I have a work and personal email so I understand that. We use the email on daily basis at work to communicate between the branches. It is nice to have so that we don't have to save up on our questions as we use have to do when I first started working in the libraries. It is truly remarkable how much it has changed my life, I can go a few days without reading it but sometimes I have been known to read it a couple of times a day (my personal email) and I leave it up while I am working so that I can respond quickly. We just got on the county's Intranet so now we can be apart of the county's happenings for the employees. As for IM'ing I have done this years ago, when I join some listservs dealing with my older daughters' CHD. I have chatted with people from all over the world. So that is fun. I can see the help and hindrance for the libraries. Unless the work place allows it or if the library software can handle the use of it also. For my job it would be a nuisance to be checking out someone and have a message pop up would be irritating. With the emails, at least it lets you know if and when you have an email but you can answer it when you have a moment. As for the SMS/texting-- I have not done this, even though my cell phone ( the most common item to be used for) is capable. Why is it so hard to just find a phone that is just a cell phone? Not have any other gizmos attached to it? I will admit though that the new Iphone seems like it would be a fun toy ( toy is what it would be for me). If I could use it for work then yeah it would be great but I only need to have the verbal communications. Sorry I got off on a tangent. My bad ( as my kids would say). I don't think I would be like that text commercial that has the old lady and the kids texting each other. But then who knows. I have attended some webinars and particpated in them for my certification classes.
All in all, some of the items we do make use of at my work. Some of them we just don't have the capabilities as of now.