9.18.2006
A Big Production
Do you ever notice how people like to make big productions of little things?
For example, at the library, it is a simple thing to pick up a book on hold. You come into the library, present your card and the call number of the book, the desk staff retrieves the book, and checks the book out. It's a process that can take as little as 60 seconds, including thank yous and chit-chat.
But you always seem to run into the person who takes the 60 second simplicity and turns it into the 5 minute walk of hell: They have to explain to you why they are there, instead of presenting you with the materials you need to help them.
I had a patron take ten minutes to explain to me that he wanted to return a recalled book directly to me at the desk. I never got a chance to tell him that returning such a book directly to the staff is standard procedure and failure to do so results in fines.
I've come to understand that there are two types of people who do this:
1. The Unfamiliar Patron
This is a person who literally has no idea how a library works, but never goes so far as to find out. Attempts to educate this patron about library processes falls on deaf ears. When they must remember what they were told, they become confused. They feel an inexplicable need to explain everything to the desk staff, who figured out the problem five minutes into the ten minute explanation.
How to deal with this type of person: Let them talk. Let them say everything they need too. When they finish, do what you need to do to serve them quickly and explain anything you need to using short and simplified answers. Tell them to have a nice day.
2. The Know-it-All Patron
This is a person who believes they know everything about how libraries function, and believe the staff have absolutely no clue how to do their jobs. They read the library policies once, five years ago, and are still angry about the card catalog to computer conversion, no matter how much fast or more thorough their new ability to search is. Some of these patrons once worked in a library and harbor the notion that all libraries are one library.
How to deal with thise type of person: Let them talk. Let them go on and on and on. When they finish, give them prompt service and ignore any snide remarks about your performance being slow. Tell them to have a nice day and do not take it personally. Even if the head or dean of your library were the one at the desk, the patron would have acted the same.
These answers may sound insulting, but they aren't. We are dealing with people who are intelligent, but honestly don't give a hoot about how the library works, and they don't want too. Give them up for lost causes. If your lucky and work at a university, they won't be there for too long anyway.
For example, at the library, it is a simple thing to pick up a book on hold. You come into the library, present your card and the call number of the book, the desk staff retrieves the book, and checks the book out. It's a process that can take as little as 60 seconds, including thank yous and chit-chat.
But you always seem to run into the person who takes the 60 second simplicity and turns it into the 5 minute walk of hell: They have to explain to you why they are there, instead of presenting you with the materials you need to help them.
I had a patron take ten minutes to explain to me that he wanted to return a recalled book directly to me at the desk. I never got a chance to tell him that returning such a book directly to the staff is standard procedure and failure to do so results in fines.
I've come to understand that there are two types of people who do this:
1. The Unfamiliar Patron
This is a person who literally has no idea how a library works, but never goes so far as to find out. Attempts to educate this patron about library processes falls on deaf ears. When they must remember what they were told, they become confused. They feel an inexplicable need to explain everything to the desk staff, who figured out the problem five minutes into the ten minute explanation.
How to deal with this type of person: Let them talk. Let them say everything they need too. When they finish, do what you need to do to serve them quickly and explain anything you need to using short and simplified answers. Tell them to have a nice day.
2. The Know-it-All Patron
This is a person who believes they know everything about how libraries function, and believe the staff have absolutely no clue how to do their jobs. They read the library policies once, five years ago, and are still angry about the card catalog to computer conversion, no matter how much fast or more thorough their new ability to search is. Some of these patrons once worked in a library and harbor the notion that all libraries are one library.
How to deal with thise type of person: Let them talk. Let them go on and on and on. When they finish, give them prompt service and ignore any snide remarks about your performance being slow. Tell them to have a nice day and do not take it personally. Even if the head or dean of your library were the one at the desk, the patron would have acted the same.
These answers may sound insulting, but they aren't. We are dealing with people who are intelligent, but honestly don't give a hoot about how the library works, and they don't want too. Give them up for lost causes. If your lucky and work at a university, they won't be there for too long anyway.
9.10.2006
Disabled
I know that word, but what does it have to do with me?
You're going to need Quicktime 6 to see a kid with more mad skilz than you'll ever have.
You're going to need Quicktime 6 to see a kid with more mad skilz than you'll ever have.
9.07.2006
Privacy, Lies, and an Auction Block
Your privacy is not the first concern of the companies you shop from.
The pattern that emerges is not pretty. Most companies claim that privacy is a priority—chiefly because they believe consumers are more willing to do repeat business with them if personal information is carefully handled. But in reality, many companies are woefully inept at protecting privacy. Some companies view robust data protection as too expensive to consider seriously, so half-hearted steps are taken instead. Others see the penalty for data breaches and privacy failures as too low to generate much concern. In many instances, management of privacy policies is handed off to chief privacy officers who report to the corporate lawyers, not a C-level executive, and whose main responsibility is to make sure the company's data policies are in line with government regulations and industry benchmarks. In other words, privacy is regarded as a risk that must be mitigated, not a strategic imperative.
Take it as a warning.
The pattern that emerges is not pretty. Most companies claim that privacy is a priority—chiefly because they believe consumers are more willing to do repeat business with them if personal information is carefully handled. But in reality, many companies are woefully inept at protecting privacy. Some companies view robust data protection as too expensive to consider seriously, so half-hearted steps are taken instead. Others see the penalty for data breaches and privacy failures as too low to generate much concern. In many instances, management of privacy policies is handed off to chief privacy officers who report to the corporate lawyers, not a C-level executive, and whose main responsibility is to make sure the company's data policies are in line with government regulations and industry benchmarks. In other words, privacy is regarded as a risk that must be mitigated, not a strategic imperative.
Take it as a warning.
9.06.2006
Circlemakers
Here's the site of the Circlemakers: a group of crop circle making specialists in England.
You'd think a group like this would be anti-ufo, but they have a section of the site dedicated to the weird stuff they've seen.
Enjoy!
You'd think a group like this would be anti-ufo, but they have a section of the site dedicated to the weird stuff they've seen.
Enjoy!
9.05.2006
Best Response Ever!!
I had the best response from a coworker today:
Comment: I know where you live now. I can toilet paper your house. MWUHAHAHAHAHA!
Response: Bring a ladder.
Go Lee!
Comment: I know where you live now. I can toilet paper your house. MWUHAHAHAHAHA!
Response: Bring a ladder.
Go Lee!
9.04.2006
We'll Miss You Steve
Steve Irwin died after being hit in the chest with a stingray barb.
Every boring night in front of the TV was immediately erased with the appearance of Steve and his incredible way with animals. His enthusiasm for animals and conservation will long out live him in the hearts of those who became zoologists, veterinarians, and conservationists because of him.
We'll miss you, Steve.
Obituary by Brian Cassey
Every boring night in front of the TV was immediately erased with the appearance of Steve and his incredible way with animals. His enthusiasm for animals and conservation will long out live him in the hearts of those who became zoologists, veterinarians, and conservationists because of him.
We'll miss you, Steve.
Obituary by Brian Cassey
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