For this thing we were to select one tool from the list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees and write about it. Under the Communication category I chose Meebo.
We use Meebo, a service that allows you to associate multiple instant messaging accounts with a single Meebo account, in both the Network Services department and the Reference department. This tool is useful, because if you want to be able to IM people who use different IM services, you need accounts on each of the different IM services (for the most part). It's a pain to have to login to multiple IM services at the same time, however, and Meebo solves this problem.
If libraries are going to offer chat reference services to their patrons they are going to have to be available via multiple IM services, so a tool like Meebo is really essential for making that managable. Also, Meebo has something called a Meebo Me widget that you can put on a web page (see my blog sidebar for an example). This lets people chat with you even if they don't have an account set up on any of the IM services. All they have to do is type in the Meebo Me chat window and if you are logged into your Meebo account you will get an instant message from the person.
This is a great tool for libraries wanting to make it easy for patrons to chat with them!
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