Patron Services

Taking Traing to Patrons – 21 Things for 21st Century Parents

January 14, 2010
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Taking Traing to Patrons – 21 Things for 21st Century Parents

The fabulous Gretchen Caserotti and staff in the Childrens Department at the Darien Libray are kicking off a learning 2.0 class for parents. From the website: You are raising kids in a digital world. Facebook, Twitter and a growing number of websites and social tools are becoming increasingly important in most aspects of our 21st Century world. Information Literacy is crucial to your children’s success in school and technology is now completely integrated into your child’s life. Today’s students want web 2.0 tools to be a part of their learning lives because these are the tools that enable them to connect, collaborate, create and engage in learning that is relevant, contextual and experiential. Why should they have all the fun? Join us through 12 weeks of learning through engagement in online technology in 21 simple activities that you can do on your own time, at your own pace. This program is designed to help you learn about, and how to use, web 2.0 technologies so that you may better support, guide and parent your digital native kids safely and confidently through both the perils and the possibilities that this brave new digital world offers. Kids don’t just learn in school.

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If Your Patrons Continually Use Your Catalog the Wrong Way the Problem Isn’t Them, It’s You

November 10, 2009
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If Your Patrons Continually Use Your Catalog the Wrong Way the Problem Isn’t Them, It’s You

I was reading through an article (Found via What I Learned Today) on The Chronicle of Higher Education website about improving library catalog search functionality, when this comment caught my eye. The problem is people are trying to use the catalog the wrong way. Instead of a keyword search like on the internet and online databases, the catalog offers something unique– direct access to exactly what you want through a browse or exact search using subject headings, authors, titles. An old idea but it still works–give it a try! “The problem is people are trying to use the catalog the wrong way.” Wow. Really. Are we really still blaming the patrons for the archaic, non-intuitive functionality of our catalogs?  Wake up and smell the musty old books people! If libraries were a business and we were selling books using our catalog we’d have gone bankrupt ages ago.  Frankly, if this is the attitude we’re spouting off we are damn lucky if we don’t go out of business tomorrow. The right way IS the way your customers are using your services.  Continuing to insist they use them the way you want them too will only lead to your failure. Your product is what your

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Libraries and Transliteracy Slideshow

October 1, 2009
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I haven’t been able to stop thinking about transliteracy and how important the concept is for libraries and librarians. I’ve created a slideshow I hope conveys the message and is easy to share. I have also added page with information on transliteracy. Libraries and Transliteracy View more presentations from Bobbi Newman. Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Share on FriendFeed Share on netvibes share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tumblr it Buzz it up Subscribe to the comments on this post Print for later Tell a friend

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Libraries Need to Focus on Transliteracy

September 16, 2009
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Libraries Need to Focus on Transliteracy

Libraries have focused on literacy, the ability to read, write and interact, for years. It is an important service to our patrons and our communities.  People need to be literate in order to be involved in and contribute to society. Times are changing, technologies are evolving rapidly,  it’s no longer enough to focus on the ability to read and write alone. If we only focus on literacy we are doing a disservice to our patrons.  Just as libraries took on the task of helping to ensure all people  are literate, now we need to take on the task of ensure all people are transliterate. What is transliteracy? Transliteracy is the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks. – wikipedia Soon people will need to be transliterate in order to be involved in and contribute to society. It is already a requirement to participate in some aspects of our society and it will only become more so.  Government agencies are no longer issuing print forms, you have to access them online.  Your health insurance plan was a website and

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Who do you help first?

May 14, 2009
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Who do you help first?

I presented this scenario to groups of librarians all over Minnesota in April You’re sitting at the reference desk and as someone approaches the desk the phone begins to ring and an instant messaging window pops open, who do you help first? I heard a lot of answers  it depends on how the person in front of you looks answer the phone ask them to hold, type how can I help you in IM and ask the person standing in front of you how you can help them it depends on which you noticed first the person in front of you, they took the time and effort to come in It was that last response I was trying to get them to rethink, sometimes I would point it out and sometimes someone else from the audience would – each of those people took the time and effort to contact you, not just the person standing in front of you.   Each of them did it in away you told them was acceptable when you provided the contact information. I worked retail for years and this was a standard interview question – there is a person in front of you and

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photo by Beth Tribe

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