Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Automation
For decades, we in the library biz have said a library is "automated" when they can check out books with a computer. And we still think that way. Today, there are only a couple public libraries in Ohio that aren't "automated."
But automation can be so much more: any manual task that can be assisted with technology can be said to be "automated." Take for example the relatively new chore occupying much of a library's time: controlling how long someone gets to stay on a computer, and figuring out who gets to be on next.
This is a big deal. So big, that it was a news story when the Wadsworth Ella M Everhard Public Library put one of these systems in place.
My prediction? A few users will hate it, and of course there will be deeply frustrating technical glitches. But generally everyone understands that libraries sometimes have to control access to scarce resources. Twenty-five computers isn't enough for everyone in Wadsworth to have all the time on the computers they want. Nor is it practical just to buy more computers until no one has to wait anymore. Not only isn't there space for it, there isn't staff to maintain and help.
"Automation": it's not about imposing controls; it's about using tools to do some of the routine tasks so people can put their energy into other things.
But automation can be so much more: any manual task that can be assisted with technology can be said to be "automated." Take for example the relatively new chore occupying much of a library's time: controlling how long someone gets to stay on a computer, and figuring out who gets to be on next.
This is a big deal. So big, that it was a news story when the Wadsworth Ella M Everhard Public Library put one of these systems in place.
My prediction? A few users will hate it, and of course there will be deeply frustrating technical glitches. But generally everyone understands that libraries sometimes have to control access to scarce resources. Twenty-five computers isn't enough for everyone in Wadsworth to have all the time on the computers they want. Nor is it practical just to buy more computers until no one has to wait anymore. Not only isn't there space for it, there isn't staff to maintain and help.
"Automation": it's not about imposing controls; it's about using tools to do some of the routine tasks so people can put their energy into other things.
