I am a HUGE fan of chat. I use it personally on Gmail as well as on facebook and also I like using it when shopping online as well. Chat is a quick way to get questions answered if you have a question about a product (I use a particular clothing retailer that allows you to get exact measurements of items via chatting with an associate) and I also use it socially to talk to friends while on facebook or while checking my email. In terms of libraries I think it is an invaluable tool. For those who may be too shy to come to the reference desk, or are afraid to "look silly" but still need help it is a great way to get help without being under and kind of pressure. The fact that you can use it from anywhere is also a great feature. We have even had students use it to tell us that a patron near them is being disruptive and could we please come ask them to be quiet. One downside I can see to chat is the ability to type quickly. Students now are used to instant answers and responses. When I am answering questions via chat, I feel that there is a pressure to get the answer out there as quickly as possible and if someone is not used to that, they may not know that the spelling does not have to be perfect and taking too much time to correct spelling etc may leave the patron hanging. Also, you can't take too much time to let them know that you are there. A quick "hello" while you try to find the answer to their question is a great way to say I'm here and ready to help. Otherwise you may encounter the problem of the patron may think no one is there if you take too much time to formulate a response that answers all of their question at once. Overall, chat is a fabulous tool and as long as you have the staff to do it, I am all for it.
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