staff blog

Being out of the library loop on maternity leave, I’ve had an opportunity to experience something few of us library staff get—a chance to be on the other side of the desk. I’ve been a patron at several OCLN libraries in the area, as I’ve found myself suddenly needing to check out a book on baby sign language, or to print some return labels after my printer broke.

I found some very interesting things standing on the other side of the desk. I know our Whitman library procedures, rules, and policies inside and out. However, I discovered that these can change quite drastically just 10 miles up the road. The same library card that entitles you to reserve two thirty-minute computer sessions in Whitman might give you no special treatment at another library, where you simply put your name on a list to reserve a computer.

While many libraries are adopting measures to regulate and streamline computer use, like Whitman does through the Envisionware software that requires you to enter your library card number to sign on to the computer, other libraries have not. It is hard to speculate—cost, size, and staff supervision are just a few of the factors—I can better empathize with the daily questions we get about how to do (what we staff see as) routine tasks in the library. Using the bathroom, you need to ask us (or know where to look for) the bathroom key. At some libraries, there are large unlocked public restrooms, while at another it might be hidden in the basement. At the Whitman library you need to log on to the computer with your library card number and password. But if you’re a patron who is just passing through Whitman, you probably have no idea what your password is since you’ve never had to log on to a computer that way before.

I learned that the library you call home is just that—your home base. Just as in life, when we venture outside, say to a family member’s house, the basic ingredients are there, but with different customs. Uncle Billy might not have the handy ice dispenser on the front of his refrigerator like we do at home, and it seems like a hassle to have to dig into the cold trays in the freezer. But the trade off might be that he lets you wear your shoes in the house, and you can eat ice cream on the fancy sofa.

The bottom line is that we all—staff and patrons—need to be understanding of each other’s expectations and needs. Staff should recognize that not everyone knows the particulars, like where the indoor book drop is, and patrons should not hesitate to ask how an individual library functions. After all, the 28 libraries that make up OCLN are like one big extended family. And we’re a happy family, sharing books and resources make us all stronger and smarter. So enjoy your Whitman home library, and next time you pass one of the other network libraries in your travels, I encourage you to stop in for a peek and see what differences you can find.

-Samantha Soucy
Adult Services & Reference Librarian