Readings Week 1

Lied Library@ four years:

There were a lot of points made in the start up, maintenance and looking ahead to continue to keep the library on the cutting edge.  The ideas that I found the most interesting and probably the most challenging for a library are:

•  keeping a library running in day to day operations.  The ability that a library staff must have in order to keep their program running without the interruption of people's daily lives.  In a large library setting, such as the Lied, they are able to block off areas of the library to fix or change out computers that arent working.  How do smaller, less well off libraries handle their problems?
  
• Community vs. student usage.  The Lied has learned that students get priority over computers especially during key times (finals, mid-terms) and that a majority of computers have been set aside specifically for them.  How does one prioritize the students?  First come, first serve?  How do you know which students are actually using their computer/computer time for studying and not--as it has been stated--using it for games, checking email, etc.    In a community based library, what would be the basis for giving one person priority over another?  Or asking one person to vacate the computer he is using.  
• The other interesting fact in this article was the fact of the overheating, computers problems, batteries that failed more quickly and theft.  To me that was not only technology failing coupled with human trial and error--having things happen that may be unforseen or just never realizing to think that these problems could occur.  Then when they do, how or what is the most efficient way to rectify the situation.
  

Even with all the technology that is available and that is used it still takes a skilled and educated staff to deal with not only the technical side but the human side as well.