I have a couple of things to share about the first three weeks of class. First, I don't think that I suggested in my first post that blogs are a waste of time, I merely wanted to say that for some people, myself included don't really have a lot of time to spend just publishing random thoughts for anyone to read. I prefer talking to real people face to face and I still feel that is the most productive type of communication and interaction. On the other hand if you get satisfaction and enrichment from blogging, by all means do it and you don't need my blessing or approval. As far as working in the library, we have tried social networking and we just don't get any real feedback. It just isn't worth the time for us to have a blog. I think that the challenge for public libraries is to stay relevant in these changing times. Just adapting to the popular forms of communication with no real goals or results is not the best use of our time and doesn't really help the library adapt to the changing needs of our communities.
The readings from both the text and the articles have been a real eye-opener for me. I have share them with my co-workers. Some of the points about the value of the reference interview and being friendly and approachable we have always been doing and I am glad to see the literature support the importance of greeting patrons with a warm and inviting greeting. On the other hand, I know that we have not been very good about going through the complete process of the reference interview and that we have been guilty of some of the don'ts. We have sent patrons to the stacks with a call number and then have been to busy to make sure that they have found the information that they requested. It is really easy to start a search without really asking open questions and concluded the process by just giving the patron a book on a subject and not finding out whether this is really what they needed. It is also easy to not include the patron is the search and it is more time consuming to include the patron in the search or to show them how to use our sources. I think that we all can see we need some improvement if we want to offer the best reference information that we can.
Hi Bryan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your own work experience about the reference interview. As a person who has never worked in a library, I found it very helpful. I'm also glad to hear you shared our class readings with your co-workers. I learned so much from the article about the reference interview too!
Bryan, I don't think your first post was entirely dismissive of blogs being waste of time. I re-read it and found it to be very honest. I had left a comment on your first post which was more of a response to another person's comments rather than on your blog posting, just to clarify.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you work in a library, while most of us in the LIB 204 course don't, gives an added perspective that is much appreciated in its candidness, especially your library's experience in having a lack of interest in patrons participating in social media platforms. Relevance, in terms of libraries adaptation to new technologies, is probably one of the most important questions facing the shape and place libraries in our modern age.
Hey Bryan,
ReplyDeleteI myself agree with you, I prefer talking to people face to face better. I guess now and day people like to blogs and it is other form of communicate. I never worked in the Library before, I do leave feedback and some time never gets any respond. You also made a good point about how the librarian just sent the patron with just the call number to look for a book and some time we get lost and the librarian are too busy asking us if we need help to search for the book. I feel that they should ask the patron if they are comfortable searching for the items with just the call number.
I liked the honesty you put forward in your blog! I've enjoyed reading the information we've received so far and it has obviously made an impression on you too, being that you are sharing it with your coworkers. Not only can this class help our personal growth, it's a tool for professional growth as well. Good luck and thanks for keeping the library system alive.
ReplyDeleteI think that it isn't a waste of time if it is something you want to do. I believe that your growing in the way you think about the library and I am glad. I hope it helps you with the classes that you are taking.
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