helping

On Saturday I spent about half an hour helping a patron register for a class, explained how to contact her department to ensure that her overrides were in the system so that she could register for two other classes, showed her the ins and outs of Blackboard, gave her the phone number for Computing so she could contact them to get her Blackboard account working, and printed off several screenshots of our class registration procedure to ensure that she could do it at home. I also showed her where the bookstores were located so that she could get her textbooks. She was an older student--by that I mean in her 40s. She's a new student, so she's unfamiliar with our "system". She mentioned that her teen sons are so "fast" with computers, but that it takes time for her. I told her that I understood and explained that the university's system can be clunky and frustrating at first, but once you get the hang of it, you're soon a pro. I later found that she is a Canadian student and that coming over here costs $12 dollars a trip.

I could have just directed her to our computer help desk located in the computer lab behind me, but I felt that wouldn't give her the service she needed. I went with her to the computer lab, sat down with her and explained everything patiently. The patron was genuinely appreciative and I hope that I left an excellent impression of the library. I'm confident that this student will come back to the library with other questions. This is what librarianship is all about. Helping people.

I know that showing someone how to use the computer or explain an extensive process (like registering for classes) can be tiresome, but it's important that librarians be willing to teach others how to do things for themselves. We can't just sit back and say, "Oh, go to the computer lab and the computer help desk folks will help you." Chances are the computer help desk folks won't spend the time to really assist the patron fully. The computer help desk staff is almost entirely composed of undergraduate students who have yet to cultivate a strong customer service philosophy. Our Information desk is staffed by librarians and library school students. We need to show patrons that we are dedicated to helping them--and helping them learn. Librarians are here to help. Sometimes we can't help with everything, but we must try.

Wow, it finally happened....

Today being my last day, I am now officially done with my LIS degree and with my time at the UGL. As far as last days go, this one was boring. The students are gone, the weather has warmed up so many of the homeless guys have found other places to go, most of the librarians were gone all morning. My questions were all directional-where is advising, a pay phone, etc., -but as an oddly fitting end to almost two years of fun, one of my least favorite callers was my last reference question. I put him on hold. For a long time. But at least I didn't do what I REALLY wanted to do and tell him to buy himself a bleepin' atlas and stop calling with his rude attitude. Okay, I am rambling here, and having a hard time concentrating with the constant interruptions I am experiencing here at home, so I will give a few highlights, etc. of my time here. You all will just have to pardon the (lack of) writing style.

Funny conversations: the pros and cons of owning a helper monkey, what we would REALLY like to say to the patrons, the patron who told me he was controlling the casino slot machines with his transistor radio (and was contemplating doing it to our security gates also).

Proudest moments: When I could find the impossible-to-find answer for someone and they were so appreciative. And when people would come back and thank me later for helping them, especially when they got a good grade.

Saddest moment: Helping a father find his son who is in prison and showing him a picture of him, which caused him to burst into tears. I had to leave the desk and have a cry after that one.

Times I've had patrons cry on me: 3

Funniest patrons/coworkers/people around campus: Howard (still miss that guy!), Typing Guy, Hurricane Lady (until she decided I must be as interested in hurricanes as she was), the guy who rides his bike with no hands blowing a whistle

Weirdest things found: clothes, canned food, two tire irons and a hack saw, all under the bottom shelves in the reference section. It was like Public Storage in there!

Scariest moment: being followed around by the paranoid schizophrenic in the evening just before closing. He was arrested the next day when he returned.

Grossest moment: the guy starting to masturbate right in front of me and a coworker. No, he didn't have his pants down, thank God!

A PIC and I were talking today about how nothing surprises us anymore after working here for a while. When I did a practicum in Royal Oak, the people there were talking about how much stuff goes on there, but I left them wide-eyed after telling them about the UGL. It gave me a crash course in human behavior, which was sometimes aggravating, but always interesting. To be honest, I am a little concerned about my future places of employment, and whether they will have enough action for me after working here.

So, all that said, I have left much more unsaid. There is no way to express how much I have learned on this job, or how much my coworkers have meant to me. Many of you have become great friends, and I will miss being able to work with you. Best wishes, peace and happiness to all of you.

Do You Like People?

This is a topic I have been mulling over for a couple months now. We all know the stereotype that says people become librarians because they don't want to talk to anyone and want to hide out with their books. Having actually been in and used a library, I assumed that this was an old or mythical stereotype, since obviously this is a profession that requires constant interaction with actual people. People of all sorts. People with questions, requiring your skills in answering them.

I guess I was incredibly naive. My first day of LIS 7996 (Research), I was talking to a classmate whom I had never met before. One of the first things out of his mouth was, "I would never want to do reference. I hate talking to people and answering their stupid questions." My eyes bugged. When I told him I work at the UGL Info Desk he didn't even look abashed and said, "oh, I feel sorry for you!" He was a walking, talking stereotype. I told him that this is probably the most interesting job I have ever had and that I actually like the people I interact with for the most part (you will see from previous posts that there are, of course, times I want to strangle our beloved patrons!). But since I had that conversation with him, I notice other library employees (here and elsewhere) that don't like our patrons and don't want to interact with people.

There are two levels of patrons at ClubUGL-students and community members. Many library employees tolerate the students because they are our paying customers. We feel noble in our assisting them to find their books, format their papers, so they can graduate and become Productive Members of Society. (However, some of us can't even be bothered with this level of patron and hide behind our busy-ness and "loads of work".)

We feel differently about the community members. We wonder why they are allowed in. We hesitate to assist them and grumble when they ask. We refer to them in disparaging ways and make assumptions about who they are and what they are doing at the CATs. We restrict how they are allowed to use the resources that we provide for their use. It is true they are not our paying customers. Except they could be, someday, if they have some help setting up an email account. Or applying for a job. Or finding a loved one. All of which could inspire them to take a class, or would at least give us a reputation for being helpful. (Plus, many of them pay taxes, so they are paying customers, actually.)

Working in a service profession means that you don't get to pick and choose who you help. You don't get to think you know everything about a person based on which computer they are using. You are in the business of connecting people with information, which you cannot do if you won't try to provide customer service to actual patrons.

Didn't you know that working in a library means working with people?

On a side note, I miss Howard. There are certain people who I have gotten accustomed to being around and he was one of them. He worked here for 12 years, did you know that?

wildlife and expired life @ the library

Okay, I'm going to ask: What's with the fruit flies swarming the Info Desk? They tend to congregrate near the 2nd in Command computer station. I have found no food source that would explain their existence. Do they aspire to be reference librarians?

While shelving the reference books last night I came across someone's lunch meat on a physician's manual. I'm sorry, but there is no reality, alternate or otherwise, where lunch meat in, on, or around the reference books is acceptable. Please take your lunch meat with you when you leave. Dead cow, even in delicately thin slices, does not complement the reference collection. Thank you.