Sunday, September 28, 2008

Promoting library services

In both of my classes this semester, we've discussed at some length the problem of patrons or potential patrons not fully utilizing library resources and not even being aware of the resources that the library offers. I think it's safe to say that as future librarians and library science students, most of us are independent information seekers and have the ability and motivation to figure out for ourselves how to use available library services. It's easy to forget that not everyone shares this "information seeking behavior" (to use the parlance o' the profession) and unfortunately, it's also easy to blame patrons' inability or unwillingness to find things on their own on ignorance or laziness.

I find it to be mind boggling that libraries spend thousands of dollars on databases and resources that go virtually untouched. Much of the library literature bemoans the lack of understanding of these resources. Patrons are blamed. Faculty is blamed. Google is blamed. Rarely is the role of the librarian in teaching and promoting these resources addressed. In one of my classes we talked about how helpful it would be if the library curriculum included marketing and public relations. The instructor in my management class remarked that some librarians are getting their M.B.A's in order to have a better understanding of these areas, among others. However, today's job market in academic librarianship practically requires a second subject-area Master's in addition to the MLIS. Does a librarian's salary really justify a third Master's degree?

Wouldn't it be more helpful if library science coursework and the profession as a whole put an emphasis on our duty to promote the library's services? It's no secret that the public perceives the library in the 21st century as about as useful as a no-cable, no remote control console television. If we like our jobs and the places we work, it's about time to do something.

Just this week, I spoke with two graduate business students, one of whom had no idea that he could access Consumer Reports online through Wayne State, and another who wanted to know if she could check out the Wall Street Journal. Just as the former student was about to walk away disappointed in my answer, I showed her how she could access current and back editions of the WSJ through our databases. She was just as astounded and pleasantly surprised as the latter student. Neither of these students were incoming freshmen with little or no experience using the library's website. If the library had done its job correctly, both of these students would have already known that these titles were available for their use.

So if anyone is reading this out there, what are some specific ways librarians can inform patrons and potential patrons about our services? Providing links and information on departmental home pages? Changing our attitudes when patrons approach us asking for information about how to do things that we assume they should already know how to do?
Lothar talked about a librarian who made herself available in dorms and at campus events, armed with her laptop wherever she thought she might be able to reach students with information or research needs. Would it make more sense for library liasons to be in departmental buildings rather than in the library?

Discuss...

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

For the love of all things good...

...please stop walking away from me while I'm in the middle of answering your question.

Thx.

Sweet!

Printers on the second floor are not functional, nor are the photocopiers in the computer lab.

Everyone hates me a little bit now. I'll take the flak. I'm bullet-proof.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

It's a record!

Five complaints in one day about the noise level in the library, even on the 2nd and 3rd floors. It's a library, people - Show some respect, please!

Removing yourself from an uncomfortable conversation

Today I handled a telephone reference call that went from odd to bizarre - so much so that I was convinced that it had to be a joke and someone was getting a great laugh at my expense on the other end of the line.

The female caller first explained to me that she was writing a three page paper on the topic "blondes have more fun." OK, let's see where she goes with this one. For the next several minutes, she proceeded to tell me that from her research she has determined that men marry brunettes and that blondes are promiscuous, blah blah blah, but what she urgently needed was a really good definition of the word "floozy" complete with origin.

Sure, I can do that. "Floozy" per the OED is a girl or a woman especially one of disreputable character. Origin unknown. That's too bad. She must not have liked that definition because she asked for two more, which I was happy to provide. I was starting to wonder what passing patrons must be imagining as the words "tawdry" and "promiscuous" came out of my mouth as they walked by the desk. But I'm a professional, I can handle it.

My phone friend, satisfied with her definitions, then began a lengthy discourse on the eroding sexual morals of our society and began wondering out loud if there shouldn't be some kind of law requiring prospective partners to disclose their medical history to each other because, according to the caller, infection with tuberculosis at one point was a matter of public knowledge that had to be clearly posted for all to see. (Where is this going???) Furthermore, she asked if I was aware that the responsibility for the widespread outbreaks of sexually transmitted diseases lies in the hands of campus co-eds, not with people out in the streets?

This woman transitioned from one topic to the next with the speed of a seasoned auctioneer, leaving me no space to extricate myself from this increasingly stranger one-sided conversation. When at last she paused to take a breath, I said "Well, sounds like you've got some really interesting information for a three page paper. Good luck and let us know if there's anything else we can help you with."

Phew.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

The Path of Least Resistance

Every once in a while, just when I think that I can't possibly give directions to the Academic Success Center one more time, a student approaches the information desk with a real live reference question. You know the kind; the ones that we're going to school to be able to answer. Last week, two students approached me with some absolute gems: I need a newspaper article about Africa, the content has to be positive, can you help me?; I'm writing a paper about how to help little girls not think that they're Snow White and need a prince to rescue them, can you help me? And the answer is YES, YES, YES!!! I would LOVE to help you.

And then it happens. You start to explain in your most accessible everyday language about online databases with current journal and newspaper articles, and the glazed look of complete and utter disinterest takes over the patron's face. "I just want a book. Can you tell me where the books are?" O.K., I can get you a book. I found what looked to be several promising titles about self-esteem in young girls at the Purdy-Kresge. I explained to the patron that the books were located in our graduate library. "Oh no, I don't want to walk there, I just want a book that's in this library." Seriously? Not only are you not interested in articles, you aren't willing to take two minutes of your time to walk to P/K? Using my most persuasive librarian logic, I tried to convince said patron that these resources were her best bet if she only wanted to use books. She reluctantly took the call numbers and said she'd think about it. But I'm pretty sure she never made the walk, and I can't imagine what became of her essay.

Then there's the newspaper article patron.
Me: "Is there a specific topic or issue pertaining to Africa that you're interested in?"
Patron: "Nope, just has to be positive."
Me: "O.K., we can start there. Let me show you this database with access to current newspaper articles." (I've already lost her at this point.)

I pulled up a list of articles using only the term "Africa" and understandably came up with quite a hefty list. The patron looked at the screen, mentally crossing off the first four results because they pertained to H.I.V., and pointed to one with Ethiopia in the title and asked if she could have that one. I pulled up the full-text and it was an extremely brief, two paragraph article. I asked the patron if she was required to discuss or write about the article and suggested that we continue looking as this one didn't appear to have much substance.

Patron: "No, no, that'll work just fine. How can I get that one?"

These are but two examples of typical reference interactions here at the desk.

Is it just me or is there something very wrong here? How have we, as a nation, gotten to the point that even when we have instant access to an unlimited wealth of knowledge at our fingertips, we still want to complete a task while putting forth the least possible amount of effort? How does this bode for our future? What is going to happen to our critical thinking skills? How is this generation ever going to learn anything significant if they can't be bothered to read a list of article titles, let alone a full article itself? And how will this information-seeking behavior translate in the workplace when graduates who have never been forced to apply any real investigative or analytical skill find themselves in the position where the outcome of their work is no longer a grade on a paper or a degree, but the actual contribution of meaningful ideas or products that will carry us forward as a society?

Is anyone spending their time and money at a university to actually learn something? Whatever happened to intellectual curiosity? We have a great privilege in this country to have access to the educational resources we have, but with that privilege comes the responsibility to use the resources we have been given for improvement of self and society.

(Stepping down from the soapbox now.)

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Mission Accomplished

I haven't figured out if the warm fuzzies that I get when I help a patron who's really in a pickle come from the sheer joy of helping a fellow human being in need or from the selfish satisfaction that comes from the confirmation that I am indeed an information goddess who can find the answer to any inquiry. Whatever the reason, it's cool and I'm wishing I could give myself a big high-five right now.

A clearly flustered and sorta freaked out guy just came in looking for information about local bus schedules; while the specifics were unclear, he's been traveling across the country from San Diego for three months and somehow got separated from his gear and desperately needed to get to Cass and Lafayette and really didn't think he should go walking through the neighborhood anymore because he just figured out the hard way that Detroit isn't California.

My first thought was to panic. Crap, I know NOTHING about this - not even what the local bus line is called. (It's DDOT.) Then I remembered, hey, you ARE the information goddess, empowered with the means to tap into a vast network of information resources. After figuring out the difference between Smart and DDOT (you learn something new every day!) and coming to the realization that the DDOT bus schedule system works on Explorer, not Mozilla (f.y.i.), I was able to find the information, to the complete and utter relief of tired hippie dude in dire need of a serious bath and fingernail scrubbing.

Chances are, a few months from now I'll have dozens of stories like this and a minor information victory will seem just that - minor. But for now, I'll consider it a sort of newbie breaking-in. Welcome to the world of public service. I'm patting myself on the back and I'll go home knowing that my 8 hours here today made a difference to at least one person.

Updating the Blog

So this semester my job is to update the blog, which is great, because I occasionally convince myself that I have something witty enough to say that someone might find it mildly amusing. So expect the musings of a UGL newbie to start popping up here fairly frequently. I'm mulling over in my brain what direction I want to take this - since we rarely have a chance to see each other in person, hopefully the blog can promote a sense of camaraderie and allow us to share tips, ideas, and (of course) stories about what goes on in this house of fun they call the UGL.

It has been suggested to me that I also invite the GSAs from P/K and Science and Engineering to join our little online community, so that's on my list of blog-related things to do.

Hope everyone is off to a great start this semester!