Not quite a rant. I'm still glowing with our winning a test series. (-:
> <<<"Personally I would like to see all users registering in one form or
> another here. This is driven by the need to gather accurate stats for our
> PI's and such like">>>
>
[Rob McInroy]
> What are we here for, to serve people or gather statistics? Talk about
> being process driven.
>
<<<"Nevertheless, is it too much to ask someone to join, to give
just a minimum amount of information, in order to be counted ? Particularly
as counting is a statutory requirement ?">>>
[Rob again]
Yes, in many cases it is too much. What about asylum seekers? What
about foreign visitors? What about holidaymakers? What about people out of
town on business? Whenever I'm away from base I look for an internet cafe or
easy everything to log on and check my email. I don't go to a library,
because I expect to come across barriers such as this.
Yes but and yes but. Unfortunately, yet again we're between a rock and a
hard place. The very people who require us to focus on the customer
experience are the ones who require us to interfere with it by monitoring
every breath the poor beggars take. If it's not quantatitively measurable
and put down in triplicate it doesn't count for anything.
[Rob again]
> Until we resolve this, until we lighten up, anally retentive librarians
> who insist on putting barriers in the way of people using their services
> are presiding over the slow death of public libraries. People will vote
> with their feet...
>
It's up to us to strike a sensible balance. There are ways of monitoring use
without requiring registration. The easiest methodologies involve setting up
pseudopatrons - anonymous guests on your system - which can have whatever
characteristics you deem appropriate. You get your detailed stats, your
customer gets an unhundered service with no form-filling required.
But librarians do love their bits of paper... We've had fully-automated
reservations for twelve years and I'm still lobbying to get shut of the
reservation cards!
Steven
Steven Heywood
Systems Manager
Rochdale Library Service
Wheatsheaf Library
Baillie Street
Rochdale, England OL16 1JZ
Tel: 01706 864967
Fax: 01706 864992
It's summer time on the Page o'Fun. Mind you don't get your feet wet!
http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/living/libraries.asp?url=pageOfFun
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