VoIP News has a list of "25 Tips to Improve Your Skype Experience" and some of them are downright brilliant. I have to admit I haven't been using Skype much lately, but I know if I just implemented a few of these tips I'd be able to get myself a lot more organized. The first tip, in particular, is one Josh has been using (and loving) for several months...

Call Forwarding

Whether you've set your Skype account up on your home or work computer, the fact is, you are occasionally going to get important calls when you aren't there. Thankfully, you can simply forward those calls to another Skype account or even a cell phone or land line. That way, even if your computer at work is shut down, as soon as a call comes in to your Skype account, the call will immediately ring on your cell phone, your home computer and your home phone line, meaning that no matter where you are you'll be sure to get it.

To forward a call click on the "Tools" menu and select "Options." From there set the forwarding number in the "Call Forwarding & Voicemail" section.

Note that in the example given, the forwarded call will ring on your cell, home computer and home phone ALL AT THE SAME TIME because Skype allows forwarding to multiple numbers simultaneously.

How can this work for libraries? Easy. By buying a SkypeIn account (which gives you a phone number for your Skype account), you can market a single phone number for reference service that can ring in multiple places, including non-library numbers. Thus, not only can patron calls come into the reference desk or the librarians' offices, but also to cell and home phones of any librarians who might need to work from home on a given day but can still be available to answer reference questions.

The one glitch I have yet to solve in this scheme is the fact that the first voicemail system to answer a call will stop the call from ringing on all lines. Therefore, if my cell phone is one of several forwarded numbers, including several other available librarians, when I'm on a call on my cell, my voicemail will pick up the call immediately, preventing it from ringing anyone else's phone.

[VoIP News] Hacking Skype: 25 Tips to Improve Your Skype Experience (via Vancouver Law Librarian Blog)

Driving home tonight I listened to my first Skypecast. In my case it was special edition of the excellent Career Opportunities podcast. Author and podcaster Douglas Welch used Skypecast to do an audio question and answer forum. Listeners joined the Skypecast and asked questions about Welch's take on the IT job market and ethics in the IT consulting realm.

While listening I started thinking what a great tool this would make for libraries and other organizations. How simple it is now to meet online and collaborate, share meeting and have virtual meetings with a great record afterwards. Then I noticed the Second Life Library 2.0 Staff Meeting scheduled for tomorrow evening.