Swiss Army Librarian - On The Front Line of the Reference Desk

Folks talk a lot about library 2.0 and technology. I know I do it but I'm a book loving nerd with a thing for gadgets. But what if we are being distracted from what is really necessary? Serving the patrons at the various level of services that they need.

Swiss Amery Librarian thought about this and he graphically should what is necessary and what is possible in today's public library.


This is a quote from his post:

It is the role of the library to take what we can get, and do the best we can with it to meet the needs of our patrons. Sometimes this means offering limited or abridged services, or services that sort of do what we want, but aren’t ideal (i.e., the current state of downloadable audiobooks). But even by working within the constraints placed on us by the groups that support us, we should always strive to provide patrons with services tailored to meet their needs.

That is getting harder to do with budget being squeezed, patrons increasing use of libraries and limited staffing hours. Yet, librarians and library workers make it happen every day.

It is a good post and has given me much to think about. I'm not giving up my gadgets just yet.