Marketing Guru Seth Godin writes one of my favorite blogs right now. Today his post You're Right provides a useful Customer Service 101 reminder that all libraries should heed. We know this, but we forget: they are right. Always. That doesn't mean that their expectations matched yours or your library's, but in the context of their own expectations they are right. They are always right.

No longer will this library treat media items (DVDs, CDs, etc.) as if they are precious objects to be spared from the bothersome use of library patrons! Starting this summer our media lending policies will directly mimic our book lending policies. We are, in fact, doing away with media-specific "loan rules" all together and just merging media rules with book rules in our circulation system. And that means, to touch back on a theme which is a favorite of mine: NO FINES FOR MEDIA (for students, faculty (as if I could fine them anyway) and staff, though yes, there will still be fines for other library users...my staff isn't ready to let go of those, though I tried).

This summer my library (the main level at least) will be receiving a long-overdue makeover: new computer lab, new furniture and computers in the existing lab, new carpet, new paint, new furniture, new surfaces on the old furniture we have to keep and a 10 gigabit network connection. To gather student input I am using a very old school method: a cart full of carpet and fabric samples, etc. and a legal pad on which students can make comments...not very library 2.0 but that's a story for another post...

I wanted to share the 4 comments and questions we have received so far (in the week since Spring Break). Although small in number, I think they say something about what our students want in a library...

1. Do the chairs for the computer labs lean back? (they do)

2. Make sure couches are really soft (check)

(are you seeing a trend in numbers 1 and 2?)

3. Have several hidden nooks to study in (probably not on the main level, but a primary goal for the upper (quiet) level)

4. The noise from the flourescent lighting could be looked at (that's for sure, but unfortunately not in the budget this time)

They are looking for comfort. They like to have private hideaway spaces. And their desire for comfort is not just about furniture but also about ambient noise and, I would say, the quality of the light.

I'll try and post additional comments as they come in.

I came across this blog post today:

Teens tell architect what they want in a library

Though some of this I have seen and heard before, one point was rather heartening:

"They recognize that the library is different than chain bookstores and
want all the things associated with it to be different as well."

I wish the author had elaborated more on this point. But it is a reminder that, as we rethink and redesign our libraries, we should be thinking beyond the big box bookstore model and imagining an even better and more perfect model for ourselves and our users. We should borrow what those stores are doing so well...but then improve upon it.  I think the "free books," bit is a pretty good start!

Our library is understaffed. Way understaffed. For our 800 students and 70 faculty members and 2000+ annual interlibrary loan borrowing transactions we have one librarian - me - and three (awesome) support staff, plus an army of work study students who each work about 3-4 hours each week and as such don't seem to have a vested interest in the smooth operation of the library.

Ever since this new "staffing model" (if you want to call it that, it is more like a "staffing accident") came to be with the retirement of the previous director the "reference" services (though I refer to these services as "research assistance") we have provided have been...err...spotty. I'm here, I'd love to help with research questions, I try to sit out at the front desk and make myself available whenever possible, but that is often not possible for long stretches of time. Yet the need is there.

In came the MeeboMe widget. Installed one link in from our library home page for a few months, it saw very little use. Moved to the library's home page last fall, the widget is now the most frequent means with which I answer reference...that is research assistance...questions.

Do you have this movie? How do I find out if you have this book? Is the reading for this class that is on reserve checked out right now? Are you guys closing early because of the snow? Do you have a color printer? Do you have a fax machine? Do you have this journal online? I can't get into this databases off campus. Where should I look for articles on this?

It is been weeks since I had a day at my desk during which I did not answer at least one question of this kind asked via MeeboMe. At the same time, I do not remember the last time anyone called me on the phone to ask such a question. I keep Meebo open in a tab all day long. I use the Meebo firefox plugin so that an alert comes up when there is a new question. And then when I walk away I try to remember to change my status to "away from my computer."

Voila! Reference...that is, research assistance...is reborn!