Second Life

Although I've heard people discussing Second Life (secondlife.com) for many months now, I've never been to the Web site/game/alternate universe. Thus far, I've shied away from Second Life for two basic reasons:

1. I don't have the Internet at home, and somehow I suspect my employers would look unkindly on my "playing" Second Life at the Reference / Info Desks
2. Considering that I have historically shown miserable skillz at navigating the highly complex and perilous 2-D worlds of Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong, I have grave doubts about my ability to navigate a free-range 3D universe like Second Life

Nevertheless, after reading articles about Second Life, I feel a strange pull to try it out, even though I can't really visualize what Second Life is and only understand every fourth word of the articles. However, today I stumbled on a slide show from an Australian librarian that gives me a slightly better understanding of Second Life. Check it out:

Flying Librarians of Oz: What's all the fuss about Second Life and what's it got to do with libraries?
http://www.slideshare.net/sirexkat/flying-librarians-of-oz-whats-all-the-fuss-about-second-life-and-whats-it-got-to-do-with-libraries

Classificaiton of Patron Encounters

I've decided during slow times I'm going to put my LIS 6210 Organization of Knowledge skills to use. I'm going to create a Classification of Patron Encounters. Or some such thing.

Why?

Because this past Monday, within a single hour, not one but two patrons approached the InfoDesk laughing -- not as they might when they have just heard a rollicking good joke, but laughing for some other reason somehow related to their impending questions. Were they laughing because they thought their question was funny? Stupid? Hopeless? Did they laugh because they weren't really sure what they wanted? Because I had a coffee stain on my shirt (always a possibility, but not so in this particular case)? Were they intimidated? Of me?

My theory is that the Laughers hadn't thoroughly thought out their questions and suffered an attack of library anxiety. Suddenly facing me at the InfoDesk, with their minds racing to put together a question, their vocal chords fill in the silence by laughing. At least, that sounds like something I would do.

The Laughers made me think of some of the other patrons who approach the desk. Many reference interactions recently seem to begin with "This is probably a stupid question, but ...". These Meta-Questioners, who question validity of their own questions, invariably end their sentence with a non-stupid question, apparently thinking that the services of the InfoDesk are typically reserved only for those studying quantum physics.

Other amusing favorites include:

• Sliders (the smooth-talkers who slide on up to the InfoDesk, flaunting their smoothness in my general direction)
• Huffers (who would like to begin the reference interview by expressing their malcontent)
• Tappers (who mistakenly think that by tapping I will register their impatience and thus ignore the two people in line in front of them)
• Hoverers (who hover around the reference desk but won't ask a question until I offer my help)
• Movers 'n' Shakers (who shout out a question without ever actually approaching the InfoDesk or waiting for the answer)
• Executives (who believe that through blunt orders and demands, I will perform more efficiently and to their liking, mere underling and peasant that I am)
• Self-Helpers (who answer their own questions)
• Ponderers (who, rather than asking a question, choose to stare at the desk until divine inspiration descends on them)

To make this a true classification, at a later date I will place these groups into a hierarchy. Care to add anything?

Bits 'n' Bobs

1) The Blended Librarian: Blending Instructional Design, Technology, and Librarianship

http://www.blendedlibrarian.org/

We briefly discussed this Web site in my Instruction Methods for Librarians class. I haven't gotten a chance to deeply explore it yet, but I've heard tell it's a good resource for anyone who might ever have to teach patrons how to find and use stuff that involves technology.

2) Black Belt Librarians: Every Librarian's Real World Guide to a Safer Workplace, Warren Graham, Pure Heart Press, 2006.

This past week I was telling my co-workers at my other library about how exciting UGL has been this semester, now that people have moved inside to escape the cold. I was explaining that the police were required at least three times on each of the past two Saturdays, and on each of these days within the first 15 minutes of working I watched someone being dragged out of the library in handcuffs. While the police seem to be spending a lot of time in the library lately, I've become somewhat desensitized and mostly find their visits a good source of entertainment. I was further explaining that as it gets colder people seem to be getting crankier and more confrontational, especially when I tell them they have to go to P/K or SEL to get a particular book.

Minutes after explaining all of this, I flipped open the November 15, 2006 issue of Library Journal and found this review on page 18:

"There was a time when talking too loud or returning a book late were the worst library offenses. Times have changed, with recent shootings, stabbings, kidnappings, rapes, and even a car purposely driven through a library wall with lethal intent. Since security isn't covered in MLS programs, librarians must seek professional help, and the expert they turn to most often is Warren Graham.

Graham has spent 25 years in security, including 17 at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, NC, before retiring in 2006 to establish Warren Graham Training and Consulting. He regularly travels across the country to all varieties of libraries providing security training; his book Black Belt Librarians (Pure Heart Pr.) details his methods. Graham told LJ that he gets "a great sense of fulfillment helping libraries control their environment."

Communication is key
If there's a single golden rule, Graham said, it's to "never think about confronting the patron. It's all about communication. If you think, for example, 'The patron is doing something that is against the library rules so now I need to confront him about it,' you'll tense up mentally and physically. You'll be working against your own viscosity. Most patrons will comply if you ask them the right way, and that is what I train staff to do."

Library location rather than size is a more important factor in security, and even facilities serving their patrons well aren't immune to confrontations. Says Graham, "It amazed me during my 17-year tenure at the library in Charlotte that although the level of service provided to the patron continuously improved (with Internet access, for example), the stress level of the patron gradually increased. All libraries share the challenge of communicating with the stressed-out patron in the most effective manner."

Geriatric fisticuffs
Graham has seen a lot in his career, as his book attests, and he shared a favorite war story: "On 9/11, just a couple of hours after the Trade Center attacks, I was called to the reference area to break up a fight between a 78-year-old and a 68-year-old. One had bitten the other on the shoulder, and when I arrived they were still swinging at each other--swinging very slowly, but with bad intentions."

I had two thoughts while reading this article: 1) This should be required reading for every librarian, especially for those of us lucky enough to work in Club UGL in the winter, and 2) I've yet to see a fistfight at UGL. I have seen the prelude to what might have become a possible beating/shooting (one of the police visits during the past two Saturdays that did not lead to an arrest -- all turned out well, however, thanks to the successful intervention of our gatekeeper, monitors, and police officers). I have seen Girl A chastise Girl B after Girl B borrowed the scissors to cut the end of her "cigarette," thus causing a strange combination of tobacco and tiny white crystals to snow down on the counter in front of me. But I have yet to see a fistfight. Especially a geriatric fistfight.

Somehow I feel strangely cheated.

3) Reference Triage
Sometime during the move I misplaced (read: lost) my copy of the GSA handbook, and we don't seem to have a copy at the desk. Could someone refresh my memory as to what preference, if any, we give to patrons when we have a whole herd of them crowded around the desk and someone on the phone? Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this? Occationally a line will build up when I'm hunting the catalog for a particularly wily book or teaching a patron how to use the databases. I try to perform reference triage by answering directional questions right away, and making the others wait. However, this means that the flow of my conversation with the patron at the desk is constantly interrupted, and the people in line get tired and go away (sometimes after only a minute or so). Does anyone have a better method of handling all this?

2006 - A Look Back

My first 2 semesters at the Information Desk, condensed into a single day

8:00 a.m.
"?"
Advising is in the back of the library. Walk around this wall and past the elevators and stairs. Go into the computer lab behind the glass wall. Advising is straight to the back.
"?"
I know...you can't see the glass wall from here, but when you walk past the elevators and stairs you will see it.
"?"
You'll see it - it's a giant glass wall.
(shuffles off)

8:18 a.m.
"?"
No. You go past the stairs, not up them. The giant glass wall will be to your left after you pass the stairs.
(shuffles off)

8:37 a.m.
"?"
Here, walk with me. See that giant glass wall. Go there.
(shuffles off)

9:00 a.m.
"?"
Of course! Is it a book or an article?
"?"
Well, that's okay. I'll try searching the book catalog first and continue from there. Do you know the title or author?
"?"
Hmmm...Is it on your syllabus?
"...."
Okay, then can I see your notes...What's this word here? Liniment? No. Linguini? No. Linguistics?
"!"
Okay, it's something about linguistics. Is Turner the author or part of the title?
"?"
Does this say "diabolical apology"?
"?"
"Herskouns" - is this name spelled correctly? It looks a little funky.
"?"
You're not sure if "herskouns" is a name. Okay. Who's Margret Louis? Is she an author?
"?"
Hmmmm.....I'll try spelling her name several ways.
"....."
Well, you could flip through the books upstairs, but it's probably faster to search the catalog and databases.
"[grumble]"
[actual article: Impact of the Turner/Herskovits connection on anthropology and linguistics, by Margaret Wade-Lewis, from the journal Dialectical Anthropology]

10:00 a.m.
"?"
Yes, the man at the typewriter is talking to himself.
"?"
No, I can't kick him off the typewriter for talking to himself.
"?"
Well, I can call the monitors, but we've learned that it's best not to bother McTypey unless he's really disruptive.
"?"
Actually, he's doing pretty good today. I can hardly hear him cursing at all.

11:00 a.m.
"?"
No, but you can have a golf pencil.
"?"
We don't give out pens. But you may take one of these golf pencils.
"?"
This is the only pen I have left, and I need it. But you are more than welcome to a golf pencil.
"......"
Thank you. I think this shirt looks nice on me, too.
"......."
Yes, and I like my hair color.
"?"
No, you can't have my pen. But you may have this golf pencil.
"?"
I can only give you scrap paper.
"?"
Because we're running low on computer paper. But I can give you scrap paper. And here's a golf pencil.
"?"
I'm sorry. We don't have a pencil sharpener here at the desk, but there is one just over there, on the wall, under the clock.
"?"
No, there isn't a closer one.
"...........?"
Well, I suppose you can ask the Checkout Desk if they have a better pencil, but the pencil sharpener is as far away as the Checkout Desk.

12:00 p.m.
"?"
He's staring at you from across the room?
"......"
He's always here and he always stares at you?
"......"
He's wearing green sweatpants and a yellow hoodie, isn't he?
"......"
Oh yes. We know him well.

1:00 p.m.
"........."
Okay, so you're trying to apply online for a secret shopper job, but someone keeps accessing your account and changing your information?
"......."
Wow, that's not good. But it's not really anything we can fix here. C&IT could give you some tips on protecting your online identity. And you should call the police.
".........."
I see. The people who are hacking into your account are recruiting freshman so they can also hack into your account.
"........"
And they follow you around from library to library and kick you off the computers.
"......."
And they've stolen your job at the Department of Education and are working there right now.
"......"
And the Music building manager said there wasn't anything he could do about it.
"......."
And you're positive the music building manager is a part of the conspiracy.
"......."
Let me get a librarian.

2:00 p.m.
"!@%&$@%&#$%#%"
He's changing his clothes in the middle of the third floor?
"&@%&$@%&#$%#!@"
In front of your daughter?
"@%&$@%&#$%#"
Mam, is he, by any chance, wearing green sweatpants and a yellow hoodie?
"%$&@%&$@%&#$%#"
Oh, I see. At the moment he's not wearing any pants. I'll call the monitor.

3:00 p.m.
"?"
Of course! Do you know what book you need?
"....."
Well, we have a lot of books with green covers. Is it a book for your class? It might be listed in your syllabus, or your instructor might have placed it on reserve.
"......"
Okay, do you know the course number?
"?"
The name of the instructor?
"?"
The title or author of the book?
"..........."
Well, your instructor may have said it's on the second floor, but we have a lot of books up there. Can you give me more information about the book.
"...."
It's green. Okay....anything else?
"...."
It's green and about civil rights. And?
"...."
Okay, so it's about civil rights in America.
"......"
Yes, and it's green. Well......I can search the catalog for books on civil rights in America and scroll through the results to see if any show a picture of a green book. I'm sure that we have hundreds of books on American civil rights, though, and this is probably going to take a while.
"?"
No. The catalog doesn't allow us to search for books based on their color [five minutes later....] Hmmmm, here's a book on civil rights in America, and the picture in the catalog shows a green cover. Could this be it?
"!!!!!"
My pleasure.

4:00 p.m.
"?"
Advising? Sure. Go around this wall...
(Starts wandering away)
...there's a glass wall...
(wanders further away)
...with a computer lab behind it...
(stops to find cell phone)
...but you probably won't see it...
(loudly informs friend about tonight's party while wandering out of sight)
...and we'll play this merry game all over again in five minutes. And you still won't listen to me.

5:00 p.m.
"..........."
Hi, M------.
"?"
Sorry, I can't go to your church picnic. I have to work.
"........"
Uh-huh.
"......."
Uh-huh.
"?"
Oh, the patron who was here before you must have left that flyer here. What's it for?
"?"
Yeah, I've been to a couple of Halloween costume parties before.
"?"
What do you do? You put on a costume and have fun.
"?"
I was a crime fighting librarian.
"..."
No, really, I was a crime fighting librarian.
"?"
Sorry, I have to work. I can't go to the costume party with you. Here, I'll throw the flyer away.......ummmm......why did you invite me to a XXX costume party?
"!"
I would have thought the giant "XXX" logo over the exposed, abundant cleavage would have made it obvious.

6:00 p.m.
"?"
Yes, we do have medical dictionaries. I'll take you to them.
"........"
Well, I can help you find a definition, but I can't really interpret it for you. What word are you looking for?
"......"
It's in your OB/GYN report...which you're, ah, handing me right now. Okay....well, what's the word you need help with?
"...."
Well, here's the definition.
"@#$$%#%#!"
Well, I really can't interpret your medical report. I would suggest you contact your doctor to find out if you're pregnant.

7:00 p.m.
"@#$@&%$@#%"
Floccinaucinihilipilification?
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
Yes, that is a long word.
"@#$^&%$%#$#"
Well, I assume it's a real word. I think instructors generally don't invent words and then publish them in their course packs.
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
Well, we can look it up in the Oxford English Dictionary. It's considered to be the definitive dictionary of the English language.
"@#$&$@#$#@$%#$"
Well, yes, it is a complicated way of saying "estimating as worthless."
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
Well, I'm not sure that I agree that there should be word police.
"@#$&@#$@#@$"
Have a good evening, sir.

8:00 p.m.
"......."
He just walked in here without any pants?
"......"
Somehow I completely missed that. Was he, by any chance, wearing green sweatpants and.....well he wasn't wearing pants, but was he wearing a yellow hoodie?
"......."
He wasn't? Sweet! We have two exhibitionists on campus. I'll call a monitor. Oh...wait...here come the police.

9:00 p.m.
"..........."
Uh-huh.
"............"
Uh-huh.
"?"
No thank you, M------. I would not like a hot dog from your church meeting.
"?"
I'm sure. I just ate. I'm not hungry.
"......."
Uh-huh.
"......."
Uh-huh.
"?"
No, I'm really not hungry.
"........."
Uh-huh.
"........."
Uh-huh.
"...........?"
I don't want your church hot dog, M------. But it was nice of you to ask.

10:00 p.m.
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
No, sir, I haven't heard anything about the camera projector not working in the Student Center.
"@#%$%&$%"
I'm sorry you had to wait so long before they cancelled tonight's film.
"@##$%#$%&!"
No, I don't know what the likelihood is that the camera projector will actually work tomorrow.
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
Well, yes, sir, this is the information desk, but the event wasn't held in the library.
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
Oh, I see. The film is being shown in the library tomorrow.
"@#$@#$#&#$"
I'm sorry - I don't have access to tomorrow's schedule, and the film isn't listed on this schedule of events sent over from Student Affairs.
"@#$@#$%*!"
Well, the sponsoring department is responsible for advertising their events around the university. I can give you their contact number if you would like to make a complaint about the lack of advertising.
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
And here is the contact information for the person who organized the film showing. It is late however, so you may have to call him tomorrow to find out if the film will be shown in the library.
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
Well, Media Services generally sets up the equipment for these events and they aren't answering their phone. So I would recommend either calling the contact person or the library tomorrow to see if they've found a projector for the film.
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
Yes sir. You could just rent the movie from NetFlix.
"@#$@&%$@#$%&*!#%"
Have a good evening, sir.

11:00 p.m.
"?"
Still not hungry, M------.