April 24, 2011
Ph(u)Ds and Faxes
So, with this chapter on troubleshooting, I was reminded of my days as a lonely department secretary at Indiana State University. I was the office goddess, able to fix and fax and coddle the office machines.
I worked with PhDs, who, forgive my saying so, are sometimes–mostly–lacking in common sense. They would repeatedly come to me in a panic because my copier (brand new) would stop working. They almost NEVER checked for paper outages. One time, one of them wanted to send a confidential fax. So they folded the paper over and sent it. It was a wonder it didn’t jam, but they came to me when the recipient said they didn’t receive anything. When I determined that the PhD was actually dumber than a box of rocks, I shook my head and told them I would send their confidential fax.
My troubleshooting came more from teaching them how to use the equipment than actual issues.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I had those too, but often the Kill Switch (turn off/turn on) method would work. I became pretty handy in my five years of academic clerical work. I guess it will be useful again someday, huh?
April 15, 2011
Dear SSCPL…
The more I read about libraries, not just in this class, but in others, the more I realize that my local library is in need of drastic updating. Aside from fiercely holding on to numerous, multiple copies of Christian fiction, the reference department is woefully under stocked, but apparently nobody uses it anyway. The technology for special needs users is non-existent, and, if I want to borrow a book, a FICTION book, I am, nine times out of ten, going to have to get it ILL.
I’m beginning to think my library doesn’t love me enough.
Now, Vigo County….Vigo County Public Library is where it’s at! Their website will teach you foreign languages and give you access to databases. (If you have an account, which I don’t. Boo!) But I know this because my sister still lives in Terre Haute and I’ve checked out their lovely site more than once, hoping to compare mine and theirs. Mine is sad and pathetic and doesn’t do much more than offer dates and times. VCPL is helpful and tutorial and pretty.
So, SSCPL, I think I want to break up with you. Unless you change your ways. Whadaya think?
April 3, 2011
Back in the Saddle. Again?
I’ve been out of it. I suppose I could chalk part of it up to Seasonal Affective Disorder, which has been exceptionally rough this year, or the fact that I completely failed the Math part of my existence and was forced to withdraw from the class. I was so upset and disappointed in myself for that. THEN my computer went kablooey. Last week totally sucked. It didn’t get much better this week, but the sun is out today and it’s getting warmer. Let’s hope things are turning around.
I’m thinking about the digital divide more than I am about assistive and adaptive technology. (Though I remember how cool I thought TTY was when I was a kid and my great-grandmother used it, but not in a library sense.) I’m thinking about how terrified my mom is of the computer. She did her taxes online this year and I was floored. She seemed even more surprised. I think my sister forced her to do them herself. Bravo to Amber’s Sister. My mom needs to understand the power of the Internets.
My mom lives alone and kind of works alone, but all my life has been a social creature. As she gets older, she seems to get more disinterested in the world around her. I think being online could help her. She could rediscover the world and I think my mom needs that sense of wonder restored to her. But she is certainly in the bracket of older and poor and uneducated when it comes to technology. It frustrates her and thereby frustrates the rest of us when she calls us with questions about when her TV is silent or why her antenna box is working.
I know that my mom is a small taste of the kind of people I’m going to come into contact with in my career: on edge, scared, and uncertain. (And, if I work in Indiana, not even remotely interested in any kind of change.) I think that, if I could get my mom more interested in technology, I would feel better about helping those strangers. …maybe I have it backward….
Amber's Lore 