This has been a lot of fun, probably the most enjoyable L&P activity so far (for me, anyway). Lots of interesting co-worker favorites! I love reading about them.
If anybody is actually reading any of my ramblings on here, let me know what you think about this whole Lean & Play experience thus far.
At first I was not at all into this, but it's kind of growing on me...:)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
On the Subject of Wikis
I'm not exactly a stranger to all this wiki business, as we CML rovers have our own blog, "Speed Bumps", which (at the time of this writing) can only be accessed by rover/infoline staff.
Hence, there wasn't anything too novel in the other libraries' wikis that I examined.
As for Speed Bumps, of course it's great for staff communication, but it's also a very convenient tool for storing updated points of policy, contact information (lots and lots of frequently requested and/or dialed numbers all in one place) and dates for a garden variety of events and programs throughout the city.
One of the coolest features of Speed Bumps, IMO, is that you can access it from home (I often check the rover info schedule, which is always posted there).
Let me know what you think,
H.
Hence, there wasn't anything too novel in the other libraries' wikis that I examined.
As for Speed Bumps, of course it's great for staff communication, but it's also a very convenient tool for storing updated points of policy, contact information (lots and lots of frequently requested and/or dialed numbers all in one place) and dates for a garden variety of events and programs throughout the city.
One of the coolest features of Speed Bumps, IMO, is that you can access it from home (I often check the rover info schedule, which is always posted there).
Let me know what you think,
H.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Library 2.0 Perspectives
As we struggle through implementation of "Library 2.0", I sometimes get the impression that we are working in a profession so obsessed with the future that we overlook the needs of much of our customer base in the here and now. The neglect of traditional users (and it's pretty blatant at CML) is disheartening. All the while and furthermore, we are expected to facilitate the needs of the "wired" generation, yet most staff are woefully undertrained for this transition, hence we muddle through the best we can (there are certain branches that would be DOOMED without the expertise of their twenty-something Tech Savvies...). Is anybody else out there picking up these mixed signals?
I'm choosing to discuss Rick Anderson's perspective ("Away from Icebergs"). In his article he compares the library profession to a boat that must steer clear of three obstacles ("icebergs") to avoid a disaster: "just in case" print collections, an over reliance on customer education, and the "come to us" model of library service.
While I agree with much of what Anderson says, I do have some nitpicks, especially in regard to his stance on the "come to us" model. There are still LOTS of folks out there who DO NOT USE COMPUTERS and who prefer print media, so they must (and want to) COME TO US. That's reality, and things will remain this way for some time to come. Sure, there are growing numbers of (mostly younger) users who will expect library staff to know about podcasts, Youtube, music downloads, etc. (things most staff are STILL not trained for), but a substantial number of our patrons still come to the branches for print materials NOT to use computers or to "get wired".
In regards to "just in case" collections, well, I don't think we should have "just in case" collections, but customer NEED should be taken into account and the collection should reflect local tastes. I don't know how many HUNDREDS of times I heard older customers complain at Northern Lights about the branch "never having" the books they came to find. Yes, the younger users were not there for the print collection, but rather for services that staff were not adequately trained to help them with...so, we had a large collection gathering dust, older customers without the books they wanted and younger customers disappointed because staff could not provide acceptable service. Everybody loses.
I totally agree with Anderson's view of over reliance on customer education. We simply do not have the staff or the resources to pick up all the slack of the public education system...
I'm choosing to discuss Rick Anderson's perspective ("Away from Icebergs"). In his article he compares the library profession to a boat that must steer clear of three obstacles ("icebergs") to avoid a disaster: "just in case" print collections, an over reliance on customer education, and the "come to us" model of library service.
While I agree with much of what Anderson says, I do have some nitpicks, especially in regard to his stance on the "come to us" model. There are still LOTS of folks out there who DO NOT USE COMPUTERS and who prefer print media, so they must (and want to) COME TO US. That's reality, and things will remain this way for some time to come. Sure, there are growing numbers of (mostly younger) users who will expect library staff to know about podcasts, Youtube, music downloads, etc. (things most staff are STILL not trained for), but a substantial number of our patrons still come to the branches for print materials NOT to use computers or to "get wired".
In regards to "just in case" collections, well, I don't think we should have "just in case" collections, but customer NEED should be taken into account and the collection should reflect local tastes. I don't know how many HUNDREDS of times I heard older customers complain at Northern Lights about the branch "never having" the books they came to find. Yes, the younger users were not there for the print collection, but rather for services that staff were not adequately trained to help them with...so, we had a large collection gathering dust, older customers without the books they wanted and younger customers disappointed because staff could not provide acceptable service. Everybody loses.
I totally agree with Anderson's view of over reliance on customer education. We simply do not have the staff or the resources to pick up all the slack of the public education system...
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Del.icio.us
I created an account over at del.icio.us and added some bookmarks to sites that I visit often (a couple film related pages and a website dedicated to American poet and "weird tale" writer Clark Ashton Smith).
It's easy to see how del.icio.us can be used for a research tool as all of the tags provided by other visitors to the websites I frequent can lead me to similar and/or related pages.
As for work related utility, I'm sure it could also be used to store bookmarks to the various reference and community webpages that I use to help customers on a daily basis (Franklin County Board of Elections, Google Maps, Fantastic Fiction, etc.).
Out,
H
It's easy to see how del.icio.us can be used for a research tool as all of the tags provided by other visitors to the websites I frequent can lead me to similar and/or related pages.
As for work related utility, I'm sure it could also be used to store bookmarks to the various reference and community webpages that I use to help customers on a daily basis (Franklin County Board of Elections, Google Maps, Fantastic Fiction, etc.).
Out,
H
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Kicked around over there to get a feel for it. Chose to "follow" some old co-workers. Outside of work, there's not much of a place for "micro-blogging" in my life (you'd have to know my friends and family to understand!). As for its uses at CML, I think that I would much rather get system-wide updates through Twitter instead of through e-mail.
My name on Twitter is harl0370
See ya,
H.
My name on Twitter is harl0370
See ya,
H.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Library Thing
OK, I have an account now. Added books by Henry Rollins, H.P. Lovecraft, Michael Weldon and others.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/harl0370
Out,
H.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/harl0370
Out,
H.
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