Celia’s Eleventh Blog for Library Systems Class - THANK YOU, Dr. Ball

This week proved to me that I am gaining not only knowledge from my MLS classes but also confidence in my ability. A patron came in who is a powerful mover and shaker in the town and who for a long time did not approve of me as Library Director. He said that he had a research question for me. "Why are barns red?" I thought that I would have time to find the answer but he wanted me to come up with an answer on the spot. I was able to stay calm and look it up on my computer. He was impressed when I gave him his answer in a short time. (In case you are wondering, it started in the 1800's when they added blood from slaughtered animal or rust (to prevent mold and ivy from growing on the barn walls) to the stain (linseed oil) that was put on the barns to protect it. This thus turned the barn a red /orange color not the bright red of today.) After I read this to the patron, he asked me to print it off so he could take it with him since he wanted to share it with the people he got into the discussion with while driving a man to his doctor's appointment and those working in the doctor's office. The page I printed off for him happened to have a picture of a barn on it that was very decorated so he wanted me to find out why barns are decorated they way they are so I went back to the website I found the original barn information from and with some further digging found that there are two areas of thought on this. One is that they are decorated purely for aesthetic purposes and the other is to ward off evil with the hexagonal shapes. With these answers, I think I was able to actually impress the patron. For a man who gave me a very, very hard time when I was first started this is a real boost to me and to the library. So a big Thank You to Dr. Ball and her Online Searching Class for giving me the confidence to pull this test off.

I spent most of the week working on designing and implementing a website for kids at the Roanoke Public Library. I am adding pages to promote the programs, events and other items that we have available. I am collecting permission and information from area organizations to add to the site also. I have asked all the area schools, the boy and girl scouts, 4-H, visitors' bureau, local chambers, and sport organizations. So far they have all been very cooperative. I don't want to add links without permission. Everyone that I have shown the site I'm making are excited about it. One of my board members is especially pleased as he has been asked many questions about the library and its events as he has been volunteering at the American Legion. This process has been fun, frustrating, and very informative. I can't believe how much I am learning and how much is actually possible. I find that I am really getting into wiki. I love how they allow interactivity and make the pages come alive.

The circulation computer at the library has Microsoft Office 2007 on it which the library was able to purchase at $20 a computer from TechSoup. I have used Publisher to make the library's brochures but not much more. My assistant was using Word to make a paper to insert into a kit we were sent for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners to prepare them for entering school. These are the first kits that the library has that it is planning to circulate. The point of this is that the Word only has a very few fonts on it. It doesn't seem to be downloaded correctly. I have tried to repair it and tried to add more areas to it. Neither of these has worked. I think that I am going to have to completely remove it and then download it again and hope that the bugs in it go away. Computer and computer programs are great when they work and such a major pain when they don't!!!

 

 

Celia’s Tenth Blog for Library System Class—Punished for Vacation

I don't know if it happens to everyone, but I have noticed that every time I go on vacation I come back to some form of disaster that I have to fix or find a fix for. That happened this last week as upon returning I was told that both of our printer were down and that the only thing we and the patrons could print to being the copier. I tried everything I knew to get the big color LaserJet printer to work and nothing worked. I talked to a board member who is our handyman and he said that he would see what he could do. So Monday night after the annual membership Friends meeting, he and the board president went to work on the printer. They followed the step-by-step instructions given by the machine which I and my assistant had done repeatedly to no avail. They then proceeded to try to take the machine apart this again was to no avail. I had called the company that serviced the printer for the company that had donated the printer to the library and they wanted $184 for the first hour service call and $46 for each 15 minutes after that with no other information told to us. I then tried Allen Business Machines which is where the library bought the copies and has a service contract with. After being transferred repeatedly I was told that I needed to speak to their IT serviceman who was out. He did call me in a timely manner and I was told that they charge $125 for the first hour service call and $34 for each 15 minutes after that. I told him what the problem was that we have a 54.6 error and that we have gone through the help steps, cleaned it, and replaced fuser kit but the error was still there. He said that since I could give him the error number and the exact problem he would not have to trouble shoot so he knew what the problem was—we need a new drawer. He quoted me at $654 to buy the part and replace it in our printer. He suggested though that instead of doing that it would be more cost effective to just buy a new printer. He said that often once a problem like this happens it leads to more and more problems and turns into a money pit.

I have been comparing fixing that printer both through ABM or the library buying the new drawer and installing it ourselves or buying new printer. I used the areas of initial cost, capacity of the printer, speed of the printer, cartridges needed, cost and life of cartridges (color and black) and whether it has duplex capabilities. I also have to factor in if we get a new printer that we would have to have the tech guy come to network it in. I have an email in to him to find out that quote.

I was lucky as the other printer that was down was just because it was not plugged into any computer. On the Monday before I left we had a board meeting. The board member I mentioned before came early to look at one of the new donated computer was telling me that there was a problem with the CPU fan. When he opened it up, he found that the inside of the computer was very full of dust and that the fan was clogged with dust. Once he cleaned the inside the fan and the computer worked fine. He thus went and cleaned all the donated computers figuring that they would all be dusty inside. He was right. Evidently when he was reattaching he did not reattach the printer. We didn't notice it since the big printer was the default and the one everyone used until it went down so we didn't notice the problem right away. I glad that was so easy to fix.

One other problem happened too. The OPAC computer that we use for the scanner too wouldn't go on the Internet. It would try but would immediately shut it down. I explained to the tech guy as a flick or like it was taking a picture. I again had tried everything I could think of to get it to work including having one of my patron who is technically good with computers try what he knew. Again we had no luck. The tech guy even had trouble finding the problem but finally did. I had updated Internet Explorer to 7 from 6. In that process or sometime after the program became corrupted. The tech guy took Internet Explorer back to 6 and now it works fine.

I sometime wonder if vacations are worth it, then I wake up and know THEY ARE!!!!

Celia’s ninth blog for Library Systems class--Colorado (Wyoming) Experience

This week I was proved again how wonderful the librarian profession is. For my other class, I was to interview a webmaster. One of the webmasters, I chose to try to interview was the Denver Public Library's. Their webmaster not only answered my questions, she also offered me an inside tour of the library while I am there over spring break. I can't wait!

I also found out that other professions have great people too. March is disability month. To celebrate that, my library has a guest storyteller and the local developmentally disabled group (Pathfinders) come and give a talk. During this story time, I take pictures as my assistant runs most of our story times although I do get the guests and help her plan. We had this special story time on March 3, 2008. I took my digital camera and took about 5-6 pictures. I then went home and downloaded them to my computer. I thought that all went well but when I went to find the pictures on my computer they weren't there. Since I am planning to take the camera on vacation with me I had cleared it thinking all was well. The pictures were simply not there. All I can figure out is that something went wrong with the download. I have learned that I should erase the pictures from the camera until I am positive that they are on my computer and that I know where to find them. Luckily for me the Pathfinders organization sent a lady to take pictures for their own publicity so I asked them to send me those pictures so I could add them to my article to the newspapers to publicize the event. They were happy to help me in this way as both of our organization will get some good publicity out of it.

We also had problems with one of our computers and the printers. We have a 4500 color LaserJet printer that is our default printer. Computer 4 would only print to the 2300 b&w LaserJet printer though. Even when the 4500 was chosen, it would print to the 2300. I had to reset the 4500 printer into computer 4 and finally got 4500 printer working correctly from computer 4. What really bothers me now is how the computer lost those settings in the first place. My board has had me set restore points on all the patron computers. One of the board members has a portable DVD drive he is going to use make back-up disks. We are also planning on putting SteadyState from Microsoft on all the computers also. This program is supposed to take the computer back to its starting point every time that it is restarted. I will be putting that on the computers when I get back from vacation. We are hoping with all this protection the patrons will not be able to add or change things like they are now.

Denver was great! I was surprised as I thought Denver would be more mountainous but we did drive out to see them a little closer than you can from Denver itself. I did get my tour of the Denver Public Library. I took my new flip video camera and took a video during it. We were specially allowed to go into the room where a G7 summit was held during President Clinton's term of office. It was neat to see where the heads of state sat and the special nameplates placed inside the table. They also have a wonderful display of Colorado artworks from the neighboring art museum. We were also shown the genealogy and children's sections of the library. It is a 64 million dollar library that is a showplace as well as a functioning library. It was definitely being used and was a vibrant place so it was proof that libraries are necessary.

I repeatedly took a group of pictures in Denver on my digital camera and then went back to the hotel and downloaded them to my laptop. I have quite a video slide show now of Colorado and even some of Wyoming which we spent a little time in. I was lucky as the hotel gave us complimentary "wired" Internet service. I would have had to pay for "wireless" Internet. I was thus able to connect from Denver and work on the wiki project a little. I copied off maps from the internet before we left which show Denver in squares grids and then part in diamond grids. We thought it was a mistake but once there found out it was actually set up that way. It was confusing! We were often relying on my nephew's phone as he was able to get Google Maps on it. It is incredible to me how phones have changed. Who would have believed 20 years ago that we would be getting Internet, able to take pictures and texts or talk to people on our phones from almost anywhere. My nephew could often be seen in during the "vacation" making sales calls from his phone in the middle of our touring walks of Denver while we females shopped. I left my niece use my cell phone to call her husband and such since I have nationwide coverage and only use it for emergencies. I thought that I had 500 whenever and 75 weekend minutes. It turns out that it was actually the opposite and she talked for 96 whenever minutes so I will have to pay extra since I have an overage. Luckily it isn't that much!

Celia’s Eighth Blog for Library Systems Class-Amazing “New World” of Technology

In my Web Architecture class, we have an assignment to interview a web master. Since I don't have any close, I decided to email ones that I have used their web sites. I emailed my questions to five web masters. Is it any surprise to any MLS students that the 2 public library web masters responded promptly and fully? I heard nothing from the 2 government sites or the corporation that I also emailed. That again proves that we as librarians really do want to spread knowledge whether it is our own or through resources we have found.

One of the libraries I emailed was the Denver Public Library. During spring break, I am going to Denver. My niece, Amy, has to take her final test to be a doctor in Denver which is why we are going. My sister and I figure that we will have time to discover Denver while Amy is testing. I looked on the Internet for information on Denver. I found out that we are staying in a hotel about 8 blocks from the Denver Public Library. We will in fact be very close to many interesting place including the mint, art museum, state house and other museums. I still find it amazing how easy it is to find that information. I am old enough to remember when to learn that kind of information would have required hours and hours at the local library and the information received may not be as current or as complete. I sometimes want to throw the computer out the window when it doesn't work well, but I can't think how I could get along without one now. If someone comes into the library, I often run to the computer to find out their answer. I search for phone numbers, addresses, books, tax forms and all others kinds of information. How did librarians do this job without a computer? It boggles one's mind to think of it.

I was talking to some 20somethings in my library and we were discussing how much school children learn about computers now days and how computers are a common sight in classrooms. They said that they remember just having a few if any when they were in school. Boy, did I feel old since computers weren't even thought about in school in my day and those that did exist occupied a whole room. Isn't it amazing how schools and even life has changed because of computers and the technology they have brought?

Because of my trip to Denver, the board is meeting on March 3rd over a week earlier than normal. I have to get the end of month reports done on Saturday, March 1. Luckily the local bank is open for a few hours on Saturday so I can hopefully get some kind of bank statement so I can report to the board the library's financial condition. That again is only possible because of computers and technology. Without that technology, there is no way that the bank would have any possible way of getting that information for me for the reports in time for this early meeting.

I was informed by our tech guy that all media inserted into our computers are tested by our antivirus system. That means that it is safe to allow flash drives. The library that has the DVD/CD repair machine we are thinking of buying says that it requires little maintenance. In fact, a maintenance kit came with the machine and they have yet to use it. It just requires a little wiping out after each cleaning. I am hoping that these 2 issues can be finished at this coming board meeting.

I found out on Thursday that we are running out of label protectors. These are clear plastic with adhesive backs that we place over the reused bar codes and book spine labels. Since we are re-shelving and cataloging a lot of our young adult as juvenile where they should have been in the hopes that being shelved and cataloged right they will circulate more we are going through a lot these protectors. I tried very hard to order some through the DEMCO website. I never succeeded at it as that website will never accept my user name or password. I started a small notebook where I keep all the user names and passwords for all the accounts and computers the library has. This has been a lifesaver or should I say memory saver. When I started it I never thought I would have near as many as I do. My board president was going to copy them and have them put into the lock box but when he saw how many there are decided it wasn't worth it. It is amazing that are lives' are now reduced to user names and passwords.

Addendum to 7th Blog

I am sick of winter! sick of being sick! and sick of techno glitches! I don't know why the font is doing wacky things. I think I might have hit something by mistake during one of my sneezing fits. I can only hope that spring and good health return soon because I know the techno glitches won't leave but at least I will be able to handle them with better humor then. Ok, at least I can hope that I will, can't I???

Celia’s Seventh Blog Post for Library Systems Class-The “Duh” Moments in Life

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!!

Celia’s Sixth Blog for Library Systems Class- A Week of Changes

I spent a lot of this last week preparing for the February Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday the 12^th. Thanks to the snow, that meeting had to be postponed after I had everything set up. Because of the postponement some of the checks still had to go out this week and can't wait till next week when we can reschedule the meeting. The checks were for the safe deposit box (or we would have to pay $5 more), the phone bill and salaries. I thought that was all but it so happened that the library is buying a block of service from our computer tech's company. If we buy a 40 hour block we only have to pay $55 an hour instead of $110 and we only have to pay for travel one way. Since they let the computer tech come before the scheduled meeting, the company agreed to take it out of the block anyway, but they would not let him come a second time unless I mailed the check. So I had to get permission by the Board President for getting that check signed by the Board Treasurer before the meeting could take place too. Luckily, the board had talked about and agreed to do this as we are saving so much money so the Board President agreed to this early payment.

So I was able to let the computer tech come on Wednesday. He was able to convince the server to recognize/accept my office computer even though because it is the home version of XP, it can't become part of the domain. Because of this change, I will be able to save all of my records on the server instead of just saving them to a rewritable CD. I appreciate having any kind of saving of data and as many places as possible since I have found that disasters can happen when the system or even parts of the system go down. My office computer is now password protected and if I want to I can block some things from my assistant. That will not be all that easy though since my assistant knows my password.

We discovered while he was working on the computers that the "brand new this fall computer" was operating very, very slowly. He is now looking into it to find out why. We believe that because this computer not well protected because that "fall computer guy" didn't know our network system and something "harmful" was put on it, possibly an extension of MySpace. The computer tech we now have calls himself: the Goodrich Man as in "we can pay him now, or we can pay him later". It is true. He also pointed out that because he knows our system so well he is able to diagnose the system in a fraction of the time of anyone else. He was able to figure out that the new computers from the court do have sound cards they just didn't have drivers to run those drivers. Once the drivers were installed they worked fine. That was proved by some of the patrons later in the day. No more complaining about sound! Yeah!!!!

I did have one glitch after the computer tech left. The receipt printer wouldn't print. The computer tech had added another user named "Staff" for extra protection in case someone unauthorized got behind the desk and started messing with the circulation computer so they couldn't do any real damage. But the automation system would not recognize this user and now the automation system will need to be configured to allow this user. I had to shut the computer down and then restart and sign in as "Administrator" to get the receipt printer to work. This was a fairly easy fix but scared me for a while thinking I was going to have to go back to the post-it-notes. Thank God, I didn't!!!!!!

I didn't have class my Library System class on Thursday, February 14, 2008, but since my schedule is step up for it, the New Albany-Floyd County Wiki Team had a meeting. I was tired from all the changes at the library and feel that I was just not brainstorming well with my fellow members. I had my laptop which I have found invaluable with me so I used it to take the minutes during the meeting. I also tried to record the meeting with a digital voice recorder. The recorder is new so I have to see if it worked. I am supposed to be able to plug it into the computer and make an audio file. I can get it to go to my iTunes library but that is as far as I can get it. I tried to email the file to myself but that took forever so I don't want to block up someone's email. I can make a CD but I can't send that to my fellow team members. I just bought the digital recorder because is thought it was just what I needed for this and my other classes, when the Board Secretary bought one for the library to record board meetings.

I tried to email Dr. Ball from IPFW where we had the meeting and I couldn't. I have not figured out why I can receive my emails there but can't send any. I had to send her the email when I got home. I thought that I was suppose to email Dr. Ball the minutes from the meeting but I have since reread last class's notes and found that they are actually suppose to be posted on the wiki. I have found that when I transfer from Microsoft Word into the wiki the spacing gets changed. I have found that to be really irritating, but I have been trying hard to get it to look good.

Hope your week went better than mine. Check back to see if things go any better…..