Transformational Librarian

So, this "usable library" blog is a bit narrow in scope. I have a great interest in making libraries usable, but I don't have much of an opportunity to do anything to make that come to fruition, which is why I haven't been writing much. However, a recent OCLC study makes me think that "Transformational Librarian" might be a good title and overall subject for a blog. I am, after all, on the lookout for ways I can help people. Nothing makes me feel better about the work I do than when I can help somebody, change somebody's life for the better. That's why I do what I do. Plus, I can think of lots of times I think I've helped transform somebody's life, even if just a little.

• You help somebody find a recording that helps improve a performance on a recital, improves the 50th anniversary party, or brings meaning to a memorial service.
• You find a gardening book that helps somebody rescue the dying hydrangea.
• You recommend a book that somebody really loves and comes back to ask for more by that author.
• You lend an ear to somebody who just wants to talk about the birds they're now attracting in their backyard.

Problems of Passion

Last week a patron wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper to express concern that her favorite part of the collection - adult fiction - has been moved from a place of ease and prominence on the main floor to a windowless part of the basement of the library. There's an unfortunate element to the letter in that it reflects a reaction to the present state of the library, which is still several months from completion in the renovation process. However, there is a positive element as well. This patron felt passionately enough about her books and her library to take the time to write a letter to the local paper.

There was a certain amount of consternation about her letter at the library from people who don't often interact directly with the patrons. They seemed to be taken off guard by the comments, though most public service staff have been receiving and documenting many similar public comments since the move took place. What is odd, however, is the consternation that sees a patron's comments as negativity for bold new plans rather than passion for what the patron has come to expect from the library - easy access to her collection and respect for books.

As a colleague point out, if you want people to feel passionately about their library then you have to be ready to have them disagree with you.

The User Experience in the Library

For years I've been advocating for libraries to focus on all aspects of usability. My particular library hasn't had a group to specifically look at that, but in the last 12 years as circulation manager, reference librarian, and lead adult services librarian and as a member of our electronic resources team and digital library team I've been an advocate for the user experience. Looking at a new electronic resource to subscribe to? The main focus of my reviews has been "how will the patrons use it?" Wanting to change labels or locations of something? "How will that affect our patrons?" Create a new brochure? "Will it make sense to our patrons?"

A few months ago my library was looking at reorganizing its teams, committees, and workgroups. I suggested we create a team to look at the overall user experience, not just from the standpoint of electronic resources but holistically, from signage to placement of items to what people are looking for but can't find. I'm pleased to report that such a team was created.

I'm less pleased to report that I was not chosen to be on the team whose creation I (and I think perhaps I alone) suggested.

I have been assigned to serve on the Podcasting team. Perhaps I can continue to use my passion for usability in the Podcasting team by creating online tutorials or other online products that will help people more effectively use the library.

Virtue of receiving criticism

I recently compiled a list of comments we received from patrons last month. There were some positive ones that make us feel good and serve as positive reinforcement, such as "I can always find something I want in your New Book area."

Most, however, are comments we record because we were unable to meet the needs of our patrons. There are titles or authors or subjects that we're lacking in. For instance, how did we end up with no books on Louis Comfort Tiffany? Or we had 10 comments from people who wanted access to books that we hadn't brought upstairs during our renovations.

Most people don't like receiving criticism, but if you can get over the initial feeling of hurt that "Hey, you guys blew it" brings on, it's true that we can learn from mistakes. We can learn that just because a book on Tiffany is old doesn't mean that it should be weeded unless you are pretty darn sure that you have other books that do what that book does.

If one is defensive, however, and refuses to accept the criticism and admit that "mistakes were made" then one hasn't learned anything, nor has ones collection improved.

Best intentions

So Janet has reminded me that resurrection is something that might take a little time, especially with lots of changes going on at work. I'm afraid that I missed the opportunity to participate in NaBloPoMo, but quite frankly, what's the point of posting every day in November just for the sake of posting. Maybe there should be a NaBloWhYoHaSoWo2SaMo (National Blog When You Have Something Worthwhile to Say Month). Perhaps I can come up with something worthwhile to post here for the last few days of November.

We'll see what muses are around.

Resurrecting a blog

Of the gazillion blogs out there, maybe, just maybe, 10% are updated regularly (or something like that). It's probably time to add this to the top 10th of social networking sites. This may include a change from thoughts of usability to thoughts of libraries and librarians in general.

A new connectivity

Create a document using Google's online Document & Spreadsheet service. Then automatically send it to your blog, like this one has been. Simple.

Books are for use

Books are for use. That's one of the laws of Librarianship. It cuts two ways. As an advocate of libraries as centers of lifelong learning and repositories of knowledge I cringe when I see books being weeded. Weeding is a practice that the public is loath to hear about, because most people believe libraries to be places where books are kept. However, a recent Washington Post article brought the practice of somewhat ruthless weeding to the public eye. The library that was the subject of the article was weeding classics if they hadn't circulated in two years. Two years. That's a longer time than quite a few people want to give to a book to circulate. As the retail mindset infiltrates the library culture there are people who figure that books on our shelves ought to be checked out at least once a year if not more. I can actually understand that threshold for some books, such as recent best sellers or works with limited shelf lives, like the latest book on some aspect of computer technology. However, when I read that a library will ditch Silent Spring and Candide I cringe not just for the library of the future but for future of society. It is likely that access to these works will be maintained with electronic copies, and Candide is already online for free. But who will read it online? Who will happen across it online? On the other hand, who will find it at the library? They'd have to be browsing through the French Literature section. And the figures show that nobody's checking it out, at least not in the last two years. (Maybe 250 year old books just aren't as popular as 200 year old books.)

I like what the Arlington County Librarian had to say: if something of value isn't circulating, then we should make sure the public knows about it is there. Such thinking balances the extremes of the "retail model" and the "archival model." After all, another of the laws is that Libraries are growing organisms. I just want to be sure that all the growth isn't in just one direction.

The Desk

Like many libraries, ours is making some changes. We're looking at a "new service model," that gets people out from behind the desk and gets us to meet the "patron at their point of puzzlement" (P@tPoP?). In recent redesigns, many libraries are opting to get rid of their so-called bunker desks in favor of minimalist wire and formica stands or doing away entirely with any sort of fixed fixture to allow/make staff roam/rove with the patrons. Viewing this model in action at several places I'm wondering if we're overreacting.

The venerable bunker desk does present an obstacle to good service. Patrons and staff are stuck on opposite sides of this barrier. Physically a desk may have inconvenient openings that prevent staff from getting out to where patrons obviously need help. Perhaps the gravitational pull of the desk prevents staff from moving too far away from it. However, the desk also provides some benefits to service.

The desk provides a place for people to find you. Library staff can't be everywhere, so when a patron has a question, they know where somebody who can help them will be. If you've been to a big box retail store, you know how annoying it is to wander the aisles looking for help. Is it worse to wait at the paint counter for the next person to help you or to wander around the paint department looking for a staff member?

The desk also provides a convenient place to put things you frequently use, like ready reference items, phones, computers, the free county map that you give out 5 times a day, or the library newsletter telling people about storytimes and computer classes.

And, perhaps most importantly for the future of the profession and improved library service, the desk is a place where ongoing, usually informal, professional development occurs. We know that each day there's some bit of the mass of information overload that we need to try to absorb, and frequently that information is best absorbed when filtered and shared by a colleague at the desk. The other day I had to find the prevailing prices charged for writing different types of documents. What source would you use? If you didn't know, but happened to be at the desk with me, I could have told you that there's a 10-page section near the beginning of Writer's Market (page 70-ish) that shows a range of prevailing rates. Several of my colleagues were with me at the desk. Several of them now know this information.

Yes, I could create a list of "Sources I found useful today" and email it to people I work with, but what's more efficient and effective? I can take the time to create the list and send it to you, and maybe you'll read the list and then go look at the sources I recommended and teach yourself how to use it. Or I can show you when you're at the desk with me, and I can leave the book at the desk and you can show it to other colleagues who are working at the desk.

I have no great love for staff stuck behind a desk waiting for patrons to come to them. That's bad service. But I also have no great love for for leaving patrons adrift looking for staff who have no desk and for leaving staff adrift without the resources they need, including useful interaction with their colleagues. That's also bad service.

Since this an early post and you might not know it yet, I would suggest compromise, a theme which I hope will become apparent in future postings.

Ring a ding - shush.

As I'm just warming up to this blogging idea (why would anybody want to read my musings and why am I prone to so many typos when typing in this mode?) , let me travel the well-worn debate on policies that don't really work with the public, such as the great cell phone issue. Some libraries ban cell phone use because a few people make disruptive noise while using them. (Loud ring tones, or talking too loudly.) What most people agree now is that the disruptive noise not the technology should be banned. Does a person who answers their vibrating phone and speaks quietly into their bluetooth headset still count as a cell phone user that needs to be shushed or sent to the lobby?

Grand Canyon

Georgia and I visited Arizona back in November. Here's her handiwork with the camera as I try to give perspective to the Canyon. Not a bad shot with a (obsolete, and now broken) Fuji Finepix. Some shots were as good as those I took with a friend's fancy-schmancy Nikon SLR. Other highlights of the trip included a tour of Canyon de Chilley and some hiking in the Phoenix area while Georgia was at her conference. What's this have to do with libraries? On the trip I also had the opportunity to visit several of the Phoenix Public Libraries, including the new Desert Broom branch - a somewhat shade-house/cave-like atmosphere that is much better than that describes it. One of the nice things about the Phoenix Libraries is that they let out of towners like me use their computers with very little trouble. On the four occasions I used the libraries I just had to say "I'm from out of town and need to use the internet" and they'd give me a PIN to enter, and voila I'm connected. No need for guest passes or collateral or filling out forms. Just simplicity for the user.

Things to remember

Note to self: a few sites out there that might prove useful.

• http://www.usabilityfirst.com/methods/prototyping.txl
• http://www.usabilitynet.org/tools.htm
• http://www.usability.gov/pdfs/guidelines.html