Techies behind the circ desk: a good thing!

I've never forgotten something Eric Brooks--a tech department of one from Placer County Library System (CA)--said to me when we sat down to chat at his library last year. He told me that he thought all computer science students should be required to work at a computer lab or work a customer service job, like retail. He felt the skills required of these jobs would help techies understand their clients better, and more fully appreciate the word, "support." So when I read a recent post on Robin Hasting's blog, A Passion for 'Puters, I thought, "these two are on the same track!"

Robin shared a recent day she spent at the circ desk, a day she didn't expect to be so valuable and insightful. She learned more about the process, the issues, and the experiences of both staff and patrons at her library. Her thoughtful recollection reminds us all that stepping outside of our regular routine or role can be eye opening, indeed. Here's a snippet from her post:

You all might know that I’m the Information Technology Manager for the Missouri River Regional Library. This means that I work behind the scenes a lot, making sure that computers are working, networked bits are flowing and that everyone has the technology they need to do their jobs. I also spend some time working on the PCC desk, our public computer service point, but that’s about the only interaction I get with patrons. Until today. We are pretty seriously short staffed, so when an email went out asking for help in the circulation department, I volunteered for a 2 hour shift. I have to say that I’m really glad I did."

Take a moment to read the rest of her post. You may learn something new!

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