TLA Presentations: Library 2.0

After numerous interim postings and a number of other obligations, here’s the first analysis of sessions I attended at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference in San Antonio. Before I start, however, I realize that the politically correct thing to do is to post immediate impressions of sessions on one’s blog the same day, maybe a day after at the latest. I had hoped to make an attempt, and I had some time in the conference center to at least ponder some key points from the Library 2.0 session. Nevertheless, I needed to do other things that day, including some Texas Woman’s University SLIS Spring Forum activities as an alumnus, adjunct instructor, and spouse of a professor giving a session on Web 2.0. In addition, I tagged along for a dinner to celebrate a faculty member’s birthday. (We ended up at Iron Cactus, a contemprary Mexican restaurant and bar along San Antonio’s Riverwalk.) Diane and I got back to our room at 10, and we needed to rest up to haul stuff into the exhibit hall and attend a meeting the next morning. With the rather grueling schedule, I stopped at a small eatery at the Marriott hotel across the street both days to get Starbucks specialty drinks, both with extra espresso shots (something I never do). I did this once by myself, and once to meet with a friend and colleague I know through Diane.

Anyway, back to the session analysis… Amidst handling other concerns, such as meetings and Automation & Technology Round Table stuff in the exhibit hall, I managed to attend a few sessions. All of them focused on technology, and they could easily apply to academia. On Thursday morning, I attended “Library 2.0: User-Centric Technologies and Environments,” given by Jenny Levine and Michael Stephens. Levine’s and Stephens’ portions of the presentation are both available online, though I didn’t realize that both presentations weighed in at just over 150 slides. (Both are in PDF format, so please be patient with loading.) Somehow, I managed to condense their image-intensive presentations into two sides of a legal pad sheet. Let’s see how that went…

In the first portion of the presentation, Stephens identified some technology-related challenges facing libraries. In addition to the prospect of losing library staff with fresh ideas due to overthinking and overplanning, libraries generally have quite a bit of work to do in establishing online presences. Related to the latter issue, Stephens drew upon some findings in the OCLC report Perceptions of Libraries and Information Sources, which mentions that people don’t use library websites because they can’t find them or they don’t know of their existence. Most chillingly, however, many respondents to the OCLC study stated that other resources offer better information.

Fortunately, librarians can enhance what have to they offer by adopting Web 2.0 tools, as well as a “2.0″ outlook. Although anyone can tack that suffix to just about anything to make it sound “hip,” it essentially refers to a give-and-take relationship between an organization and its users/customers/patrons. In the case of “Library 2.0,” this may mean changing a library’s website so that resembles (or maybe even is) a blog, with frequent updates about services and comments posted by registered users. Levine’s portion of the presentation pointed to Ann Arbor District Library’s website as a good example. She also mentioned how some libraries, such as the Hennepin County Library, offer ways for users to participate in an online setting similar to Amazon. Under its BookSpace tab, users can make and find reading recommendations in all genres. It seems interesting to note that the BookSpace tab appears more prominently than the catalog link. Does this indicate that BookSpace is more popular than the catalog, or is Hennepin trying to guide user behavior in that direction?

In addition to fostering increased user participation and visibility, “2.0″ libraries also engage in so-called radical transparency. A recent article from Wired discusses this phenomenon as a new trend among a variety of organizations, which can gain trust and goodwill (as well as maybe more “business”) by showing that they have nothing to hide. Furthermore, organizations that engage in radical transparency allow their users/customers to participate in their organizational processes by employing Web 2.0 tools. In addition, users do whatever they need to do with fewer restrictions, such as hyper-protected passwords. Although anyone with privacy concerns might worry about this phenomenon, Levine described how many people actually don’t care as much about privacy as librarians might. To preface this issue, Levine read excerpts from a New Yorker article about the lack of concern younger people have with privacy. (In fact, I actually wrote a posting about that article a few months ago. I won’t repeat my thoughts here, so anyone who wishes to view my previous posting can consider it part of this one.)

Radical transparency also ties in with the concept of trimming many of the rules laid down by libraries. During the presentation, Stephens mentioned a special pet peeve of his: rules against cell phone use. As he went through examples of prohibitive cell phone rules, I thought about my previous experiences with enforcing rules in general, which can come in handy for making sure that people can work quietly in a library. In my experience, I have had quite a few people come up and tell me that people were being too loud, with or without a cell phone. I either haul over to “shush” the offending party, or I tell the complainant that they can use our group study area (unless they come up to mention a noise problem in that part of the library).

Although rules offer consistency, they can run the risk of overriding good judgment. Furthermore, I’m sure that some librarians and library support staff have enforced rules that have upset “challenging” users, only to be overridden (or maybe even reprimanded) by higher-level staff seeking to mollify the user. Stephens offered a good solution, which easily covers the issue of cell phones and just about anything else. He suggests following an overarching set of guidelines known as Rules for the Loft:

Respect yourself
Respect others
Respect the space

Under such guidelines, users don’t feel that any reasonable behavior is being monitored, and librarians don’t have to waste time playing cop to monitor non-infractions. As long as certain users don’t misinterpret “respect yourself,” common courtesy and common sense should prevail.

To create and maintain a “2.0″ environment in libraries, Stephens offered several philosophical and practical suggestions:

Turn the library into a “learning organization”

In such an environment, staff receive encouragement to try new things that could improve or enhance services. Although self-directed learning is ideal, I think that administrators who are serious about turning libraries into “learning organizations” need to provide staff with the necessary time, tools, and financial support. After all, some staff might resent the prospect of having to spend their own “time and dime” on new gadgets that they might not know how to use. On the other hand, setting aside time for training during regular work hours might seem less daunting, and encouraging staff to “play” with various technologies will make learning seem less like some heavy obligation. After all, if staff are supposed to accomodate patrons having fun, why shouldn’t staff enjoy themselves as well?

Since Web 2.0 applications are freely available to anyone with an Internet connection, it would cost little more than staff time for training. In fact, Helene Blowers of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County has even developed a Learning 2.0 program that libraries can adapt so that staff can learn more about those technologies.

Trendspotting

Stephens suggested that if a trend appears in major news publications like Time, Newsweek, and even more topic-specific “general audience” publications such as Wired, we should seriously consider paying attention to it. Even better if you happen to read regularly more “cutting edge” publications with specialized audiences. Of course, acting on every single trend and processing the implications for libraries is virtually impossible.

Emerging technology group

To ameliorate potential confusion related to trendspotting, an emerging technology group could consist of library staff designated to engage actively in determing what trends might impact libraries. To get a diversity of views related to such trends, staff from a number of departments could ascertain what seems important and report their opinions to the rest of the staff. Technology trends may receive the greatest emphasis, but other emerging societal trends marginally related to technology (or perhaps even not related at all) might also prove important eventually. Perhaps an “emerging trends group” would be more appropriate to look at things more holistically. (Even a “committee” might work, though we all know how those can go…)

One could probably argue that such a group would kill “initiative” on the part of staff who want to learn on their own, because they might view members of that group as the ultimate authorities on emerging trends. It may go against the self-directed and participatory “2.0″ spirit, but staff pressed for time might appreciate some guidance to figure out what might be important to know in order to do their jobs. Who better to provide it than staff already interested in keeping up and sharing their wisdom?

Dream

While learning about new technologies, also consider the possibilities for their use within the library. During her portion of the presentation, Levine mentioned a number of ways that various technologies could bring appropriate resources closer to a user’s “point of need,” and as well as ways that they could increase a library’s visibility or presence. Of course, this could include taking full advantage of a number of currently-available technologies (the usual suspects… instant messaging, text messaging from portable handheld devices, RSS feeds, blogs, Twitter, etc.). However, “dreaming” could also encompass technologies that don’t even exist yet. Even if librarians might not know how to develop such technologies, we might be able to figure out who could make them a reality.

Ultimately, I think the best way to integrate Web 2.0 and library services is to transcend the label. To some librarians and library staff (and even among members of the general public) who are happy with word processing applications, spreadsheets, Internet access, and e-mail, the very term “Web 2.0″ sounds mystifying enough to obscure its practicality. It behooves those who have worked with Web 2.0 technologies to demystify the phenomenon by emphasizing the useful and fun aspects of working with its myriad manifestations.

Changes for the better

Quite a few changes in the past week for Diane and me. On the professional side, some co-workers and I got new office furniture on Wednesday. They may be comprised of modular components, but we still have our individual offices to ameliorate any resemblance to a cube farm. We also got to pick our own colors, so I ended up selecting what would go in the office for my officemate and me. (I did the picking, and he seemed fine with my selections.) Our office turned out quite well, and quite a few co-workers commented on the office’s “masculine” look. I was thinking more in terms of what would go well together (black framing, dark brown desktops, bright tan panels, and caramel mobile filing cabinets), rather than a color theme based on gender. Nonetheless, I couldn’t resist quipping that we were going to install a humidor next. After all, nothing says masculine like the smell of stale stogies.

Regarding transportation, Diane and I made the final payments on our car leases. This meant either continuing to pay on the cars we got in 2003, or starting leases on brand-new cars. Both of us opted for the latter for different reasons.

Diane traded in her 2003 Honda Accord for a new Civic, costing just a little more per month than buying the former. I drove a 2000 Civic a while ago, but the newest models are radically different. Mine could barely accelerate on demand, which is important in the Metroplex, but Diane’s new one can deal with the hot highway with no problem.

In my case, I traded in my 2003 Toyota Camry, which the car dealer said had “tanked.” It had gone a bit over the allotted mileage (much of it due to commuting), and there was a dent left by some uninsured joker just a few months after I got it. I also had a few other problems with it, which makes no sense in retrospect, considering Toyota’s reputation. So, I had my eye on a Civic like Diane’s. Fortunately, I was able to get a deal on a Civic Hybrid, so I ended up getting that. I actually wanted to get a hybrid last time around (a Prius), but that didn’t work out. I had lost all hope of maybe getting one, but my Civic Hybrid now sits next to Diane’s Civic in our garage (which is a lot roomier now).

If you’re in the market for a new car, seriously consider test driving a Civic Hybrid. Beyond the obvious benefits of hybrids, its interior has a sporty mien (despite the car having four doors), and it can handle crazy highway driving with ease. Althought the mechanics differ, the differences between hybrid and regular car driving experiences are relatively insignificant overall; you can very slightly hear the battery buzzing (or humming) in quiet conditions, and the car hesitates for just under a second as you leave a stop sign or light. If those don’t sound like serious problems, the new Civic Hybrid offers a wonderful driving experience. (Trunk space is the only thing lost, unfortunately, due to the batteries installed behind the backseat.)

The Civic Hybrid’s attributes should make “haters” think twice before indulging in tirades about hybrid drivers being “self-righteous” and holding things up on the road. Personally, I think they’re just making excuses to keep hauling around in their own gas guzzlers… probably a bit of reverse self-righteousness in that case. (“Well, at least I’m not some tree hugger who thinks they’re saving the world.”)

Speaking of changes, Diane started a blog a week ago called Gain This. She recounts how she gained weight rapidly many years ago, as well as how she has lost it. Over the past three years, she has lost over 100 pounds and kept it off. Also, if you think the Atkins diet was just some fad or an excuse to eat bacon all the time, following it properly was actually crucial to Diane getting to the point she’s at now. If you’ve tried losing weight, but you’ve had difficulty doing so, Diane’s story might give you some hope.

Rage in the cage, a sage is on the stage!

Mike O’Connell, “an associate lecturer in the English department at the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County and the University of Wisconsin-Richland,” has written a column in The Chronicle that questions the current conventional wisdom about teaching. As many of us in higher education know, the “guide on the side” approach has become the big trend at all levels of learning, in opposition to the “sage on the stage” model.

For novices who happen to stumble upon this posting, “guides” facilitate discussion and collaboration, while “sages” stand in front of a class and make grand proclamations that do not “actively” engage students. To hear some people, one would imagine sages as autocrats who do not tolerate dissent, while guides just go with the flow to facilitate the “interactive learning” model. I assume that it’s simply another term one could use to describe the “active learning” model, which my own university has adopted as the theme for its quality enhancement plan.

O’Connell provides a rather disheartening depicition of his university’s approach to achieving the goal of facilitating “[inter]active learning,” which actually has some of the same problems he seems to have with that approach: one person does the work originally assigned to a group, and they receive the same credit (or lack thereof) as other group members who do little or nothing because they know that so-and-so will do it. (This problem actually resonates with both Diane and me, because we faced the same problems with group work in school.) Defenders of group work would probably say that it prepares students for the realities of the contemporary workplace, where collaboration is important. Of course, a cynic would probably agree with that statement about the realities of the workplace, but not for the same reasons.

After summarizing Alice King’s Manichean juxtaposition of “guide” and “sage” models, as well as the rather head-spinning terminology she utilizes to describe the virtues of the former, O’Connell provides his own contrary and flattering description of the latter. He also demonstrates that, despite their more traditional approach, the best sages can engage students just as much as guides.

One might be skeptical of the sage model of teaching, and that seems perfectly understandable. I don’t think anyone has gotten through school without encountering at least one lecturer who drones on in the same manner as Ben Stein’s deadpan stock caricatures (though the ones we have generally encountered don’t share his wry and mischievous monotone). On the other hand, my own experiences with group learning and “breakout groups” within a class (or presentation) make me skeptical of the guide approach. As a bit of an introvert, I have an aversion to receiving “manageable” mini-lectures, and then being forced into “breakout” groups to demonstrate my knowledge immediately. Instead, I like to set aside time to really ponder and learn something.

Of course, there’s the trendy air attached to these new models of learning. They’re nothing new, however, as the column points out. In fact, when I took education classes in the early 1990s, I remember hearing the party line about “student-centered learning.” Since it’s the big thing right now, I wish that I could buy into it. However, I also have too many nagging questions about an emphasis on this model. Is it actually a relatively new idea for a more enlightened time, or is it little more than a faddish marketing ploy? Can students see through the pedagogical techniques, roll their eyes as they get into the “breakout session” du jour, and maybe even try to sabotage classes that rely too much on it? Or have I just seen too many Beavis and Butt-head episodes where the boys don’t “get” (and never will “get”) Mr. Van Driessen’s teaching techniques?

For anyone who has seen the animated pair in action (or inaction), the show features two teachers with completely opposing pedagogical outlooks. Still living in the 1960s, Mr. Van Driessen tries to act as a “guide” who wants to gently inspire his students with an overly non-coercive approach. In contrast, Mr. Buzzcut remains mentally in the military, and he treats his students as “maggots” who need swift retribution for not doing what he says. In the long run, B & B remain unfazed by the pedagogical strategies of both teachers (likely tempered by the teachers’ contrasting personalities). Perhaps this is a rhetorical tool by Mike Judge, whose films and television shows question the effectiveness and doublespeak of various kinds of authority. Nevertheless, I think the analogy from B & B can stretch to the “guide” and “sage” models (even though Buzzcut certainly doesn’t have a truly “sage” manner).

A variety of circumstances can temper the proper approach to teaching a class, including number of students and their individual personalities. Based on these factors, truly effective teachers should be able to figure out for themselves when it’s appropriate to use a guide and sage approach. In fact, it seems wise to think beyond them, as I’m sure true sages and guides do. O’Connell’s fond memories of sage professors demonstrate that they can also engage students in active learning, albeit in a manner that doesn’t rely on faddish techniques with fancy names. If nothing else, students will remember the truly effective ones, who are “independent, idiosyncratic, iconoclastic, profane, unimpeachable.” And yet, the same professors can integrate interactive techniques into classes without awkward segues that almost scream “pedagogical trick alert.” I can say that because I remember them. I remember the history professor who made wry asides in his lectures on European history… and the other eminently quotable history professor who turned a historical research methods course into a something a lot more fun than it initially sounded… and the Medieval and Renaissance literature professor whose lectures conveyed to us his passion for the subject (and who even gets quite a few red hot pepper ratings on Rate My Professors).

In short, I think we need to get beyond the “sage” and “guide” dichotomy, and use both for truly effective teaching. One cannot just impose a set teaching style when it doesn’t work. It behooves teachers at all levels to consider what really works (or what might really work), drawing upon the makeup of individual classes and individual students to make the course truly memorable and meaningful. Otherwise, we’re just playing with techniques, and using unwitting students as guinea pigs.

“Reference” important, “desk” maybe (or maybe not)

Whenever I see a story in The Chronicle related to libraries or information, some Pavlovian principle compels me to read it. Not that I start drooling, but there’s some obligation to at least give it a glance. A recent article by Scott Carlson seems more directly relevant to my job than most, asking the question Are Reference Desks Dying Out?. It made me think about the time I spend on the reference desk, the kinds of questions I get, and how I feel about the concept of the reference desk.

Typically, I work somewhere between 10-14 hours per week on the reference desk at my library. During intersessions, I have similar reference desk hours. However, all librarians place a sign at the desk referring students to their offices since we expect lower traffic. Although we work on various library-related projects while on the reference desk during autumn, spring, and summer semesters, being in our offices gives us an opportunity to give them greater care and attention.

At the library where I work, we have a combined circulation and reference desk. This began a year or so after I started there. In this scenario, the reference staff know basic circulation skills, while most of the circulation staff know basic reference skills. We have also trained a student worker to work some reference hours, which gives full-time reference staff a few extra hours to devote to other library-related obligations.

Since reference staff work at a combined circulation and reference desk, we end up dealing with issues similar to those mentioned towards the end of the article: unjamming staplers, directing people to the three-hole punch, filling printers and copiers with reams of paper, and (my favorite) figuring out where the aforementioned pieces of paper have jammed multiple times in the aforementioned devices. With access points (such as paper trays) under lock-and-key, copiers pose the greater challenge. As I said before, we also perform basic circulation duties, where we deal with print materials and (another personal favorite) laptops that patrons want to borrow.

Thinking about my reference desk experiences holistically, the majority of “inquiries” I deal with relate to these functional matters. I place inquiries in quotes not out of snobbery, but simply because they would not fall under the purview of traditional reference questions. They also would not count as reference statistics, which we track in an Excel sheet on the reference desk computer.

My library’s reference statistics sheet has a row at the top for type of question and a column on the side for one hour intervals. This allows us to keep track of the number of questions received each hour, the types of questions asked, and daily grand totals of each. Most of the categories are fairly straightforward, including Directional, Guest Accounts (for guest users), MS Office (rarely used), Printing, and Copier/Computer. Two other categories remain ambiguous: Desk/In Person and Other. Obviously, I count in-depth reference questions under that category. However, I get more inquiries about finding something in the catalog. They seem like legitimate reference questions, but I end up counting such questions as “Other” because such inquiries don’t require the same amount of attention as a more in-depth question. (Personally, I like the idea of tracking different levels of reference questions.)

Considering the relatively low number of reference questions I get at the desk, it seems appropriate to return to the issues addressed in the Chronicle article. Via ACRLog, I am already familiar with Steven Bell’s proposal to eliminate reference desks by the year 2012. Although novices might think that this “five-year plan” has the air of a forced revolution that doesn’t take into account the needs of individual libraries, I think that it draws attention to a topic that will require serious soul-searching on the part of anyone involved with reference services.

All libraries need at least one service point for various kinds of referrals or assistance with mechanical mundanities, even if professional librarians don’t staff them. With decent training from professional librarians (and IT staff), paraprofessionals and student workers can easily handle most questions and concerns. Of course, professionals can step in occasionally to help during peak times. Otherwise, they would be free to work on library-related projects, professional development, and even appointments to help users with in-depth reference questions. They could also keep up with the myriad changes affecting the field. This may consist of reading voraciously on a variety of topics tangentially related to librarianship and “information.” One could consider the latter a wild card, and a boon to those with a broad range of interests… which probably describes a good number of librarians, anyway. Professionals would have the time to contemplate the ramifications of what they read, and maybe even to actually “play” with new technologies that could help libraries remain a vital part of society.

Of course, the previous paragraph describes a utopian situation, likely informed by what I have gleaned from reading and listening to various resources, as well as thoughts based my own experiences working in a large academic library. Unfortunately, not everyone can do this, mainly due to the usual constraints of time and/or money. Lack of vision may be another factor, but I cannot in good conscience entirely blame librarians for that. Friendly persuasion from visionaries seems like the best place to start in gaining support from a range of skeptics, from librarians who have concerns about technology to skeptical holders of purse strings. Of course, various manifestations of Web 2.0 require no direct financial support, which is a good start. On the other hand, no amount of money will persuade politicians hyping concerns about social networks, YouTube, and other such things that will “lead youth astray.” (Of course, those same politicians want to deny money to libraries allowing access to those tools, likely intensifying the vicious cycle of skepticism, adversity to change, and general fear of obsolescence by library staff.)

Getting back to the use of paraprofessionals and student workers at service desks… I certainly do not think that reference librarians should be detached from reference service. However, with the training and grand visions promulgated in LIS school, we should (ideally) focus on the “big questions” that stump frontline staff. I know that reference purists may view all questions as equal, but this model seems like the best way to put the skills learned in library school to good use. And, once again, fewer hours at the reference desk means more time to devote to improving “information” retrieval, and even giving enhanced reference service to patrons with in-depth questions… if that’s what we really want to do.

In the end, however, I think we all just need to be honest with ourselves. Especially with relatively few staff, a library with a busy reference desk can’t just get rid of it because of some “visionary” proclamation. Similarly, a library with a slow reference desk can’t hold on to one for the sake of tradition, especially if time and money can allow librarians to engage in more visionary work. Ultimately, it’s up to individual libraries to decide whether “traditional” reference desk duties seem more useful for their communities, or (time and money permitting) if librarians should do more than clearing various mechanical jams and pointing patrons to the bathroom. Personally, I think we all should be willing and able to do either one, depending on the needs of the library where we happen to work at any given time. Some institutional honesty and a willingness to critically examine the nature of reference desk transactions seems like a good place to start.

A moment for reflection

Just before turning off the television this morning, I saw breaking news on CNN about the shooting incident at the Virgina Tech campus. Although any shooting is serious, I assumed that it was an isolated incident that would follow a certain course of attention from news outlets, becoming a secondary or tertiary headline for a day or two before everyone forgets about it. Only after arriving at work a few hours later did I understand the story’s enormity and gravity: at least 21 dead, maybe more, and nearly 30 wounded. The deadliest school shooting ever, with more fatalities than Columbine (the 8th anniversary of which approaches in a few days) and the University of Texas Tower shootings in 1966. In fact, when I first saw the number of confirmed deaths, I felt a chill when I realized that it outnumbered those from UT over 40 years ago, which remained the deadliest on-campus incident until today.

Naturally, anyone involved in higher education will contemplate the ramifications of this incident. It doesn’t matter if one is faculty, student, or staff. Despite the still unknown motives behind the shooting, we all probably have our own theories about what might have caused it. However, before publicly engaging or indulging in such speculation, it seems best to just keep the dead, the wounded, and those close to them in our thoughts. Besides, there’s enough for those directly involved to deal with as they learn more about what happened.

The Search!Down! Comeback Special II

As you may know, I went out of town last week for the Texas Library Association Annual Conference. I didn’t have a chance to see how people found my blog last week, but I have gotten quite a few good false drops worth mentioning:

pictures of the late 1980s buick skylark

My condolences. I, too, have fond memories of the emergency repair shop visits my parents made every few months.

raccoon eating through ceiling

Quit fiddling on the computer, and call animal control immediately.

pomeranian hitch

I’m guessing that you’ve never seen National Lampoon’s Vacation.

non judgmental opinions of john wayne gacy

Gimme a while on that one. May be a cold day where he’s at, though.

he jokingly calls me his trophy wife

If he keeps it up, jokingly threaten to leave him.

nutrisystem career fair

To the previous searcher, recommend that to your husband. It might be a good place to meet a trophy wife.

amberlynn henry vIII

Trying to get fancy with keyword searching, eh? Sorry, but that’s “tutor,” not Tudor.

TLA Journey IV: The Return

After getting up at 6 AM to attend a meeting at 8 AM, Diane and I returned home from the Texas Library Association Annual Conference at 11 PM. As you may guess, we had quite a long day driving from San Antonio to Fort Worth. It probably shouldn’t have taken more than four hours to get back to the Metroplex, but we finally hit Dallas around 6:30 after starting our drive at 11 AM.

As you may recall from the second posting, we ended up parking the car in a garage across the street from our hotel. Getting the car, along with paying for the room and gathering luggage, posed the first challenge. Diane waited for one of the attendants at the hotel in the room while I went to the lobby to pay. As I finished that, Diane and the attendant arrived in the lobby with a cart holding our luggage. I ran across the street to minmize delay, more or less shadowing another valet hustling for a car.

After going the wrong way in the garage initially, I turned the car around and arrived at the exit booth to pay. The cashier asked if I wanted to add it to the room or pay separately. Since I had already paid for the room, I said that I would like to pay for parking separately. When I got out my credit card, the cashier informed me that they could only take checks and cash. This surprised the hell out of me, though I finally noticed the three yellow signs that more or less said the same thing as the cashier. Yeah, as if anyone would notice those in a rush (especially with the intense level of activity around the hotel entrance), and as if someone would just happen to be carrying $63 in cash, and as if I would just happen to have a checkbook. So, I had the parking garage charges “billed to the room,” which required me to haul into the hotel and pick up the receipt for reimbursement.

After hauling into the driveway in front of the hotel, I handed Diane some extra change for the new attendant helping us, ran into the hotel, fetched the parking receipt, and got to the car just after the attendant loaded the final piece of luggage into the car. Diane got in the driver’s seat, and off we went… but not before waiting for a series of cars to pass in front of the hotel. Meanwhile, some taxi kept honking at us to get out of the driveway. We pulled out when we had a chance, slowed down at a corner, and got more honking from the taxi. Fortunately, we turned right, while Travis Bickle kept going straight to honk at more people who don’t understand that time is money.

As I think about it, the whole prospect of any downtown venue not accepting “plastic” seems rather antiquated, especially considering the ubiquity of credit and debit cards. However, people need to park, so the parking garage probably has little incentive to change its policies to make things convenient for customers. The same goes for the convention center, which requires vendors and groups using the Internet in the exhibit hall to pay a fee for wireless or wired access. In addition, I know that quite a few people expressed displeasure about the charge, as well as the quality of service. I don’t know the details about the challenges that people had to face, but it seems ridiculous in this day and age not to offer free Intenet access in convention halls. (From what I understand, this problem is actually quite widespread.) Unfortunately, I suppose the convention centers can charge since they’re the only place in town that can accomodate such large conferences as TLA. However, it seems important that someone call the convention centers on this problem. With our concerns about access, perhaps librarians and information scientists could lead the way…

Since we had breakfast early, Diane and I stopped at New Braunfels Smokehouse about half an hour after leaving San Antonio. We ran into two colleagues who happened to stop there as well, so we ended up “talking shop” and recalling anecdotes from past conferences. After we left, I noticed that my car’s “check engine” light came on. So, we pulled into the first Toyota dealership we could find (in south Austin), and had the car checked. After an hour, we learned that it might have been a problem with a sensor. However, the service associate also said that if the light came on again, it probably means that the catalytic converter needs replaced.

Sure enough, the light came on about an hour later, though the service associate had told us that we would be okay for the drive back to Fort Worth. I started feeling a bit fatigued, however, so we pulled into a Starbucks in Temple, where I got a low-fat caramal macchiato and Diane got a low-fat latte. That kept us awake for the rest of the drive to the Metroplex.

A little after 7 PM, Diane and I finally made our first planned stop: her parents’ house in Plano. We came there specifically to pick up Arabella, who had gotten a summer trim and looks about half her size. We had dinner at Black-Eyed Pea with Diane’s father (her mother opted to stay home because she wanted to stay with the dog and didn’t want to eat late), came back to the house to pick up Arabella and her stuff, and took off to arrive in Fort Worth at 11 PM. We managed to get everything unpacked, but the day’s activities (and probably the week’s activities) finally caught up with us around midnight, and a full night’s decent slumber awaited us.

Hopefully, I shall write about my insights on the sessions from the conference. Look for those sometime this week, if I can get caught up…

TLA Journey III: The Conference

The past few days have been a bit busy for me, and even busier for Diane, which explains the absence of a posting yesterday. Fortunately, I have a little bit of time to give an overview of my experiences at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference.

On Thursday morning, Diane and I came to the exhibit hall with two laptops for Technology Showcase, where vendors give demos of various products. We brought them in a wheeled suitcase, which the powers-that-be in exhibit halls tend to frown upon. So, to make sure we didn’t go to jail or something, I hefted the suitcase from the entryway of the exhibit hall to the Technology Showcase. I did the same thing today, going to and leaving from the exhibit hall. Apparently, wheeled cases are verboten due to injuries that have occurred. This seems about as silly as the proposal to pass a law banning people from listening to iPods on New York City sidewalks. Besides, anyone could get injured due to errant wheeled suitcases just about anywhere. In fact, I accidentally ran into Diane’s ankle en route to the convention center today. But, I guess that was okay since it happened outside the exhibit hall.

I always like to dress in somewhat formal attire for conferences (suit jacket, tie), but conditions made such a look difficult to maintain. Although San Antonio didn’t get terribly hot during the conference, the humidity became quite acute in the afternoon. The convention center remained cool, but I had to leave for lunch and return to the hotel later in the afternoon. I managed to freshen up and remain dressed decently into the evening on Thursday, but it didn’t work today. The humidity made things feel somewhat hot until at least sundown, but temperatures should drop to the 60s or low 70s tomorrow. The San Antonio area has already gotten storms, which should help. Naturally, I’m more concerned about what has happened back home with tornadoes and hail.

But then, what about the conference itself? Among other activities, including checking in on the Automation and Technology Round Table activities and taking notes for another TLA group meeting, I attended four presentations. I have contemplated some underlying themes, which I hope to discuss in detail in a posting next week. However, the hour is getting late, Diane and I have a meeting to attend at 8 A.M. (on a Saturday morning, of all times), and we need to get out of the hotel by noon. We have pretty well packed, which should reduce the amount of stress in the morning. Nevertheless, there’s still the challenge of synchronizing baggage and car retrieval…

TLA Journey II: Arrival

Diane and I got up around 7:30 to make the short trip from Austin to San Antonio. We had breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express, got bags in the car, and took off by 9:30. We arrived in San Antonio with moderate traffic along I-35 around 11:00, and got into our hotel room by noon. Diane drove my car, which she placed in the parking garage across from the Hyatt Regency (where we have a room). She decided to forego the valet option, because she knew that I would keep checking for my keys.

After getting into the room, we grabbed lunch at the San Antonio Hard Rock Cafe just a block away from the hotel. We sat on the balcony overlooking the Riverwalk, where I kept a wary eye out for two pigeons who kept coming around in search of crumbs. We also got picture of Diane and me in front of a pair of doors with handles shaped like guitars.

When we finished at Hard Rock, we had to get down to business. We went to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, where the Texas Library Association Annual Conference convenes this year. After getting our badges, we had to go through some extra procedures to get me clearance to enter the exhibit hall. Over the course of three hours, Diane and I worked on setting up the exhibit hall spaces set aside for Texas Woman’s University, as well as everything done under the auspices of the Automation and Technology Round Table. Some graduate assistants helped put the finishing touches on the TWU display.

After returning to our hotel, Diane and I had dinner at The County Line, which specializes in barbeque. I had baby back ribs, while Diane had beef ribs. It had a deliberately “run-down” feel inside, though the exterior looked as clean and well-oiled as the various eating establishments along the Riverwalk. After dinner, we freshened up for probably the third or fourth time that day, and made our way for a boat ride along the Riverwalk. (I kept thinking of James Bond in Casino Royale, when he would come back to the gaming table all cleaned up after getting in some scuffles during the game’s one-hour breaks.) A guy named T.C., whose voice bore some resemblance to Al Pacino’s gruff pater familias timbre, drove our boat while recounting stories about the buildings along San Antonio’s Riverwalk. I took quite a few pictures en route, including ones of the Riverwalk Mall, Tower Life Building, and Tower of the Americas (built for the 1968 World’s Fair). After the boat ride, we went back to the hotel, ready to relax and recharge for the coming few day’s activities. Not much opportunity to rest and take in San Antonio (or at least the downtown area), but I hope to gain some new insights on trends affecting librarianship.

TLA Journey I

Currently, Diane and I are staying overnight in Austin to make a quick trip tomorrow to San Antonio. We will attend the Texas Library Association Annual Conference there, which lasts until Saturday. We would have waited to leave home on Wednesday, but we want to get into the exhibit hall at a reasonable time to bring in materials for two booths. After accomplishing that, we should be able to relax the rest of the day. In the days following, I have a few obligations, but Diane has quite a bit more.

After breakfast at a nearby IHoP, we returned home to pack. As Diane finished getting belongings together, I called Dad at home to monitor his progress. He continues to improve, but my brother and I had a couple of cell phone conversations to figure out plans for short-term care. We might also have him down to Oklahoma and Texas over the course of a few weeks as his strength continues to improve.

With the exception of a quick lunch at a Wendy’s in Waco, we drove straight through from Fort Worth to Austin. After arriving at a Holiday Inn Express, Diane and I settled in… temporarily. Her parents are watching our pomeranian/chihuahua mix Arabella, who apparently fainted for a few seconds today and yesterday. We asked them to take her to the vet, and they called with regular updates. With the current concerns about certain pet foods, it seemed even more important. Fortunately, the vet determined that Arabella simply had congestive heart failure… a horrible-sounding problem, but common among older dogs. He prescribed a diuretic, which she will need to take every other day for the rest of her life. With the relatively good news and low bill, Diane and I couldn’t help but consider the absurdity of a dog taking a diuretic, mainly because Arabella already “goes outside” quite a bit (even if it’s inside).

After handling things with Diane’s parents and Arabella, we left for a favorite Italian restaurant called Romeo’s. Diane had chicken piccata, and I had tortellini sugarosa. We usually go there at least once on visits to Austin. We then went to the Whole Foods mothership, where we sat outside to enjoy gellato and yogurt. Our visit to downtown Austin ended with a visit to Bookpeople, a wonderful independent bookstore with a great deal of character and selection.

Diane and I like to find any excuse to visit Austin, so we felt sad about having to go back to the hotel. We last visited nine months ago, so we were about overdue for a fix. If anyone knows Texas well enough, Austin stands in marked contrast with the rest of the state for a number of reasons. Even a visit during the oppressive heat of July can make one feel comforted by the apparently laid-back and open atmosphere of the city. Traffic is horrendous due to the recent population boom there, but those concerns dissolve when you figure out which streets go one-way, find a decent parking spot, and start to take advantage of all that Austin has to offer. Of course, people watching remains fun. You don’t have to look far to find bicyclists or people walking dogs. (In fact, the Austin city buses have racks in the front where passengers can place their bikes.) We actually saw someone tonight on a three-wheeled bicycle, with a leashed Jack Russell terrier keeping the pace. Upon entering Whole Foods, we also saw someone sitting on the patio with two Cavalier King Charles spaniels and a baby. The adorableness quotient was way too high there.

We got back to the hotel around 10:00. Diane got a call from her birthmother in Michigan, while I flipped through the most recent copy of The Austin Chronicle. I read a bit about the new Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino hommage to grindhouse theater, which was quite interesting. One of the articles mentioned a fact I had forgotten: that some of my favorite directors, such as Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, got their start making such films. Watching the movie isn’t high on my list of priorities, but it still sounds like interesting viewing, right down to the fake trailers by other directors. Personally, I think some enterprising opera company should follow the lead of this movie. Perhaps they could do a double feature of Richard Strauss’ Salome and Elektra, whose plots could probably receive some kind of “grindhouse” treatment. Bring in Rob Zombie as overseer, and they’ll be in business.

What I just wrote probably makes no sense, but I think I can just blame the long day of travel, the Austin “vibe,” the two family health watches involving Dad and dog, and the late hour. Hopefully, some sleep and time along the San Antonio Riverwalk will bring me back to my senses.

Another lame false drop list

I’ve decided to stop borrowing from Steven Colbert (who inspired The Search!Down!), opting instead to repackage false drops that lead to my blog with a title more reminiscent of David Letterman. Actually, the substance hasn’t changed, but I decided to give this list a different title since it’s been less than a few days since the Search!Down! Comeback Special. Anyway, let’s try this:

texas library association conference fre

Actually, you have to pay to attend. However, I have a blue tag and lanyard from last year that I’ll lend to you for a small fee… (Oh, that’s not free. So sorry.)

“second life cartoon”

As opposed to Second Life, the drama, with its unflinching look at the harsh realities of virtual reality.

librarian disillusioned

Sorry, no blogger by that moniker yet. Besides, I’ve already marked myself as the “pragmatic” one. If you haven’t started a blog yourself, though, I’m sure that’s up for grabs.

hewlett packard societal constraints

And you thought Microsoft was evil! Turns out HP wants to impose all kinds of restrictions on how we go about our daily lives.

annoyed librarian identity

I’ve gotten this one a few times. For the thousandth time, I don’t know who she is. I will say that there’s a couple of guys named Joe who could’ve used your snooping skills over 50 years ago.

the infinite dance of life

For some reason, I think this librarian site might be more helpful.

in heaven there is no beer mp3

Next time you have a schuetzenfest, plan ahead, and maybe you can get a real polka band.

As an added bonus in the spirit of proactiveness (or is it “proactivity”), please keep in mind that a search for “thus spoke” will not turn up my blog right away. Some German dude outranks me for that one. However, “pragmatic librarian” should always suffice.

Five blogging heroes

This meme has started quite recently in the biblioblogosphere. I will follow suit, but (as in the case of the top five non-library blog meme I will also bend the rules. Meredith Farkas already did so in her posting by listing a lot more than five heroes.

In my case, since others have eloquently enumerated the virtues of many bloggers I list, I will simply direct you to the links to blogs on the right (yes, they’re mixed in with favorite websites as well). You can see for yourself why they deserve to be called heroes. I will only add that I agree with Meredith about Jennifer Macaulay. From what I have seen on her blog, I see her becoming a leader in our profession someday. Keep up the excellent work!

One person who also deserves recognition for distinguished blogging is the pseudonymous Annoyed Librarian. I know that some in the profession view her as a pariah, and maybe even consider her “cowardly” for posting under a pseudonym. However, even if I don’t always agree with her opinions, I think that she offers fresh, thoughtful, and witty insights about librarianship.

Pragmatic week in review

This week, a lot personal and little (marginally) professional to note.

As some of you may recall, my father had a gall bladder attack last Wednesday. I didn’t hear anything until the following day, when I finally got around to opening my personal e-mail account. Nothing serious in a relative sense, but still enough to merit attention from friends and family. Anyway, my father got transferred from the country hospital to a larger metropolitan hospital, had two surgeries (one to remove gall stones, the other to remove the gall bladder), and came home on Tuesday. My sister-in-law and oldest brother have gone separately to spend several days with him, and I’m still awaiting word as to whether I would need to go up for any reason. Fortunately, both are experts in disaster research, so I have received regular e-mail updates with my sister-in-law’s official signature, which includes the phrase “Center for the Study of Disasters & Extreme Events.” I find it darkly amusing, considering the circumstances. Anyway, she has done an excellent job of making sure that my father is well-cared for an re-established in his home, and she has set up a schedule for my brother to follow for helping Dad. We’re not sure if he will visit any of us for a recuperation period (partially to stave off the potential for loneliness since all three brothers live out-of-state), but we’ll see what happens. Luckily, he seems to be making good progress in his recovery.

On a brighter note, Diane bought a new flute. The director of her flute choir strongly suggested that she do so, especially since her flute seemed more appropriate for high school band. (In fact, she has had it since that time.) Diane “test-drove” three different flutes at home, before settling on a very nice and inexpensive one. Diane played a flute part from the “Dance of the Seven Veils” to help me discern which one had the best sound, and which one seemed best suited to her playing technique. I could tell a little bit of a difference, but she sought more seasoned input from the flute choir director and her tutor. She is currently auctioning her previous flute on E-bay, which should help cover most of the cost of her new flute.

Finally, the professional… or at least marginally professional. Earlier this week, some of the staff could discern a rather heavy and foul smell confined to my supervisor’s office. Someone noticed that one of the ceiling tiles was hanging a little lower than usual, which prompted my supervisor to call an anti-pest service. In the meantime, I gave her my office fan and air filter to alleviate the smell. The anti-pest service worker arrived last night and figured that some squirrels had managed to get into the ceiling. During his visit, three of them dropped through a hole in the ceiling of my supervisor’s office and scurried for parts unknown. No one has encountered them yet, and I hope that remains the case. Very likely, they managed to escape the route from whence they came. As for the smell, it likely came from water that had gotten in the same hole used by the squirrels, or from moldy food left by the squirrels. (The library where I work is in a basement.)

We had an even worse situation many years ago. The office in which I currently work got flooded due to a hole somewhere in the foundation of the building. This same hole also allowed much larger animals to wander the ceiling above. One night, several raccoons dropped from the ceiling into the library. Most of them were captured, but one remained loose in the library the following morning. I remember everyone standing near the front, including a painter who happened to have some patch-up jobs to do in the library. Some of us quietly stalked the raccoon, which got away the first time we found it. Fortunately, two animal control people had arrived to capture the raccoon. Twenty minutes later, I found it in one of the moveable shelf ranges. I quietly ran to one of the animal controllers, told him where I found the raccoon, and everyone eventually converged on the critter’s location.

As a result of this encounter, the library made the raccoon its official mascot. We even have some Disneyfied stuffed raccoons that remain on constant display as a reminder. However, the reaction of the real raccoon to its apprehension by the animal control people was anything but cute. With loops from two capture rods around its torso, the raccoon hissed and violently waved its limbs to make an escape. Luckily for us, the animal control folks held steady. Otherwise, we all would have ended up incurring the wrath of one seriously pissed-off raccoon. Recalling this situation, the squirrels don’t seem so bad. As long as they don’t fall through the ceiling, all will remain well.

The Search!Down! comeback special

Yes, all that you would expect from The Search!Down! and a comeback special. Way back in January, before the last few technological revolutions that would eventually revolutionize librarianship, The Search!Down! was the only regular expose on false drops that led people to library blogs. During those three glorious weeks when it appeared regularly, I boldly used my own blog as an experiment. Unfortunately, for reasons I won’t detail here (Cough!IRBfascists! Cough!), I was forced to cease and desist.

Still, three or four faithful fans of the Search!Down! (or S!D! to those hep cats) look upon those three postings with reverence and awe, confident in their secret knowledge about the subversive value of S!D! during that crucial time in January when it acted as a breath of fresh air that blew away dominant paradigms about search strategies and possibly to bring public attention to the growing crisis of “broken” search engines. (Yeah, Larry and Sergei. This means you.)

Anyway, enough of the rant. As the kind IRB folks want me to tell you, the false drops were actually quite lame. This is in exchange for giving me another chance to provide S!D! cultish freaks (er, beloved fans) with a select few of the good ones that I have found of late. It is also to capitalize on the Annoyed Librarian’s much better listing of false drops that led searchers to her blog. In fact, if this revives interest in the Search!Down!, I might end up posing the same challenge to other false-drop-posting bibliobloggers that The Half-Hour News Hour posed to The Daily Show.

So, without further ado, here’s the new and improved SEARCH!DOWN!

rude gross funny

This happened just today, though I descended from the top hits quite quickly. I will admit to a bit of surprise, though I suppose the name Pragmatic Librarian just screams those three concepts to some people. To figure out what happened, I added “pragmatic” to the search string, and it went to the archive for December postings. Happy hunting!

Annoyed Librarian

Well, I mention her writings every so often, but this searcher must have come to the wrong place. Either that, or they think I’m somehow annoyed as well. Must’ve been that recent posting on customer service”.

actions taken for social netoworking sit

You’re not allowed to sit in social networks? I somehow spelled networking as “netoworking?” Maybe I should trademark that word, add an “a,” and have Google front me a billion beans for “Neatoworking” since the kids obviously love the catchy turn of phrase. (Larry. Sergei. You hearin’ this? And forget that comment I made earlier…)

can my current employer keep me from get

Actually, I’m beginning to think that WordPress limits the number of characters that appear in Search Engine Terms. Anyway, if this person is reading, use key concepts, not whole sentences. Computers only understand unnatural language.

nutrisystem commercial trophy wife

Sorry. She’s already taken by a man who values her as a person.

youtube mattila salome

All you opera fans out there can probably guess what this person was trying to find. Trust me, you won’t find it. (I’ve heard. At home, not at work.)

strauss salome premiere riot

What would have happened if bodystockings weren’t necessary a century ago.

If you liked these, keep watching my blog. If I get enough material, and if those three or four parental basement dwellers keep pestering me enough, I promise to give you a new installment, or a second comeback special.

Giving and receiving service

A semi-recent posting in John DuPuis’ Confessions of a Science Librarian provides a link to a rant by a barista from Starbucks. Upon reading it, anyone who goes there for a caffeine fix will wonder if they have ever received service from this charmer. Even if not, you might have witnessed a few of the 15 categories of irritating customer behaviors outlined by the barista. Having worked with the public in a number of settings, such as a McDonald’s, Wal*Mart, and two libraries, I can understand some of his/her frustration. Still, I also agree with DuPuis that the barista has a rather rotten attitude, which sees little distinction between downright boorish/stupid/self-centered customers, and those who are simply less perfect than him/her.

Looking at the list and considering my own customer conduct at Starbucks, I would probably end up in one of the upper levels of the barista’s personal version of Inferno. I might barely get through the eye of the barista’s proverbial needle for tipping well (#4), because baristas generally do what they’re supposed to do: just gimme a good mocha or caramel macchiato. I probably shouldn’t tip a dollar for a $3.50 transaction on a librarian’s salary, but I know that most baristas and other servers scraping for tips probably bring home even less money. On the other hand, I do order Frappuccinos in hot weather (#9), which inexplicably raises the ire of this barista, and I have occasionally grabbed the drinks of others (#6) due to confusion. On balance, that would probably place me in Limbo, probably no lower than Lustful or Gluttonous.

Although the barista’s comments do get vicious, I think he/she makes some good points about the self-centered attitudes of some customers. Since many of my readers probably work in libraries, we can share some sympathy with the barista, even if we do not share the same contemptuous attitudes.

Since librarianship is a service profession, many of us should know the basics of good “customer” service (though I prefer “patron” for a number of reasons). However, when we take on the position of customer, we should maintain that courtesy. I am a firm believer in noblesse oblige, which means treating those who provide me with service as human beings… unless they really screw up. Even if a sense of fellow feeling doesn’t appeal to you, just keep in mind that you might surreptitiously get some unwanted “extra service” for treating a service employee poorly.

Considering the topic at hand, I feel compelled to unveil the Pragmatic Librarian’s Rules of Customer Etiquette. Yes, we all know that “the customer is always right” (even if they’re not), but I offer this as an education piece for the more self-centered among us:

You may be a customer, but you are not the center of the universe

This is a cardinal rule. Keep your needs in perspective, and realize that you are not the only person needing help. This really goes without saying, but I’m sure all of us in service professions or clerking jobs have encountered someone whose needs “obviously” supersede those of anyone else.

Give employees benefit of the doubt

I especially keep this in mind in restaurants, because I remember all too well when someone at McDonalds would “get sick” on Saturdays or Sundays, and the rest of us would have to bust our humps to make up for the shortfall. Of course, those of us who bothered to appear for work ended up taking the brunt of impatient customers’ rage. From Wal*Mart, I also recall an incident where a woman needed assistance in the pet department. The person who normally worked that night was absent, and I mentioned this fact to her to explain why no one was there. She accused me of “making excuses,” which she apparently did not want to hear. So much extenuating circumstances.

In retail, clerks do not just stand around waiting for you to approach them. Their employers also expect to shelve a certain amount of stock within a given time period. If merchandise is not stocked, a manager will interrogate them about it. This happened to me once after a very busy night at Wal*Mart. The only response I could muster was, “I had customers,” which was true. Of course, those store managers likely have district managers breathing down their necks. My birthmother-in-law is a manager at a retail store where this is the case, and which (naturally) has an unwritten rule that managers come in on their days off… even after already putting in 60-70 hour workweeks. It’s for a chain of fabric stores, which provides supplies for people to do projects in their spare time. The irony runs deep here.

I don’t want that much service

(Actually, I intend this as more of a message to corporate big shots who want their employees to “exceed customer expectations.” I think “doing one’s best” should suffice, which would encompass meeting and exceeding expectations. It also wouldn’t reek of the “corporatespeak” that’s oozing into our discourse.)

I generally have lower expectations of service employees than the establishments that hire them. I don’t want servers at restaurants checking on my needs every five minutes, or acting as my “best bud” while peddling X-Treme Shrimp Fajita Flingers. Like at Starbucks, just gimme what I want in a reasonably timely fashion, and you’ll get a decent tip.

In my father’s case, he has what many would consider a downright perverse dislike of such suffocating service. At one restaurant, the x-treme service annoyed him so much that he didn’t leave a tip. I told him that the poor server was probably told to perform a parody of friendliness by the manager, but Dad remained unmoved.

The same can go for suffocating service in retail stores. Several years ago, I was actually in a department store where an employee engaged me in a conversation similar to this:

Employee: Do you need help finding anything, sir?

Me: No, just looking.

Employee: What are you looking for?

Me: I’m just looking.

Employee: Well, you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t looking for something, so what are you looking for?

Me (irritated): Just. Looking.

I’ve never figured out if the employee was trying to flirt with me (a skill I never learned, and have no intention of learning), or if she thought that I looked like a potential shoplifter (it was on a Sunday, a day when I sometimes don’t shave). Whatever the case, mallratting isn’t a crime, especially if you’re getting ideas for stuff you might buy later.

If I had to pick out the winner for suffocating service, it would be Best Buy. Many years ago, they had a commercial telling how their employees wouldn’t hassle you, unless you needed help. Something obviously changed over the course of a decade. In fact, during one visit, four or five clerks accosted Diane and I over the course of ten minutes to see if we needed assistance. Again, I know that it’s their job, but some of us just like to see what’s available, and figure out if we might need anything.

Anyway, that’s my take on customer service. I hope that it has served its didactic purpose, and that you will go forth into the world as a better customer. I also hope that the barista who authored the aforementioned rant follows this advice as well. After all, if the barista suppresses uncharitable feelings for customers while at work, one can only wonder who receives the brunt of such ill-will. Perhaps another barista, who will end up writing about serving some wrath-ridden barista from another Starbucks.

A return to normalcy?

With Spring Break now two weeks past, things have returned to normal at work. The smell that accompanied the new carpet in my library has disappeared… not that it was too bad in the first place. It certainly didn’t have the same noxious properties as the carpet put down at the public library where I used to work years ago, as in I didn’t develop nauseous or fainting feelings this time around.

For some good news, Diane celebrated her birthday last week. She turned 32, though people think she’s much younger. She has grown weary of people saying, “You look so young to have a Ph.D.” I even heard a story snippet from her about someone mistakening her for an undergraduate at the university where she teaches. To celebrate, we met her parents in Plano Saturday before last to have dinner at a steakhouse called The Keg. Like other steakhouses I have visited, it has a venerable dimly-lit atmosphere, but with a number of contemporary touches to make it look like a slightly more hip counterpart to the English stylings of Steak and Ale. The food is excellent as well. We repeated the steakhouse theme on Diane’s actual birthday last Wednesday by visiting Del Frisco’s in Fort Worth. With valet parking right outside, brass plates with names like “Harrison Ford” embossed on them over coat hooks, a la carte menus where a side dish costs as much as a meal at Chili’s, and cigars as dessert items, it’s the kind of place a LIS professor and a librarian have no business being at… not even at professional conferences, where one rationalizes eating at the best places in town. But then, it was a special occasion. With all this steak of late, I feel compelled to go vegetarian for balance next time we go to Austin. At least there, vegetarian fare transcends the veggie plates or veggie delights one usually finds elsewhere. Of course, if we go to Katz’s Deli, all bets are off.

On Diane’s birthday, my father in Ohio had to go to the hospital for gall bladder problems. I didn’t find out until Thursday, while checking my personal e-mail. This indicates that it’s nothing serious, though he has had two surgeries, and he is still in hospital. Hopefully, he will go home tomorrow. My sister-in-law flew up from Oklahoma to will help him out this week. After that, my oldest brother will go up for approximately another week. I don’t know if Diane and I will go, especially with some upcoming commitments (especially on Diane’s part), but we’ll have to see what various people figure out, as well as how Dad feels.

Despite the situation, Diane and I have found time to do some normal things this weekend. I introduced Diane to the groundbreaking film Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf on Friday, which reflected mid-1960s angst and helped demolish the stranglehold of the Hays Code in favor of the current ratings system (for better or worse). Certainly a movie of the Lonely Crowd, who deserve much more credit for what happened during “the ’60s” than Boomers. Quite a conversation starter, too, as Diane mentioned with regard to gender issues over lunch the following day. If you haven’t seen the film, I recommend that you do. It might not seem “shocking” now, but it’s a lot more raw if you watch it while thinking of the film’s historical context. Despite the strangeness of that film, Diane thinks that Sunset Boulevard has been the strangest of all the movies I’ve picked for us to watch for “movie night.”

That’s pretty much all the important non-work stuff from this week. I do hope to address some remotely professional issues next time around, and maybe avoid mentioning food as well.