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Remember when you could just ask a question and get a real answer from a person?
I was at the main library downtown last week, in the reference section. I needed to find some old local business records, the kind of thing you'd just ask a librarian for help with. I walked up to the desk and there was just a big touch screen kiosk with a 'Frequently Asked Questions' menu. No one was around. It made me think about how this whole 'ask anything' idea has changed. It used to be you'd talk to someone who knew the building, who could point you to the right shelf or even a specific book. Now it's all menus and search bars. You type your question into a box and hope the algorithm understands you. I guess it's faster, but it feels less like getting help and more like solving a puzzle. Has anyone else run into a spot where asking a real person just isn't an option anymore?
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kevin97422d ago
Wanted to point out that many libraries still have real people working there, just maybe not at the main desk all the time. I had a similar feeling at my own library, but I found a staff member shelving books who was a huge help. Those kiosks are meant for quick questions to free up the librarians for the harder stuff. It does feel different now, but sometimes you just have to look around a bit more for the human help.
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susan_adams22d ago
My library in Springfield put up three self-check kiosks last year. I felt the same way as @kevin974 until I realized the librarians were all over in the community room running a kids' coding workshop. They're still there, just doing different work now.
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