Customizing Pidgin for Library Services

Pam SessomsElectronic Reference Services Librarian

919-962-1151pam@unc.edu

Aim: SessomsPamGoogle Talk: psessoms@gmail.com

Librarian Jargon

Chat: Generic term for one-on-one synchronous online discussion. Usually refers to a web-based chat system that requires no account on the part of the patron.

IM: One-on-one synchronous online discussion; generally requires that the patron use some kind of account to contact the librarian.

In the beginning…

There was web-based chat Commercial vendors LSSI, Docutek, 24/7. Heavy-weight, co-browsing. Provided one public interface to

many librarians. Cooperatives often supported by default. E-commerce support software used too.

A Modest Collaboration…

Then smart librarians…

Noticed that IM was very popular Surpassed web-based chat traffic

Adding IM to an Existing Chat Service:What Happens?Davis Reference VR Stats

050100150200250300350400450

Mar-04May-04Jul-04Sep-04Nov-04Jan-05Mar-05May-05Jul-05Sep-05Nov-05Jan-06

Dates

Number

tutor.com

Adding IM to an Existing Chat Service:What Happens?Davis Reference VR Stats

050100150200250300350400450

Mar-04May-04Jul-04Sep-04Nov-04Jan-05Mar-05May-05Jul-05Sep-05Nov-05Jan-06

Dates

Number

tutor.com

IM

Adding IM to an Existing Chat Service:What Happens?Davis Reference VR Stats

050100150200250300350400450

Mar-04May-04Jul-04Sep-04Nov-04Jan-05Mar-05May-05Jul-05Sep-05Nov-05Jan-06

Dates

Number

tutor.com

IM

Total

How do we integrate various IM services?

Web-based Chat Still Needed

Do all library users have an IM account? Will they create one just to chat with a

librarian? MeeboMe Widgets are popular

Plugoo, Chatango

Pidgin4lib plugin “basic”

Stable. In use by many libraries. Loops “new IM” sound alert until librarian

responds. Auto-approves jabber and other requests.

MeeboMe widgets, MSN buddy adds. Source available on UNC Library website. http://www.lib.unc.edu/reference/eref/

pidgin/

The Problem with IM

The Problem with IM

DISPATCH(AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, MeeboMe Widget)

AIMPatron

MSNPatron

Yahoo!Patron

OperatorOperator Operator

WidgetPatron

Single Institution Model

AIMPatron

1

2 3 4 5

Two Roles (Groups in Buddy List)

Dispatch Public identity Davisrefdesk

AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, Google Talk, etc.

Must have an acct on each supported protocol.

Distributes IMs to all Operator(s).

Operator “Non-public” identities. Librarians can use multiple

Operator accounts simultaneously.

Flood Control: each Operator account allows for one IM.

Can chat with patrons on any protocol supported by Dispatch.

Patrons: Appear to be chatting with public identity of

Dispatcher. Will get queued if:

Operator accounts are maxxed out. More than XX seconds (configurable) go by with no

librarian reply. Move ahead in line when Operator closes IM

window on previous chat.

How it looks An incoming patron chat will appear on the Dispatch

and ALL Operator computers.

The first librarian operator to send text to the patron “wins” the chat.

The windows on the other computers automatically close.

Logging is done centrally from the Dispatch computer.

Can transfer patrons to other Operators or Dispatchers. Davis Reference and Davis Circulation transfer chats

and IMs now.

The Problem with IM

Night Owl

Duke Dispatch

AIMPatron

MSNPatron

Yahoo!Patron

Operator

WidgetPatron

NCSU Dispatch

UNC Dispatch

12 34

Routing info (who patron wanted to IM) displays in IM title bar.

Night Owl Staffing Model:Start of Day

Each institution fires up their Dispatch computer (minimally).

They may also use various Operators throughout the day. Eases shift change procedure; no need to

worry about interrupting IMs in progress.

Night Owl Staffing Model: 9pm

Night Owl operator accounts sign in Night Owl operators list their Dispatchers. All Dispatchers know about Night Owl operators.

Dispatcher accounts should NOT be logged out when day staff leave.

Night Owl Collaboration Staffing Model: Midnight

Night Owl operator wraps up existing IMs.

If a library’s public service is over, Night Owl operator sends “sign off” commands to Dispatch account.

“Challenges” Collaborations: Initial Setup and Configuration is

Confusing. XMPP errors on Dispatch occur when patron has

closed MeeboMe widget and librarian continues to send messages. Harmless but annoying.

File transfer currently broken. Closing windows without sending any text to

patron. When is an IM over?

If dispatch machine is physically inaccessible to operator and it crashes, hard to fix. Phone call to staff present near dispatch machine.

The Next Phase…

Web back end takes the place of Dispatch. Libpurple (from the Pidgin folks).

Operators continue to use customized Pidgin client OR operators may be able to use any Jabber client (goal!).

In coding/alpha stages currently.