Post #2 – Achieving Online Creativity

As I read the articles for class, I become more and more attracted to the new scenery in today’s libraries.  The article by Rachel Singer Gordon and Michael Stephens, Online Cool on a Budget, really caught my attention because there are many fascinating online tools we could look into and introduce to our libraries and our patrons.  I think its great the new generation of librarians explore, write and inform us all about the great changes occuring in today’s libraries.

Between both of my jobs I get a chance to experience the fast pace changes occuring in the library field.  During the week I work at the Metropolitan Library System , in the Resource Sharing/Interlibrary Loan Dept. and on the weekend I work for the Cicero Public Library in the Adult Reference Dept.   Both of my jobs require me to be up-to-date with today’s technololgy, one more than the other.  Can you guess which one? 

MLS is the job that requires me to use a little more of the trending online tools than the library, but at MLS I don’t have to take care of library patrons.  Don’t get me wrong, the library is up-to-date, but there simply isn’t enough time and enough staff, to use every trend that there is available. 

The trends that I referring to are blogging, instant messaging, online reference chat, online maps, del.icio.us and flickr, just to name a few.  The library hasn’t applied these online tools because we don’t have enough staff and time to add at least a couple.  I do have hope that the library will eventually welcome a couple, if not all of these cool online tools.

Working a typical month for me, at the adult reference desk required me to answer numerous in person, phone and e-mail reference questions, numerous interlibrary loan requests and billing, the daily pick-list from other libraries, staff scheduling, journal reading (sometimes I end up taking the journals home), collection developement, weeding the collection, maintain the periodical collection, attend occasional department meetings or meetings with vendors, organize a program, conduct basic e-mail, Internet and database sessions, ah, can’t forget, rotate shifts and work at the south branch library, phew .  At what point could I squeeze in a chance to blog or create a Flickr account?  I know, I could find time, but everything I mentioned above came first.  There were days it felt overwhelming at the library, but between four hardworking and dedicated librarians we managed to always get by and we did a great job…still do.  The library is reconstructing its website and the questions of modernizing our reference services has become a focal point.  Will we be able to add a couple more services like IM or online reference chat?  The patrons are becoming more computer savvy and they are becoming more attracted to the library’s free services.  I’ll just have to wait and see. 

 On the other hand when I started working for MLS, within the first month I was introduced to use IM, reference online chat, create and use RSS, and explore blogging.  While I am at MLS it is easy to use the phone, check e-mail, use IM and occassionally open an online chat when necessary.  I could use these new trends at my desk because I don’t have to take care of the public.  When I am at the reference desk, the public’s questions come first and I don’t have time to set up an IM conversation or take ten minutes to create or update a blog. 

Here is another example of a cool feature the interlibrary loan department at MLS has added to their list of creativity.  The manager set up a community walk map, to keep track of the department’s lending and borrowing transactions.  Take a look at this year’s Resource Sharing Mashup.

These new trends are making reference services at all libraries change quickly.  The more people read and become familiar about their existance, the more they are going to become necessary to apply and use at the libraries.  I look forward in being a part of this new generation of librarians.

~ by Pretty Hip Librarian on June 3, 2007.