Let us now move into training our patrons with technology. I have noticed a couple of things as I have worked in training people for the past few years. The first observation I will make relates to librarians required to work with patrons as they use technology. Enable. In technology, the term means to allow you to do some task. For example, if I check a certain box in my iTunes preferences, I can enable auto-sync. In contrast, I also have the power to disable as well. This is a tremendous power to have that sometimes we can forget about. I only bring this up due to certain observations I have made over the past few years related to our patrons and their behavior on the computer. Many people will take the long way around doing something again and again just to avoid having to actually learn it. This might be as simple as printing out an email or a bit more complex like scanning a document into a PDF. Now, do not get me wrong, I understand if you are in a hurry and need something to be done as quickly as possible. Yet, I cannot excuse those who simply always want us to do it for them. Such requests get old really fast. This is where a library must a bit of tough love for those that seem to want us to be their personal technology assistants. No. Here is a book. Here is a web site that offers tutorials. The second we do make an exception and scan a full document for a patron; the next person says, “Well, what about me? Will you compose this email for me?” This is the risk you run when helping people in this way. I have heard other libraries that have told patrons that they will not help patrons at all, except in a classroom environment. There is some validity to this statement.
Why are we experts in computers? We do not have any certifications or degrees in computers. Should we be scared about sharing our wisdom to the masses? Such a thought does scare me a bit, but let us first address the issue at hand. First, some people will consistently want the help done for them, which you simply cannot fight. You simply must tell them in the best way possible that if they do not learn to do something themselves, then the library cannot help them. One great way to convey this message would be the fact that they will not need to wait for a staff member to help them. Personally, I would rather be able to do something myself, instead of relying on someone every single time. Yet, people are sometimes unwilling to learn. Yet, you should try to avoid getting into a confrontation and giving the person the best customer service possible. Tell the patron that you simply cannot afford to spend the time necessary for the kind of help they would like. One rule of thumb I have used in the past is if it takes longer than 10 minutes, then the patron will need to find someone else to help. This may seem callous, but as a librarian, we need to be a great many things to many people. One analogy to be made here would be if we spend a great deal of time transferring photos to a cd; what is not to stop someone from asking us to do their research. I will always let the patron know that I will get them started, answer any questions, but I will not do it for them. Unfortunately, some people need to be told this point blank. Always remember, unless you are hired as a trainer or technology librarian, this is not in your job description, but, for God’s sake, do not tell the patron this fact. Always remember Patrick Swayze from the film Road House, “Be nice.”
The second observation I will make relates to those library staff that have been specifically designated to work with patrons focusing on their technology needs. These could be the web librarian, technology librarian, or electronic resources librarian. Now, the more I think about it, this could also be someone at a smaller library that has been to the Apple Store while on vacation. The problem here exists in the fact that you need to clearly define your expectations. If not, people will come in with every computer issue under the sun for you to investigate. This is in no way efficient in two ways: the burden on staff and financial. I think we can see that the extra burden on staff could be tremendous. We are asking a group who did not study a discipline in college to be able to answer with a large amount of expertise every technology question that a patron poses. This is an unrealistic expectation, but unfortunately an unspoken one none the less. You are to help that person to the best of your knowledge. I am never allowed to say I do not feel comfortable answering these types of questions because half of it would probably be complete bullshit. Instead, we have initiated a culture where we wing it and if an answer gets complex, then we just fill in the missing pieces with absolute bullshit. Now, I know other libraries do not have this issue as an IT person is readily available, but other library staff simply do not have that luxury. What do you do in this situation? How can we best serve the public? We serve them the best by doing nothing. Do not give yourself the chance to completely bullshit your patron with possible inaccurate information. Send them elsewhere for definite problems you cannot handle. One of the things that must happen here is leadership from on high must communicate strongly that we are in no way, shape, or form to handle certain issues. Take your tech savvy staff members and create a list of possible scenarios that you will not help with. Make this list available to patrons, upon request. Stick to your guns and do not waver from these scenarios.
I believe it is dangerous for us to help our patrons with at home computer service. That is not our mandate at all. I like to think that if they can do it at the library, then that is available for our help. The complication emerges when it becomes their device. I think the best rule of thumb is if they cannot do it at the library, then we cannot help the person. As for being strict about what we can and cannot answer, I think a philosophy like reference ethics related to legal questions should be applied here. The question becomes, why are we not applying it in the same way? We need to specifically outline as part of a formal procedure, what help we will and will not offer. Yes, we will do this for you, but no, we will not do that. This is the only way to protect ourselves from any problems in the future.
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