Why should libraries use IM? Libraries need to stay informed on what their users are doing and how they are communicating. As technology grows, it is imperative that library personnel stay informed and proficient in the uses of the new movements. Libraries need to develop as the community's "nucleus of knowledge." In the past the library was a receptacle of information on paper with people trained to show patrons how to access the information. Today it is no different except that the level of information retrieval services has expanded.
How is IM different that traditional communication channels? IM is different in that it operates in a real-time or close-to-real-time environment. People have an almost "on-site" communication capability, able to communicate as if talking in person. Other electronic formats such as email are slower and more "formal."
How many of the IM population are our customers and why should we care? Most of the users are younger, however, a the user population is growing. Librarians need to care about this because electronic communication is becoming more prevalent and will probably become the primary communications format in the future.
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