On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 12:01 AM, LIS-PUB-LIBS automatic digest system
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
There are 4 messages totaling 969 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. IT in the library (4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 18:44:51 +0000
From: "Riddick, Amanda" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: IT in the library
Hi,
The other day, during a very quiet time at the library, I spent a good 20 minutes helping a customer with checking-in online and printing out her boarding passes and car hire insurance, and that wasn't the first time I've helped people with IT stuff that isn't to do with the library (eg formatting, saving onto USB stick, selecting the colour printer). Do you find that you and/or your colleagues get involved with what I'd call "informal IT", ie dealing with IT queries that are unrelated to your library's services and that take place outside formal IT classes? Do you feel resentful about it, that it's taking you away from what you're really there to do, or don't mind doing this as part of your job?
I'd appreciate any feedback, but I will probably be writing an essay about this and may want to quote you (with due references and all, of course), so please let me know if you're OK about that or not.
thanks and best wishes,
Amanda Riddick
Library Assistant
MA Student, Library and Information Studies, University College London
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 19:38:52 +0000
From: Mark Benjamin <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: IT in the library
Hi Amanda,
I'm afraid that it's now generally accepted that such informal tuition is a
part of what library staff are expected to do; the only proviso being that
the time is available!
Mark
On 18 March 2012 18:44, Riddick, Amanda <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi,
>
>
>
> The other day, during a very quiet time at the library, I spent a good 20
> minutes helping a customer with checking-in online and printing out her
> boarding passes and car hire insurance, and that wasn't the first time I've
> helped people with IT stuff that isn't to do with the library (eg
> formatting, saving onto USB stick, selecting the colour printer). Do you
> find that you and/or your colleagues get involved with what I'd call
> "informal IT", ie dealing with IT queries that are unrelated to your
> library's services and that take place outside formal IT classes? Do you
> feel resentful about it, that it's taking you away from what you're really
> there to do, or don't mind doing this as part of your job?
>
>
>
> I'd appreciate any feedback, but I will probably be writing an essay about
> this and may want to quote you (with due references and all, of course), so
> please let me know if you're OK about that or not.
>
>
>
> thanks and best wishes,
>
>
>
> Amanda Riddick
>
> Library Assistant
>
> MA Student, Library and Information Studies, University College London
>
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:18:23 +0000
From: Ka Ming Pang <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: IT in the library
Hi
Yes I do. And I think it is accepted despite it not being a part of our job
description.
For example I helped one user find a website for a particular music video
he wanted to buy. He mentioned that he was dyslexic, so navigating the
internet wasn't that simple for him.
In that case, I'd find it hard to say no. Not that I would say no. I'm
pretty happy to do things like that, providing I have the time and can do
it. I do view it as part of what it means to be a librarian, particularly
in a public library. Most of the people who turn to the librarian for help,
do so because they need it.
I have been told that we're not supposed to be responsible for helping
users when they are on the computers (aside from pointing them to the
online resources) however, when the computers are housed in the library,
and there is no other help available, then it naturally falls upon the
librarians if the user comes across a problem. The only thing that we can
say is 'we'll try, but we may not be able to help'.
We don't get any formal support for this at all though.
Ka-Ming
On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 6:44 PM, Riddick, Amanda <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi,
>
>
>
> The other day, during a very quiet time at the library, I spent a good 20
> minutes helping a customer with checking-in online and printing out her
> boarding passes and car hire insurance, and that wasn't the first time I've
> helped people with IT stuff that isn't to do with the library (eg
> formatting, saving onto USB stick, selecting the colour printer). Do you
> find that you and/or your colleagues get involved with what I'd call
> "informal IT", ie dealing with IT queries that are unrelated to your
> library's services and that take place outside formal IT classes? Do you
> feel resentful about it, that it's taking you away from what you're really
> there to do, or don't mind doing this as part of your job?
>
>
>
> I'd appreciate any feedback, but I will probably be writing an essay about
> this and may want to quote you (with due references and all, of course), so
> please let me know if you're OK about that or not.
>
>
>
> thanks and best wishes,
>
>
>
> Amanda Riddick
>
> Library Assistant
>
> MA Student, Library and Information Studies, University College London
>
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 21:21:47 -0000
From: John Dolan <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: IT in the library
Interesting exchange!
This is indeed what libraries - and librarians and library staff - do. At
the CMS Libraries Inquiry (watch <http://bit.ly/wjChuw>
http://bit.ly/wjChuw ) Annie Mauger, CEO of CILIP was concerned about low
awareness of the work of the librarian. Librarians need to be alert to their
role too. The library was always the place to go both to find books and,
importantly, for support with using reference works, dictionaries,
encyclopaedias; specifically for help to find, analyse, interpret
information.
The question here was prompted by the experience of "helping people with
computers". The medium is not the primary question. What matters is the
"helping". When we "help" we are not doing the analysis or making the
decision. As with a complex reference work we help people locate, maybe
interpret, information so they can make a decision, follow a course of
action.
It was suggested that we do this "when we have time". In fact this task
represents the time, training and experience that we are paid to deploy.
Some may think we "stamp out books" whereas we help people find, discover,
learn. The proper role of librarians and trained library staff is
transformational not transactional. A fundamental job of advocacy is to open
up this concept to policymakers, leaders and partners
This is a further illustration that we do not have a literate society.
People were never universally ok with finding and using information in the
print era; so in the UK we still have 1 in 6 adults who is functionally
illiterate. This is exacerbated in the digital era. Lots of people may have
home computers (though 25% don't) or mobile devices. That's not the point.
The substantive issue is that many don't have the skills to trace, select
and exploit digital sources to best effect. Moreover the continuous,
dynamic, change in "IT" means society will never catch up.
In the community, school, academic, or business library service "helping" is
what we do. Isn't this what libraries are for?
John
John Dolan OBE, BA, Dip Lib, MCLIP
E. <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]
Tw. @johnrdolan
T. 0121 476 4258
M. 07508 204200
_____
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Ka Ming Pang
Sent: 18 March 2012 20:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: IT in the library
Hi
Yes I do. And I think it is accepted despite it not being a part of our job
description.
For example I helped one user find a website for a particular music video he
wanted to buy. He mentioned that he was dyslexic, so navigating the internet
wasn't that simple for him.
In that case, I'd find it hard to say no. Not that I would say no. I'm
pretty happy to do things like that, providing I have the time and can do
it. I do view it as part of what it means to be a librarian, particularly in
a public library. Most of the people who turn to the librarian for help, do
so because they need it.
I have been told that we're not supposed to be responsible for helping users
when they are on the computers (aside from pointing them to the online
resources) however, when the computers are housed in the library, and there
is no other help available, then it naturally falls upon the librarians if
the user comes across a problem. The only thing that we can say is 'we'll
try, but we may not be able to help'.
We don't get any formal support for this at all though.
Ka-Ming
On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 6:44 PM, Riddick, Amanda
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi,
The other day, during a very quiet time at the library, I spent a good 20
minutes helping a customer with checking-in online and printing out her
boarding passes and car hire insurance, and that wasn't the first time I've
helped people with IT stuff that isn't to do with the library (eg
formatting, saving onto USB stick, selecting the colour printer). Do you
find that you and/or your colleagues get involved with what I'd call
"informal IT", ie dealing with IT queries that are unrelated to your
library's services and that take place outside formal IT classes? Do you
feel resentful about it, that it's taking you away from what you're really
there to do, or don't mind doing this as part of your job?
I'd appreciate any feedback, but I will probably be writing an essay about
this and may want to quote you (with due references and all, of course), so
please let me know if you're OK about that or not.
thanks and best wishes,
Amanda Riddick
Library Assistant
MA Student, Library and Information Studies, University College London
------------------------------
End of LIS-PUB-LIBS Digest - 17 Mar 2012 to 18 Mar 2012 (#2012-67)
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