

Please post your additional questions, comments and responses here.

Qwidget powered by java, flash, or something else?

How to subscribe to dig ref listserv?

how will digital reference mesh w/ expectations of real time information on the web?

Am I right that the AOL hack no longer works with Meebo?

Can u put a chat box widget in Facebook? ...you can put a widget in face book - but you can also catch facebook chat enquiries though meebo now

Online Reference page on Library Success Wiki

2009-08-31T16:23:13Z

A comprehensive list of all things related to online, virtual, digital, chat reference:

http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Online_Reference

Virtual Reference (VR) software

2008-11-03T16:04:55Z

Originally seen in Current Cites, October 2008 (http://lists.webjunction.org/currentcites/2008/cc08.19.10.html):

"LibraryH3lp: A New Flexible Chat Reference System" by Pam Sessoms and Eric Sessoms -- http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/107

From the article:

"LibraryH3lp is an integrated IM and web chat system designed specifically for Virtual Reference services in libraries. The software was designed for, and is currently used by, a night-time chat reference collaboraton between several large academic libraries. LibraryH3lp is designed for the workflow of chat reference, supporting multiple simultaneous operators and routing to queues of operators in a particular service area. It also supports web page embeddable chat ‘widgets’, as well as simultaneous gateways to multiple IM protocols. This article discusses the motivation for the development of the software, and provides an overview of LibraryH3lp’s features and technical architecture. Parts of LibraryH3lp are available as open source. The complete application is available as a low-cost hosted service, and will eventually be available to be licensed for local hosting."

Re: Virtual Reference & IM

2007-09-20T16:21:14Z

Again, I have not used this personally, but I read about it here:

"Hands-on: AirTalkr does install-free IM"
By Josh Lowensohn September 13, 2007:

http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9777991-2.html

The website, FAQ, and web-based versions are here, respectively:

http://airtalkr.com/

http://airtalkr.com/faq.htm

http://airtalkr.com/im/

Re: Virtual Reference & IM

2007-05-07T18:24:24Z

Yahoo has added a web-based version of its messenger service:

http://webmessenger.yahoo.com/

Seen in "Yahoo Messenger is now Webware" By Rafe Needleman:

http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9715635-2.html

Also, here is MSN's web-based version (AOL and meebo are mentioned in the other posts):

http://webmessenger.msn.com/

Re: Virtual Reference & IM

2007-03-23T15:58:28Z

Yay! A web version of Trillian is very welcome - great from patron perspective, too (no need to install anything on public access machines).

And now that we've got Instant Messaging down, it's time to think about text messaging from our cell phones with patrons Jenny Levine, the Shifted Librarian, shared this example from the Orange County Lib System in Florida - http://www.ocls.info/xplor/default.asp?bhcp=1http%3A//

Brenda

Re: Virtual Reference & IM

2007-03-17T14:31:48Z

"New browser-free Web version of Trillian is coming"
By Rafe Needleman March 9, 2007, 5:13 PM PST

http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9696109-2.html

Re: Virtual Reference & IM

2007-02-21T17:39:05Z

Not sure if this would work well for VR, but it could work well for other related applications. It certainly is rather simple to set up / use and the price is right ;-)

Article: "Yaplet: Simple and easy chat on any site"
By Josh Lowensohn February 19, 2007 --
http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9688136-2.html?tag=nl.e501

From the article:

"Yaplet is a simple idea: Add anonymous, no-registration chat to any Web site. Yaplet is a browser sidebar that can also be popped out as its own browser window. Each site is given its own chat room, and Yaplet caches site conversations for you or others to view, even when no one else is there."

Yaplet: http://www.yaplet.com/

Re: Virtual Reference & IM

2006-12-08T16:11:19Z

This datapoint seems important: http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/759132/poll_iming_divides_teens_adults/index.html

Almost half of teens, 48 percent of those ages 13-18, use instant messaging, according to the poll. That's more than twice the percentage of adults who use it.

According to the AP-AOL poll:

- Almost three-fourths of adults who do use instant messages still communicate with e-mail more often. Almost three-fourths of teens send instant messages more than e-mail.

- More than half of the teens who use instant messages send more than 25 a day, and one in five send more than 100. Three-fourths of adult users send fewer than 25 instant messages a day.

- Teen users (30 percent) are almost twice as likely as adults (17 percent) to say they can't imagine life without instant messaging.

- When keeping up with a friend who is far away, teens are most likely to use instant messaging, while adults turn first to e-mail.

- About a fifth of teen IM users have used IM to ask for or accept a date. Almost that many, 16 percent, have used it to break up with someone.

Re: Virtual Reference & IM

2006-05-24T20:28:20Z

i use Meebo.com a lot and it includes MSN messenger

Re: Virtual Reference & IM

2006-05-24T18:46:38Z

Most all of the major instant messengers have web-based interfaces. As long as you have Java installed they should work fine.

Here are the links for the "big guys".

https://my.screenname.aol.com/_cqr/login/login.psp?mcState=initialized&siteId=ae40_prod_aim&seamless=novl

http://login.yahoo.com/config/login_verify2?.src=pg&.done=http://messenger.yahoo.com/webmsgr/launcher.php?back=http://messenger.yahoo.com/

http://www.icq.com/download/icq2go/

I haven't found a web-based interface for MSN Messenger. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has.

Virtual Reference & IM

2006-05-24T17:43:48Z

I have not used either of these personally, but I thought I would forward as they might be of potential interest. These are websites from which you or your patrons can access multiple IM clients without downloading any additional software. Please note the "alpha" status of meebo.

meebo (alpha) -- http://www.meebo.com/

Originally seen in the "Product Pipeline" by Aaron Schmidt under the section "Ultimate IM" in the Winter 2006 netconnect (available in INSPIRE -- MasterFILE Premier Accession Number - 19432689)

Another possibility is emessenger -- http://www.e-messenger.net/

AOL's Instant Messenger also has a web-based interface called AIM Express -- http://www.aim.com/get_aim/express/aim_expr.adp