[Web4lib] seeking examples of web-based voice or video calling (VoIP) services in libraries

[Thomas Bennett]

I have recently put a Google Voice widget on our help desk (login access only) 
just for testing but it may prove to be an asset later.  The caveat, or not, 
is that the user has to have mic and speakers or headphones.  When you click 
on the widget it opens a form to put your name and phone number.  From what I 
recall is it then calls the phones you have listed on your Google Voice 
account.

Thomas
On Tuesday 15 December 2009 13:26:02 Char Booth wrote:
> Greetings, and apologies for cross-posting. In the coming months I will be
>  compiling a Library Technology Report
>  (http://www.alatechsource.org/ltr/index) that investigates one of the more
>  under-the-radar/utilitarian library technologies of recent years,
>  web-based voice and video calling and conferencing via platforms such as
>  Skype, GTalk, and DimDim. In this report I hope to tackle both the
>  benefits and drawbacks of VoIP as a public service, instruction,
> collaboration, and communication medium, and as such am seeking
> real-world library use cases, direct experiences, frustrations,
> workarounds and success stories that illustrate practical challenges and
> benefits of web voice and video to achieve various ends.
> 
> I hope to learn about/from individuals and libraries who use web video
> and calling either to provide education or public services such as
> distance instruction or video reference or as their main telephone
> infrastructure, and for individuals  with virtual participation
> experience at conferences and the like. This is meant to be a
> troubleshooting guide as well as a technology primer, so *any*
> experience using VoIP in library services (for better or worse,
> technical or nontechnical) is sought. Anyone who has worked with this
> technology and would like to offer an opinion or experience to be
> profiled in the report (or not, if you prefer), your input is
> invaluable. This would consist of answering a few quick questions via
> phone or email, or simply pointing me to a URL, etc. Also, leads to
> known VoIP-based library programs at other institutions are much
> appreciated.
> 
> Please feel free to contact me on or off-list, and many thanks. I'll
> provide a summary of pertinent responses if there is interest expressed.
> FYI, I'm the E-Learning Librarian at UC Berkeley, and I blog at
> www.infomational.com.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Char
> 
> --
> Char Booth
> E-Learning Librarian
> UC Berkeley
> 302 Moffitt Library MC 6000
> Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
> Google Talk: charbooth | skype: charbooth
> o 510.643.7486 | c 512.970.3573
> 
> 
> 
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> 

-- 
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Thomas McMillan Grant Bennett           Appalachian State University
Operations & Systems Analyst            P O Box 32026
University Library                                Boone, North Carolina 28608
(828) 262 6587

Library Systems Help Desk: https://www.library.appstate.edu/help/
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