RYAN MCPHERSON3/9/2009

Voice over Internet Protocol

(VoIP)

Public Switched Telephone Network

Basic telephone lines

Information is sent along a single circuit

Handles all conventional telephones and cell phones

Is now almost entirely digital

Voice over Internet Protocol

Information is sent in packets

Information is sent over the Internet

Requirements for VoIP

Very low, nearly every library is able to use VoIP

Broadband Internet

Microphone/Speakers

VoIP Software

Examples of VoIP

Library Use

Training

Distance meetings

Reference services

Advantages of VoIP

Very low cost; cheap or free Many open source programs Many Freeware programs

Often bundled with extra functionality

Advantages of VoIP

Most libraries already able to use VoIP

Allows voice chat with customers

Disadvantages of VoIP

May require extra training

Spotty emergency services

Requires electricity

Use to Reference Services

Additional avenue of contact Users might feel more comfortable talking to a

librarian

Cheaper than PSTN telephony

Limitations of Chat

50% of Chat reference interviews concluded successfully

100% increase in problematic reference transactions between in-person and chat interviews

Kwan, N. (2007). “Public library patrons' use of collaborative chat reference service: The effectiveness of question answering by question type.” Library and Information Science Research , 70-91 .

What Voice Chat Offers

Text is cumbersome in a reference interview

Voice allows clearer and quicker reference interviews

VoIP is on the Way

Many libraries offer voice chat reference services

Many people already use VoIP 58% of people I interviewed had used VoIP before 69% of people under 40 36% of people over 40

The Case for VoIP

CheapConvenientEasy to use

VoIP would greatly enhance reference interviews

References

Atwater-Singer, M., & Sherrill, K. (2006). Social Software, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and You. Indiana Libraries , 48-52.

Bakker, T. (2002). Virtual Reference Services: Connecting Users with Experts and Supporting the Development of Skills. Liber Quarterly , 124-137.

Francoeur, S. (2001). An analytical survey of chat reference services. Reference Services Review , 189-203.

Kwan, N. (2007). Public library patrons' use of collaborative chat reference service: The effectiveness of question answering by question type . Library and Information Science Research , 70-91 .

Pomerantz, J., & Marchionini, G. (2007). The digital library as place. Journal of Documentation , 505-533.

Vaishnav, C. (2006). Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): The Dynamics of Technology and Regulation. Massachusets Institute of Technology.