I copied this post from The MLXperience to ask you – What DO you wish your patrons knew? Seattle Books Examiner’s Danielle Dreger-Babbitt took an informal poll of librarians in Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, New York City, and Portland about what they wish library patrons knew or did. Here’s the shortlist: 1. Use us! 2. We support Intellectual Freedom 3. Be respectful of our library patrons 4. Pay your fines 5. Return your items on time 6. Tell us what you like 7. If possible, check out all materials at once from the circulation desk 8. Please listen to us the first (or even second) time we say something 9. Practice good hygiene 10. Let your librarian know what materials you’d like to see on the shelf 11. The library has almost as many DVD’s as your local video store 12. Hang up your cell phone when you come to the reference desk (or circulation desk) 13. Please be patient with us 14. We like it when you thank us 15. Please respect the desk barrier 16. Come to our programs! 17. Do not leave your child (or children) unattended- for their safety 18. Ask us what we read 19.
Library is…?
A couple of weeks ago I was in Denver for vacation and we stopped at the Denver Art Museum. In addition to all the traditional art one expects to see in a museum they also had some patron contribution displays. Throughout the museum notebooks were set out and patrons could record their thoughts and feelings about the art. They could take the pages or leave them. There were poems about art and belief and creativity painted on the walls that were taken from another patron display. My favorite exhibit was this one, in the picture, the wall simple said “Art is….” and there were sticky notes and pencils. They were so widely ranging in definition is was amazing and through provoking. I’d love to see a library do this with “library is….” in fact I pitched it to my director today, he’s thinking maybe National Library Week. I think it would be a great way to get an informal sampling of what your patrons think your library is and want it to be. Have any other libraries done anything like this? Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Share on FriendFeed Buzz it up Share on netvibes share via Reddit Share
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