Instant messaging - an interesting presentation during the “CyberTours” (mini-sessions). Here is a highlight: “For some, not being available via IM is like not having a telephone number.” Some teens think of email as “communicating with ‘old folks’.” Approximately 25% of I.M. is from older people at the Thomas Ford Public Library.

If libraries are interested in communicating with younger people that are plugged in, I.M. is an option, as is text messaging.

I’m seeing that the patterns of usage vary so much between generations. And if not generations, then those that are “hot” on internet usage. The opening speaker mentioned that studies show that those people who have broadband have far different patterns (and intensity of use) than those who have dial-up.

The debate that we have about the “digital divide” has an interesting twist. It’s not just those who can’t be online - it’s also those who don’t want to be. The 3 groups are divided into: 1) cold - those who have no interest in the internet; 2) tepid - those who are dial-up by choice and have specific purposes for which they use the internet; and 3) hot - those who are plugged in everywhere, have broadband and use the latest tools with intensity.

I think we have always assumed with the “digital divide” conversations that those who don’t have internet desire it. But is that always true? How do we serve this continuum?

Aaron Schmidt (Thomas Ford Library) is also a proponent of opening access for all - unlocking computers, using software to recover any problems that occur rather than stopping them from happening in the first place, making libraries easier to use rather than harder.

See