Setting Up an IM Service: Step by Step

1. Get buy-in from staff
   • public service
   • systems: security concerns

2. Start informal training
   • IM around the office: pick a service, have everyone register, compile and distribute screen names
   • Encourage staff to try IMing each other for quick questions instead of calling
   • Provide lists of common acronyms
3. Research and select a client and services you will support
   • Gaim (free, open source multi-protocol client)
   • Trillian (multi-protocol client, basic version is free)
   • Or use the native client(s): (AIM, Yahoo, MSN, Google Talk)
4. Continue to have staff meetings:
   • decide on staffing model
     • at service desk?
     • in staff offices? consider complexity of shift change
   • pick out service hours
   • discuss service levels
   • discuss how service will be assessed for quality control
     • looking at a sample each week or month
     • a designated individual looks at all transcripts at the beginning
     • particular transcripts can be kept for training purposes
   • discuss how referrals will be handled
   • guage staff excitement/anxiety
5. Discuss privacy policies and what will be done with transcripts
   • Transcripts: to save or not to save?
   • If saved, who has access to them?
   • Privacy statement for patrons to read on library IM web page
6. Discuss how statistics will be kept
   • Depends heavily on decisions made about transcripts
   • If transcripts not kept, tick sheets can be used
   • Spreadsheet stored on network drive
   • Staff can copy and paste text of transcripts into Word or other editor
   • Trillian and Gaim can both centrally save logs/transcripts
     • Trillian: Preferences-->Activity History-->Save History To...
     • Gaim: see Gaim Setup for Library IM Services
7. Install and configure selected client accordingly on selected machine(s)
   • Gaim Setup for Library IM Services
   • Trillian Training Materials
8. Group training session, if possible, or a group discussion
   • Spam/bots/viruses: do not click on suspicious links (look at my picture!)
   • Short phrases, not long paragraphs
   • Questions and Answers
9. Pick a service launch date
10. Launch date - publicity blitz!
11. Make sure someone very familiar with IM and the software setup is on-hand at first
12. Have fun!