Whether formal or informal, planned or unplanned, most libraries offer some variety of patron training. Call it what you may, when a librarian bends over a public computer and offers help to a puzzled patron, that’s training, too.
I love learning about libraries, and what I particularly enjoy is hearing about what librarians love about their library. I've asked each librarian to share their thoughts on this topic, and it was Sue's answer, from the Grass Valley branch of the Nevada County Library, that has remained in my mind.
Each day, I've used the public computers at the libraries we visit, and at the Madelyn Helling Library, when I attempted to plug in my MP3 player/flash drive, I experienced difficulties fitting it in to the Dell desktop computer's USB port (my computer was named Zeppo). The port was situated at an angle and designed for a smaller device. Try as I may, I couldn't make it work.
I’ve met so many superstars on this trip, and look forward to meeting more. At each library, I sometimes feel like a walking Cookbook: I share stories, I offer solutions I’ve heard from libraries, and I capture the triumphs and challenges each step of the way. Here’s a brief synopsis of just a few shining moments:
