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The Public Library HelperTechnology Chapter
by Edward J. ElsnerEdward Elsner Library Consulting
 Just Because You're Frustrated is no Reason to Hoardthe Pieces.
Working with computers and technology in a library can be more frustratingthan teaching squirrels to play backgammon. Just remember, you really can't"break" a computer -- worst-case scenario: you have to erase everything on thecomputer and start fresh. If you do not understand something, find someone toteach you and if you can't fix it, find a computer expert who can for a fee. Payattention to the other technology around you as there are many buildingsystems to familiarize yourself with such as heating and plumbing. Learn howto check on your building's mechanical systems and how to shut them off in anemergency before you have to! When you have exhausted your knowledge shutoff the system, wait a couple minutes, and then turn it back on -- this simpleprocedure solves many technology problems by allowing everything to reset.To run a library, or simply work at one, you now need to know how to usecomputers and how to troubleshoot recurring, simple problems. Everyone
 
needs to know how to set up a computer and how to keep one runningsmoothly. Work to meet the community's needs, not to do it in a specific way,considering new technology and formats as visitors and community membersask for them. It is often best to wait until a new technology has becomestandardized and intuitive before implementing it in your library. Librariesneed technology to gather information, improve services, provide Internetaccess, coordinate ILL, track materials, create and store information,communicate with patrons, and allow their patrons to communicate with therest of the world. Technology and knowing about computers are means to theend of helping your patrons with their questions and tasks.If you are not familiar with technology, rely on other people and learn as yougo. Check out PLA's TechNotes, short web-based papers introducing publiclibrarians to specific technologies, athttp://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/pla/plapublications/platechnotes/. VisitWebJunction, the online library tech community, athttp://webjunction.org/ and TechSoup, the technology place for nonprofits, athttp://techsoup.org/.Bring in a consultant, another library tech, or your local school or governmenttech guru to help with the computer systems. Learn everything you can fromthem and from working with others who have already implemented newtechnologies as you progress. If you experience recurring, major problems, geta new consultant or computer tech and when nothing else will work, and youcan't figure it out for your life, take the problem to them so they can figure itout for you. Be willing to learn from local computer fanatics, every communityhas several, by talking to them and watching them play with their system orthe library's; you'll learn tons. Between exploring and experimenting oncomputers and learning from the experts in your community, you'll becomecomfortable with computers in no time. Take with you the "ability to keeplearning, to be comfortable trying new and difficult and sometimes threateningthings, and to know that whatever we don't know we can learn," says RachelSinger Gordon, author of The Accidental Systems Librarian.
 
Brief Technology Glossary
.asp = active server pages created at your request and not in existenceotherwise, deep web.cgi = common gateway interface creates pages at your request which are notin existence otherwise, deep web.gif = graphics interchange file 256 color graphics format.htm, .html = mark-up languages specifying not only what to show, but how toshow and format it
 
hub = central box where cables can be connected to each other or othertechnology.jpg = joint photographic group graphics format with greater color and highcompression for small file sizes, standard for sending pictures over e-mail.mp3 = digital music in a compressed form for small file sizes.pdf = Adobe file which captures the actual page layout of published documentsand needs Adobe's Acrobat Reader or similar software to viewrouter = central box where many cables can be connected to one or moreitems, i.e. an Internet connection, serves as a basic firewall and allows web ore-mail servers to run in your building.rss = remote syndication system of computer readable pages you can sign upwith a reader to automatically collect changes and updates to hundreds of .rsspages and display all the information to you in one place and one commonformatservlets = small programs run on the server where the web page is hostedTCP/IP = Microsoft's Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol used by theworld wide web and many networks as well since all computers support it.wav = standard Microsoft Windows audio format.wma, .wmv = Windows Media audio and video files for playback with WindowsMedia Player.xml = mark-up language with both computer and user information, allows forcreation of .rss pages automatically
 
Your Building
Okay, up off your chair; this is going to be good for your health too. Where isyour building's circuit breaker or breakers? When the power goes out to an areaor item in your library, always check to see if it is plugged in, the power strip ison and plugged in, and the circuit breaker hasn't tripped off. All of the breakersshould be all the way to one side in the panel and if one isn't, push it all theway off and then back to the on position.Where is your building's main water shut off and the individual ones for eachsink, toilet, and drinking fountain? Either a hand valve will be underneath or
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