[WEB4LIB] Funny User Stories

[Mark Ellis]

I think this story raises an interesting point and it's not about the
stupidity of some patrons.

Why did the patron put his card in the diskette drive?

I'm guessing it's because he's used to bank machines and like devices.
Those machines don't ask us to type the number off the front of our debit or
credit cards--you just stick it in the slot and the number is read from the
mag-stripe.  Putting the card in the slot is almost reflexive.

User interfaces like Windows succeed because they enforce consistent
behavior across applications.  If you know how to save a file in one
application, you know how to save a file in all of them.

We don't set the de facto user interface standards for society--banks do,
Microsoft does, etc.  I think we should follow these "standards" wherever
possible to save both ourselves and our patrons time.  Where we've done this
sort of thing, it's been quite effective.

This is certainly not a criticism of Lida or PLCMC.  Patrons have to type
their fourteen digit card numbers here as well--and it sucks.

We can all do better.

Mark Ellis
Manager, Reference and Information Services
Richmond Public Library  
Richmond, B.C.                      
(604) 231-6410
www.rpl.richmond.bc.ca



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Pinkham, Lida [mailto:LPinkham at plcmc.lib.nc.us]
> Sent: Friday, December 22, 2000 8:37 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] Funny User Stories
> 
> 
> The following is a true story.  It was shared with me by one of our
> technology staff. Enjoy & Have a wonderful holiday!
> --------------------------------
> We had a patron come up to the circulation desk to check out 
> some books and
> when asked for his library card the patron replied that the 
> computer took
> it. 
> When questioned further it was discovered that the patron had 
> tried to place
> a hold on one of the PACs and when prompted for his library 
> card number, the
> patron stuck his card into the floppy drive. 
> --------------------------------
> 
> Lida Pinkham
> Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County
> Library Resource Trainer
> 704-353-0631 (phone)
> 704-336-2677 (fax)
> 
> Check out the PLCMC family of websites:
> http://www.plcmc.lib.nc.us/family/family.htm
> 
> "Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to 
> read them at
> all."
> ~Henry David Thoreau
>