Using Slack to communicate with medical students

Academic libraries often make use of social networks like Facebook and Twitter to connect with their student users. While the Spokane Academic Library at Washington State University also employs this outreach strategy, the health sciences librarian was able to use a new type of social network called Slack to communicate more directly with the inaugural class of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. As a digital workspace for communication and collaboration, Slack provided the medical librarian with an effective medium through which to post library announcements and updates, as well as have individual conversations with students about library-related questions and concerns.