Low Tech Moments in a High Tech World...

While libraries are becoming more high tech, some days as a library manager can be very low tech. Yesterday I watered flowers, cleaned up (with a good bit of help) a large fruit punch spill, fixed the toilet paper dispenser in one bathroom, and fixed toilet issues in both public bathrooms. I closed the front door and the back door at least a dozen times and worked the closing shift. Today I drove around to five different schools, climbed a bunch of stairs, and delivered bookmarks promoting the summer reading program.
After that I worked with our system trainer to help get ready for a training session on using Web Reporter, the online report module for our automation system. That was the technology highlight of my day. It's really amazing how many statistics you can coax out of web reporter and how useful they can be in the everyday running of a library. We can run our own weeding reports, track payments of fines and fees down to which computer at the circ desk was used, and look at checkouts and checkins not only by day but by hour - to see when we need more staff manning the desk. That's only the tip of the iceberg, but it's a great resource.

Creatures of Habit

Humans are definitely creatures of habit, no less so when we are accessing technology. I find this to be the case in my own life, when I try the new configuration for Yahoo! mail (for my "throw-away" account) and end up preferring the classic configuration since I know it better and switching back. I find it even stronger when I help some of my not-so-tech-savvy library patrons. At times their immediate response to changes in the websites they're attempting to access or differences in the configuration or actual technology level of the computers they're using is extreme stress and/or anger. It's been good for me to be learning some new programs and websites this semester - to remind me of what it's like to feel unfamiliar with technology. This will help me to be more patient with them.

Blogging

Blogging is a new experience, and I find I'm very much learning Blogger's interface. I've been having difficulty with the font choice and found that I forgot to label my first two posts. The only way I found to save it when I was done tagging them was to publish them again - unfortunately, that caused them to be sent through the RSS feed again. I'll figure it all out eventually...

Ask Here PA

I had my first shift covering Ask Here PA today. I took the training back in March, but it hadn't worked for me to cover one of our shifts until today. It was an interesting experience for a couple of reasons:

• People do behave differently when they are anonymous than when they aren't.
• People are even more impatient online than they are when standing at the desk waiting for you to find the info they need.
• Some people won't even tell you what info they need, but get impatient when you don't deliver it pronto.
• On the other hand, there are people who are happy to have you help them online and patiently wait for the answers they need.

The technology for doing chat reference was interesting to use. I juggled two and three chats at a time, but the technology kept interrupting my typing to tell me there was another new chat waiting (most of which were picked up by the other 18 librarians covering that time frame). I think they still need to tweak the technology to make it less clunky. I'll also have to try to get a morning shift next month - perhaps it was the slowness of our network in the afternoon that made it this clunky.

Technology and Tatting

One of my favorite things about 21^st century communication technology is the way it facilitates a 19th century craft like tatting. People sometimes think that 21^st century technology has superseded handicrafts, but I disagree.

When I first learned to tat in 2002 (from a book), I didn't know anyone else in my community who could tat. By searching online, I was able to find communities of individuals who not only tatted but designed patterns and continued to develop the craft. While tatting is often considered a “dying art,” it has experienced a tremendous resurgence online. I’m very grateful for that because it encouraged me to continue to pursue this craft that I’ve come to enjoy so much.

Limited supplies for tatting are sold in the big-name craft stores in my town, and there aren’t enough tatters to support a small independent shop selling those supplies. However, online are several tatting supply stores that are able to sell to tatters around the world via the internet and e-commerce services. While I can (very) occasionally find books of tatting patterns in bookstores and craft stores in my area, I can always find patterns or books of patterns online. This has enabled me to stay interested in the craft by providing me with variety. I’ve also met people in my area who tat and do other lace-making crafts through their guild’s website and finding out about their activities there.

I think crafts and computers go together pretty well.