Comments on: Libraries, Give Us Kindles and iPhones

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:39:39 +0000

Our library purchased an iPad 2 for every member of the reference team and for each branch. This in itself has significantly improved our ability to assist patrons with ebook downloads through overdrive in particular and these devices in general. I am not saying that EVERY staff person is better able to assist, as I am keenly aware that a few of these devices sit in staff drawers unused by those who for one reason or another feel uncomfortable using them.

I do consider it part of my job as a librarian to help members of my community solve problems- whatever they might be- in order to improve their quality of life in some way. Since I have begun to bring the iPad with me on my desk shifts, there have been numerous times where I have been able to offer impromptu one-on-one instruction that has helped people get what they need.

Our library has also written the acquisition of new technology into the budget. We recently purchased a number of Nooks, Nook Colors, Kindles, Kindle Fires, iPod Touches, MP3 players, and a couple of infuriating and cheap Android Tablets for staff to experiment with. These can be checked out by staff for long periods of time. We now have enough people who have become familiar with at least one of these devices to be able to help most people who come in with questions about one.

By: Joneser

Joneser — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:56:58 +0000

And this relates to the reality of public library work how?

By: gatoloco

gatoloco — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:22:39 +0000

I agree with you, but if a library staff were totally dismantled, and duties given to IT & select subject specialists, along with an increase in budget, then things really start to change.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:49:09 +0000

“try it on your home wifi network” ha! We’re still trying to convince some of our staff to use email…

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:23:05 +0000

We have a tech sandbox, where staff can take one of about 8 devices home for a week. It’s more immersive than just playing with it at work. You get a chance to try it on your home wifi network, hook it up with your own email, and just generally “live” with the device for a week. It’s been really popular (depending on the device) and there’s a long waiting list for some of them.

I think it’s the taking it home part of the equation that makes this work, you can’t get familiar enough to troubleshoot without really getting into the device, and you can’t do that during your breaks at work.

By: Julian Gautier

Julian Gautier — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 05:04:36 +0000

Last year I drove with a small group of staff to the closest library that does lend the popular stuff (we don’t) so we could check them out. It was a good excuse for a staff trip.

By: Development Arrested

Development Arrested — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 22:55:10 +0000

I personally don’t see why someone with a computer science MS would put up with working for library money. I know the job market for computer science major is bad, but so is the job market for librarians.

By: Development Arrested

Development Arrested — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 22:55:09 +0000

By: Joneser

Joneser — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:48:17 +0000

I hear you – we got a bit of a trial period as well, but on “the library device”. It’s difficult to open up your own account, have your own Adobe Reader etc. on the same machine, so it didn’t help us work through everything.

But we received more training for the containers than we ever do for the actual content (e.g. RA).

I just make it pretty clear to the patrons that, no, I don’t have an ipad, so I can’t help them (we have a policy of not “touching” patron’s equipment), hoping that they “get” that I can’t afford one.

By: KB

KB — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 18:37:06 +0000

Rendering basic assistance to people with consumer gadgets hardly requires a background in IT. But it does require some knowledge of that class of device, a general understanding of what one should expect the device to do, and how it’s probably set up.

Is it reasonable to expect librarians to provide this assistance for all classes of device? Certainly not. We loan cookbooks, but I don’t want people bringing their food processors or stand mixers to the library for us to show them how to use it. But I don’t think this fact makes it unreasonable at all for patrons to think the library is a good place to go for some basic ereader help.

Can every librarian provide the same level of assistance? No. But the blind panic I’ve seen take over some librarians when faced with ANY sort of tech question — something which would never happen if faced with an obscure question about Bolivian maps — is a problem. If you don’t know the answer off the top of your head, direct them to the many books we have purchased on that very subject! Teach them how to navigate the manufacturer’s website to all of those FAQs that are just sitting there with answers to their questions. That’s what you’d do in any other situation without feeling inadequate.

For what it’s worth, our library has bought a number of representative devices for staff to practice with, but it hasn’t really helped most to become comfortable with them.