Words, Words, Words

When most people around the world hear the word "library", their immediate association is "books". But when asked why they come to the library, their immediate response is, "to use the Internet." So, what do you suppose are the most dreaded words in library land?

Yup. "The Internet is Down." Oh, man!

That happened at Central Library today. When we opened the building at 10 a.m., we discovered that a crucial connection was broken, and it affected all the computers on the third floor except one. No Internet! Not even at the reference desk. Lines for the one functioning Express computer were long all day. And will be long tomorrow, as well, because we hear the connection may not be restored until after the weekend.

It was interesting to see how many people, when they heard the news, turned right around and left the building. A little sad, too - the librarian in me really wanted folks to grab some newspapers, magazines or - yes - even a couple of books.

It did, however, give us a chance to show people some of the licensed information we provide as part of library service: for the person who wanted the Declaration of Independence, we found it in the World Book Online. For the person who wanted a list of churches in California, we created a list using Reference USA. For the person who wanted a study guide for a test, we showed her Learning Express Library. The best part: printing is free!

So ... the next time the Internet is down, and it will happen - just hopefully not too soon, talk to your information professional - your Information Banker, if you will - and see what other ways we can find to put you in touch with the information you need.

When the Internet is Down

We quickly learn who our real constituency is when our Internet connection goes down. What is normally a bustling reference floor turns into a deserted expanse of empty tables and empty terminals. The very few who are in the library seeking information approach the reference desk with an apologetic "I don't want to bother you, but ..."

Well, actually, library staff gets paid to answer questions and to help put information/answers/books into your hands! Trust me, it's no bother! We're doing our jobs when we help you discover and use the rich array of resources the library provides. We'd love a chance to show off some of the neat stuff we've collected over the years and show you how to use them in the library and at home or work.

Our Internet connection went south a couple of days ago due to an equipment failure. While certainly not on the same scale as the bombing of Pearl Harbor (today's the 66th anniversary,) it nevertheless caused waves among our service population. It's been interesting to watch the reactions of our regular Internet users, which ranged from the resigned to the actively angry.

We all recognize that widespread use of the Internet and other online resources has fundamentally changed the way libraries offer materials and services. We hope, if you came to use the Internet and were disappointed, that you will stay a while and enjoy some of our other more traditional offerings: the Art of Glass exhibit in the lobby, the gingerbread house collection in Kids' Place, the newspapers and magazines on the third floor, the holiday books and videos on the first floor. We are looking forward to having a healthy Internet connection - and happy patrons - again. Very soon.