To Shake, or to Speare: that is the question

Hi again, and welcome to my blog! I know the title is a little weird, but it has a purpose, just wait and see.

Isn’t it amazing how something created more than 400 years ago is still popular today? Just imagine what future generations will remember about us! And that makes me wonder, what will future generations remember about libraries? Sure, some libraries are timeless architectural masterpieces. But more often than not, libraries are nondescript buildings that aren’t flashy or particularly memorable. Therefore, it is up to the services and programs provided by the library to draw customers through the doors to the Valhallian banquet halls of knowledge. Assuming, of course, the library can afford those programs and services.

The trick to proper library management, as far as this Errant (and sometimes impertinent) Librarian can see, is not overspending the small, fixed budget. Sure, libraries collect fines for not returning items back on time. But if the revenue generated from those late fees goes to the library, it is but a very, very, VERY small amount of the library’s annual operating costs. So, depending on those fines to add additional programs to a library’s repertoire is unwise at best. Going back to last week’s blog post, I started thinking about how a small academic library like the Watson Library at Northwestern State University provides their services.

Simply put, the Watson Library is fantastic. It offers students, faculty, and friends of the library extensive online access. They provide LibGuides which help any aspiring author, both student and non-student, research various topics. The Watson Library even provides one-on-one reference assistance and on-demand scanning services. The Watson Library does much more than what I just described, and can describe, but it does not provide all the simple tools it could, like online document delivery.

Document delivery is akin to getting a pizza made from knowledge delivered to your front door. Let’s say you can’t make it to the library yourself, but you really want some information for a project you’re working on. Document delivery allows you to get a limited number of pages or chapters sent right to your e-mail inbox or uploaded to your online storage account without ever setting foot in the library. Along the same lines as document delivery, the Watson Library does not provide a virtual lab for distance learners. And no, I don’t mean a lab full of beakers and test tubes (even though that would be really cool).

A virtual lab is an online service that allows users (like you and me) to access a virtual computer that has software preinstalled on it to mimic the same software you would receive at the library.  With today’s technology and upcoming 5g rollout, not a lot of people would need a virtual lab. But if you are a student in India trying to get your nursing degree, then an online lab which has everything you need in one location, sounds pretty good. And talking about sounding good, authorship services sounds amazing.

Let’s face it, people; writing for an audience is hard, which is why Tom wanted so many friends when MySpace first came out. When we can receive help authoring works, including academic journals or the next New York Times bestseller, then the process is easier, and I daresay more fun. Yet university libraries, including the Watson Library, do not offer such services or programs.

Again, the Eugene P. Watson Memorial Library is hands down amazing and shows NSU students and faculty it cares about them because it provides A LOT of stuff. However, I think there is room for improvement in providing the services above. The goal of the Watson Library, like many college and university libraries, is to support a high-quality education with dedicated support for research and student services. What better way to live the mission statement than to offer programs and services which help students and faculty on their terms without having to inflate the library’s budget? Like I said earlier, to Shake or to Speare: that is the question.

Thanks again for stopping by and as always, safe travels my friends!