OK I have a little time today and I’m back trying 23 Things on a Stick. Thing 7 is communication tools. There is a list of communication tools to try, videos to watch and articles to read. Then the assignment is to talk about how we use those tools in the library, so I’m going to improvise a bit.

Email: I live and die by email. If you want to reach me, email me. That is especially true now that I am in Dublin and most of my clients are still in Minnesota. I love it because, its quick, I can address it in my own time, and I have a record of all correspondence – which helps when I get forgetful.

Instant Messaging (IM): I have used IM for more than a year. I think it can be really useful when you are collaborating with someone but I find the problem is that it requires real time attention. I don’t always want to drop what I’m doing to answer an IM.

Text Messaging (SMS): I have to admit that I’ve become more of a texter since I’ve been in Dublin. It is more popular here than back home because it is ridiculously expensive to a make a cell phone (mobile) call here. It is a quick and easy way to convey info. I envision a lifetime of “Sorry. I’m l8” texts in my future as my kids get older.

Web Conferencing: I have presented at a few web conferences and attended even more. I prefer the conference tools that allow you to archive the presentation so that you can watch in your own time. That being said web conferencing can be a great way to offer training to a group that is geographically dispersed. If you haven’t ever attended a web conference, you can check out OPAL (http://www.opal-online.org/progschrono.htm), a great tool for web conferencing. (You can also find a conference to attend from that page.)