Maybe look at a book?

Some days things are just a bit different, and often there seems to be a bit of a pattern to it. Today was "Use the Internet even if a print source would work better" Day. I happened to answer the phone this morning, and was talking with a woman who needed information on cooking sausage. This almost seemed to be a Reference Desk question, but since I wasn't busy or at a public desk, I figured I'd handle it. She couldn't get to the library and didn't have internet so wanted me to look up instructions. "What do they say about cooking sausage?" she asked, as if the internet was a specific entity I could ask. So we did a little reference interview: what kind of sausage? Links or patties? Beef was the reply. Her phone connection wasn't the best, either, so I was only getting 75% of the conversation. I started with allrecipes.com but only got recipes including sausage (and some sounded great!) but this was beyond what she was looking for. So back to Google and "sausage cooking instructions" which got me more specific information. I read the various methods (which, thankfully, corresponded to what I had already told her off the top of my head). She hung up after a bit, so I have to assume she got what she needed. But I wondered if there wasn't a cookbook around somewhere?

A co-worker had the phone call asking for "phone numbers of all bookstores in Bozeman." That's a case where a phone book would be more efficient, and that's what we'd use to answer the question. It's hard to know the actual reason for this so maybe the phone book wouldn't be the best source, but I always wonder. People often think the internet is the ultimate source when it's really just one of many.

Progress!

Things are moving along quickly with the new computers - children's and teens are both out and seem to be working fine. The Adult image has been made, and in the morning I'll send it out to 3 machines. Tuesday morning those get moved out and 3 more prepared, and so on until all 12 are out. The hardest part now is the physical moving and set-up!

My goal was to have this done by the end of the month, and it looks like that's going to be accomplished. Then it's on the the MLA/MPLA conference in Billings! I've agreed to be part of the MPLA Communications committee, and we're starting to take advantage of the many social networking options. Facebook, Twitter, and a few others are being added to the MPLA home page.

At a recent staff meeting we spent some time discussing specific issues at each service desk, and trying to come up with one concrete solution. The Computer Services group agreed that giving out guest passes repeatedly to the same people (who can't get library cards, since they are just visiting or don't have a physical address, just PO Boxes on their ID, for example) was time-consuming. We decided to try having these folks keep their guest pass. We already know them by name (since we've seen their ID over and over), and the cards are already set to not allow checking out materials. So far we've allowed several regulars to keep the cards, and they have all been thrilled! My next goal is to add some software that would allow us to extend time on specific computers when people ask. We get that request frequently enough that I think this could be a good customer-service move. Right now we can't make that happen.

Computers Are Coming!

I've been working on setting up the first of the new computers for the past 2 weeks: installing necessary programs and software, adding printers, working with CybraryN to make sure the new system works with their software (that was an obstacle we had to work through with a few online sessions!) but finally things are ready! Four of the Express group computers are out and being used, with 3 more getting imaged this afternoon and one more in the morning. Then it's on to the other groups - children's, teens, and finally adult. We're using DeepFreeze, which should make things easier too: restarting the computer sets it back to the original configuration. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks to see how that all works.


While I was working on the computers, the City also was holding its first IT Week - lots of good sessions dealing with various technology topics. I was able to attend several: ADA issues, using the city phones and Outlook, a discussion on social media. I wish it hadn't been scheduled for last week, but it's all worked out. My original goal was to have the Express group completed by March 15, so I'm only a few days off.

Next month: MLA/MPLA in Billings! My last conference as Montana's rep to MPLA - a position I've enjoyed but will pass along to someone else. Then some vacation time...