Several weeks ago I was in a library, waiting behind the circ desk for the person I was meeting with. She was tied up for a few minutes, so I took a look around… I always find interesting things behind the desk!
This time what I saw was a little radio/CD/tape player that they use for various in-library programs. It was your standard little white radio, retailing for about $35.00 at Target. Really basic. No frills, nothing really tricky about it.
But they had made one modification to this little machine.
You know those little icons on audio/visual devices that represent Play, Fast Forward, etc? These had all been coveredup with little white stickers, which were meticulously labeled with the words Play, Fast Forward, etc. (These words were also printed on the machine by the manufacturer - right under the buttons.) In addition to these little stickers covering the symbols, there were longer stickers all over the radio, pointing out the different features, including instructions on how to use each feature.
It was stuff like:
“VOLUME CONTROL —-> Turn dial to the right to increase volume. Turn dial to the left to reduce volume.”
“Press Eject Button to Open this Door. Insert tape here.”
“Insert headphones here —->”
You could hardly see the radio for all of the instructions. And all of the little white labels had been typed out on a typewriter. 
So my question is this: How often do we over-explain our library services?
It seems like libraries I visit are awash in little brochures explaining what the library has to offer (in great detail!!) and walking patrons step-by-step through everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. I half expect to go into the ladies room and see a little tri-fold pamphlet explaining the importance of toilet paper and how to use it.
It seems to me that most of the time the things we try so had to explain to our patrons fall in one of two categories. Either they really don’t need much explaining in the first place or they shouldn’t need much explaining.
I see the little labels on the radio as falling in the first category… I really think that librarians need to resist the urge to over-explain everything. I mean, come on. If you really end up with someone who can’t figure out how to play a tape in the thing, then help them out in person. But it’s more likely that people will figure it out without some condescending set of instructions that practically scream “you are too stupid to figure this out, so we have to hold your hand.”
The other group of instructions we tend to give out is for things that are overly complex, and perhaps shouldn’t be. In this case, how about focusing on making our services more user friendly instead? One library I know hands out lengthy pamphlets explaining the procedures for signing up for children’s programs. I’ve read them, and it’s a huge turnoff. It makes me want to call Gymboree and forget all about the library for good. And it’s a symptom of a broken system. If you need that much verbiage to explain program signups, then your signup procedures are no good. Plain and simple. Fix the policies and procedures instead of publishing another stupid tri-fold. That, or be prepared to see your customers walk out the door.
I guess what I’m getting at is this: The next time you’re tempted to cover a radio with instruction stickers, ask youself if they are really necessary for the bulk of your users. If the answer is still yes, then fix the underlying problem instead.
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July 14th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Hate to tell you this but librarians do this because 80% of their time is taken up with 20% of patrons who just don’t get it no matter how much you explain. It drives many services because if a library staff person has to explain something so exceedingly simple they will stab someone in the eye.
Look here
http://community.livejournal.com/library_mofo
http://ifirantheuniverse.blogspot.com/
http://liberry.blogspot.com/
July 16th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
A multicultural perspective, if I may? I spend a good deal of time helping patrons who are sent to us, from businesses, to apply for a job “online”–as most major companies will not handle paper applications anymore. They often arrive with absolutely no computer skills, after having been told that, “it’s no big deal, it will take 5 minutes, go to the library.” Just last Friday, instead of leaving at 6, I was here until 7PM. Not only was the patron completely tabula rasa per mouse skills, he lacked the REQUIRED e-mail address, without which this brilliant company would accept NOT the application. We ended up doing “step one”…let’s get you an e-mail address…oops, select another username, that one is taken. With each step painstakingly explained in Spanish…as though this stuff makes sense in English!
What I euphemistically call our “long term plan” is to regularly provide hands-on training in how to do this. We just had our first, thanks to BOCES, and it was successful. We also have brought in a Job Placement Counselor (in addition to our Career Counselor) who is bilingual and very patient, with good computer skills. Because we are a Job Information Center site, it is vital that we offer some hand-holding in this area.
That said, I’d love to think that a tri-fold would fix this…but I’m dealing with so many different intertwined cultures (language, agrarian-peasant, non-tech, etc.) that it forces more creative and collaborative solutions.
I was in the midst of doing BI materials on Rosetta Stone and Auralog and decided that the ONLY way to do bib instruction in techie stuff/bi-lingually is to bring in our ESL teachers and do an in-class presentation, with SIMPLE handouts. Trust me, translating the vendors’ user guides is not going to work. (I’ve already tried that!) If I can get 27 patrons signed up with anything in one fell swoop, and they are secure in in-library use, that’s not as perfect as remote, but it’s a good start.
Rhetorical questions: Do we do these angonizind instructions just to get training crossed off the “to-do list”? Does the Civil Service mentality drive this?
July 16th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Sorry, Jeff, I just don’t agree. If you work in public service, you have to deal with the 20% right along with the 80%, even if it is answering the same “easy” questions a million times over. That’s your job. Typing up some little brochure so that when the question comes up again you can just wave towards it and say, “the instructions are right there” is rude and it’s a cop out. And I don’t think that taking the time for 20% of the population is so bad… that means that 80% is doing well without help. If you think you’re spending too much time explaining “simple” things, then either a. find a way to make it easier so you have to explain it less, or b. suck it up because it’s your responsibility. Please… don’t you think I want to stab someone each and every day? And I deal with library professionals, not the general public. But I don’t - I help people respectfully because that is the professional thing to do, giving them as much one-on-one time as I realistically can.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Edana, I can always count on you for an interesting perspective. I think what you have here is a great example of something that needs explanation because you have no control over it to make it more simple and intuitive for the users. And it’s also a great example of something that simply can’t be communicated with a little trifold. It’s wonderful to see you approach the situation looking for a real, workable alternative to help these patrons in a real, meaningful way. Short answers (in my opinion!) to your great rhetorical questions - Yes and Yes.
July 17th, 2007 at 2:31 am
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July 17th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Emily,
If you worked in circulation every day dealing with 20% of the difficult patrons, you may feel differently
July 18th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Of course, withn 24 hours of descending from the soapbox, I tried to make a photocopy at a machine that can print, scan, e-mail and puree sliced fruit. The funny part is, I managed to get some copies but couldn’t duplicate the method a second time, when I reluctanly returned for additional copies.
To spring back for a moment, any proportion of our patrons are going to fall outside the cultural millieu of hi-tech/urban/cosmopolitan American. Where I work those folks are scarce indeed. Culture, hi-tech or whatever, is learned not innate. Most (many) librarians have the patience and generosity of spirit to work with the presenting issues, perhaps because our patrons are so highly motivated.
I heard a bright and inspiring librarian, yesterday, describe the importance of patience in customer/public service. She will, I hope, go far!
When I’d first started working in a public library (after starting out in special library in the city) I came home, cranky and tired, and *itched to my husband, “…A HUGE SIGN SAYING –TAX FORMS–BUT THEY STAND IN FRONT OF IT AND ASK WHERE ARE THE TAX FORMS.” My husband taught me a lot about service that day by mildly replying, “Maybe they can’t read.”
July 18th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Jeff, I have most definitely worked at both the circ desk and the reference desk. I agree that it can be annoying, but dealing with it as graciously as we can is our duty. And I personally think that dealing with those same questions coming from librarians (who in theory should “know better” is more annoying than fielding the same questions from the general public.
July 18th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Edana, I definitely think that customer service is at the heart of everything we do in this profession. And it’s important not to slight that with the different populations we deal with. That can take many forms, and actually must take many forms. Patience is key, no matter how hard it is (really really hard sometimes!). Those who don’t want to take the time to really help their patrons (or those who want to dismiss them with a little trifold rather than address problems and work with the patrons) need to get out of public service.
August 1st, 2007 at 10:04 am
This is what drives me nuts…at our library when our OPAC’s go off line occasionally, up go the paper signs on the monitor explaining the catalog is unavailable, please ask at the desk for help. Duh! Do we really need to explain that? It just seems so unnecessary to me.
August 1st, 2007 at 10:10 am
What??? your OPACs go down now and then? Call the police!