Our library has been using e-mail quite intensely for over 10 years. We answer a lot of reference questions that way, help researchers use our website more effectively, and communicate with each other about news and ongoing issues. I get so many e-mails from colleagues, researchers, and external sources that managing e-mail and finding relevant communications is sometimes challenging.
I haven't done a lot of chat, instant messaging, or text messaging. I've done Google chat via my gmail account at my home. I have received a few text messages on my cell phone, some in error. Without frequently doing it I'm slow to comprehend the shorthand and to enter information. Much of what I do at work is often very involved. I certainly wouldn't want to have complicated interactions about copyright, permissions, or large manuscript collections via text or IM. We've had a few security issues where IM might have been a good way to alert other staff rather than pushing the panic button or making a call that the irate patron may overhear.
I've participated in several Minitex webinars, including the Library 2.0 one and the Best of Online Reference. I find them to be well done professionally, but they don't feel very interactive to me. I'm not one for saying much beyond my name in such a set-up. Web conferencing seems to have good potential for outreach with remote researchers who are unable to attend our classes in the library.
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