Comments on: don’t you feel used? http://www.walkingpaper.org/492 A library design consultancy, shop and blog by Aaron Schmidt Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:25:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: “yet it is such an easy sell, if only people knew” at walking paper http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20662 “yet it is such an easy sell, if only people knew” at walking paper Wed, 14 Nov 2007 03:53:11 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20662 [...] libraries recently and one of them told me about it via gChat the other day. Like my post about someone I know discovering reference service, this is clearly anecdotal but still [...] [...] libraries recently and one of them told me about it via gChat the other day. Like my post about someone I know discovering reference service, this is clearly anecdotal but still [...]

]]> By: Aaron http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20386 Aaron Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:10:07 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20386 virginia, we have to do more promotion of libraries too! we feel your pain! :) virginia,

we have to do more promotion of libraries too! we feel your pain! :)

]]> By: virginia gentilini http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20382 virginia gentilini Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:14:39 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20382 So situation insn't so different in USA and in Italy! But our problem is a little more difficult: we have to promote LIBRARIES before than reference service! (Bologna, Italy) So situation insn’t so different in USA and in Italy! But our problem is a little more difficult: we have to promote LIBRARIES before than reference service! (Bologna, Italy)

]]> By: SfogliaWeb http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20326 SfogliaWeb Mon, 22 Oct 2007 07:28:27 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20326 <strong>http://sfogl...</strong> Il di reference Perchè proprio di mestiere si tratta. Proprio in questi giorni molti bibliotecari italiani (attraverso la lista di discussione professionale AIB-CUR) stanno sollevando interessanti questioni inerenti l'attività di referen... http://sfogl…

Il di reference Perchè proprio di mestiere si tratta. Proprio in questi giorni molti bibliotecari italiani (attraverso la lista di discussione professionale AIB-CUR) stanno sollevando interessanti questioni inerenti l’attività di referen…

]]> By: Lori Reed http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20262 Lori Reed Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:17:12 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20262 My mom was shocked when I told her that people call the reference desk all the time to have us look up phone numbers. "Why don't they call 411?" "Because the library is free!" "So they can call and just ask anything?" "Yep, pretty much." Of course the key here is in the level of customer service that the staff at a library provides. At my library we are happy to answer questions like this. After all it's job security! My mom points out that she could never ask questions like this at her library. According to her, the staff at her library don't want to answer questions. They act irritated when she asks for help looking for items. If libraries want to stay relevant, one of the key factors is going to be in providing superior customer service! Because if we don't someone else will. My mom was shocked when I told her that people call the reference desk all the time to have us look up phone numbers.

“Why don’t they call 411?”
“Because the library is free!”
“So they can call and just ask anything?”
“Yep, pretty much.”

Of course the key here is in the level of customer service that the staff at a library provides. At my library we are happy to answer questions like this. After all it’s job security! My mom points out that she could never ask questions like this at her library. According to her, the staff at her library don’t want to answer questions. They act irritated when she asks for help looking for items.

If libraries want to stay relevant, one of the key factors is going to be in providing superior customer service! Because if we don’t someone else will.

]]> By: Lois Odabas http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20261 Lois Odabas Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:14:38 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20261 On the other side of this story, a few years back, my brother, his wife, their daughter and her boyfriend were speeding down I-95, through Boston, arguing about a poem. Either they couldn't remember the author, or the next line, or the meaning of it. From the far left lane, my niece spotted a library sign at the upcoming exit. "Dad," she yelled. "Look, a library." My brother veered across four lanes of traffic to get to the exit, causing cars to swerve and screech all around him. They went in, asked their question, got their answer and proceeded on their way. The boyfriend, however, did not stick around much longer. On the other side of this story, a few years back, my brother, his wife, their daughter and her boyfriend were speeding down I-95, through Boston, arguing about a poem. Either they couldn’t remember the author, or the next line, or the meaning of it. From the far left lane, my niece spotted a library sign at the upcoming exit. “Dad,” she yelled. “Look, a library.” My brother veered across four lanes of traffic to get to the exit, causing cars to swerve and screech all around him. They went in, asked their question, got their answer and proceeded on their way. The boyfriend, however, did not stick around much longer.

]]> By: Walking » Blog Archives » Green Party claims victory for walking rights http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20258 Walking » Blog Archives » Green Party claims victory for walking rights Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:28:58 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20258 [...] don’t you feel used?Here’s another conversation about libraries I didn’t mean to get myself in. This time it was with a woman that was an avid library user growing up. While growing up, she confessed, going to the library with her mom was the highlight of … [...] [...] don’t you feel used?Here’s another conversation about libraries I didn’t mean to get myself in. This time it was with a woman that was an avid library user growing up. While growing up, she confessed, going to the library with her mom was the highlight of … [...]

]]> By: Leora Kemp http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20244 Leora Kemp Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:16:25 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20244 Great story. I've spent a lifetime educating my family and friends about this very same subject. Finally, most of them have finally gotten the message. However, regardless of where they live, they call ME. Believe me, I'm OK with that. I do not mind being their personal librarian for life. When I do bibliographic instruction, I take my business cards and tell the students that if they take one, they may consider me their "personal librarian." Whatever it takes! Great story. I’ve spent a lifetime educating my family and friends about this very same subject. Finally, most of them have finally gotten the message. However, regardless of where they live, they call ME. Believe me, I’m OK with that. I do not mind being their personal librarian for life. When I do bibliographic instruction, I take my business cards and tell the students that if they take one, they may consider me their “personal librarian.” Whatever it takes!

]]> By: Janet http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20243 Janet Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:18:22 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20243 When I started working as a librarian, my best friend was absolutely flabbergasted that you could just call a library, ask them a question and get an answer. He must have asked me to confirm it at least half a dozen times. I thought it was just him, but other librarians have related similar conversations. When I started working as a librarian, my best friend was absolutely flabbergasted that you could just call a library, ask them a question and get an answer. He must have asked me to confirm it at least half a dozen times. I thought it was just him, but other librarians have related similar conversations.

]]> By: caleb http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20241 caleb Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:28:20 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20241 Good work! Please go have these conversations with every other patron in the metro area, k thx. Good work! Please go have these conversations with every other patron in the metro area, k thx.

]]> By: Bill Pardue http://www.walkingpaper.org/492/comment-page-1#comment-20240 Bill Pardue Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:03:30 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/492#comment-20240 Every time someone asks about why we need to promote reference or why I'm interested in "stunts" like Slam the Boards, I'm going to just e-mail them the link to this page. Thanks! Every time someone asks about why we need to promote reference or why I’m interested in “stunts” like Slam the Boards, I’m going to just e-mail them the link to this page. Thanks!

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