This week I had some enlightening moments. In my other class, Web Architecture, I have been writing website in (X)HTML code. I dawned on me how much programming a website and cataloging materials in the library's automation system have a lot in common, duh. In both cases, punctuation, spaces and the case of letters is so very important. One slight typo in both cases can cause all types of problems. I thought that was odd until it occurred to me, duh, that in both cases the purpose of the work is to communicate with the computer and to get the computer to bring the results we desire with precision, consistency, and reliability. Both are speaking in a language that the computer can understand and interpret correctly, duh.
I remember often as I have "moments" with computers and working to get the results I want from them something that Dr. Ball said in Online Searching, that computers are just dumb machines and that no matter what we humans are smarter, duh. This has become my mantra as a patron asks me to help them do something that the computer doesn't seem to want me to do. For example, this week patron wanted to download a program to his flash drive. This should be an easy process but no matter what we tried we couldn't get it to download there. We tried downloading it to a floppy and that would work but not to his flash. I finally figured out that the flash had its own programs with files and the correct program file had to be opened, duh and then the file could be downloaded to it. This took some time but we finally got the file for the patron.
This episode brought up the issue of allowing patrons to use their own flash drives in the library's computers. My board and I are concerned with picking up viruses or other corruption from them. The board asked me to find out if other public libraries allow flash drives to be used in the computers. To accomplish that I did something that I first did a couple week ago, I posted the question to the INPub listserv. My first post to the listserv dealt with DVD/CD repair machines. My library has been asking for and receiving Library Capital Project Funding to pay for our automation but that automation will soon be paid off and we will have money left in the fund. Since the rules for this money are very specific, we are looking for some item that will take all the money and still qualify as to our project's plan. We believe this kind of machine would fit that and fit a need of the library. We are losing a lot of DVD because they are being returned damaged. It is hard to tell when a DVD is damaged and can't play anymore or when the scratch just came from regular use and not damage so it is hard charge one patron as opposed to another. So these are mainly loses that the library just has to eat. The machine that most of the library's that replied to my question on the listserv was one that cost close to $3,000 at the cheapest. That is way too much for my library to pay, it just wouldn't be worth it, duh. One library suggested one that costs around $350. This is more a possibility with our budget especially since we are hoping to be able to fix disks for patrons for a fee to recuperate some of our expense. My board president found the $350 machine in his Popular Mechanics Magazine in an article saying that it was a good product but that it took a lot of care and cleaning. I was instructed by the board to check out what kind of care and cleaning it needs with the suggesting library.
Since the listserv worked so good helping to find a DVD repair machine, I decided to try it on the flash drive question. I was responded that there is a program from Microsoft called SteadyState that allows public computers to be returned to their starting state by just rebooting the computer. I have asked my assistant's husband who is an IT man for a neighboring township to look it over and see what he thinks. This programs sounds too good to be true. I hope what they claim can actually be real-it could be a dream come true.
These listserv are really helpful. I am mainly a reader and not a participator. I true to offer my experience if it is something that I or my library has done, but us being so small we are usually a follower and not a leader. But with this class and the others I am taking, I'm hoping that I can give the library's technology a big shot in the arm!!
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