My supervisor okay-ed it and thought the QR codes were a nice tough. The image above is the handout edit after my branch manager looked over it. She said everything was good, but to take out the QR codes.
A handout on mobile apps is okay, but you don't want any QR codes!??! That's like ordering a pizza but without any cheese. What's the point in me making a handout for it if you won't let me include it? Sure, QR codes seem complex and intimidating at first glance, but they really are awesome and pretty amazing for what they can do in such a small factor.
I guess my branch manager is stuck in the old school librarian state of mind. But it is not like the other side of the spectrum is any better: there's no need for libraries or librarians to jump on every single 2.0 application without any consideration or focus. Listen up libraries: just because a lot of people are on the Facebook bandwagon, does not mean the library should be as well.
These Luddite librarians are holding back the library, unfortunately, they are also the older librarians who are in managerial positions. It is long overdue for the diligently progressive librarians to take the lead.
Do what I do, argue your point until they do what you want. That or just leave the QR code off of the one you show them and mass produce the other like it was a mistake.
ReplyDeleteWe ended up keeping the QR codes on there, knowing she would never take a look at it again as do most when it comes to handouts in the library...
ReplyDeleteA lot of librarians are Luddites. Thankfully they get phased out as time forces them into retirement. I remember as a student one librarian (this was in the mid-'90s) required students to obtain a permission slip to use the computer... daily... from the principal!
ReplyDeleteThe principal had just lost his son, and didn't want grief. So, daily, and yes this went on for over a year, there was a line outside his office of students to get a daily permission slip to use the computers during recess and lunch. The librarian was proud of how she was limiting access to computers.
Time marched on, and she died on the job... never to stop another student from using the computer again.
Hey ANON,
DeleteI haven't been keeping up with this blog at all, my fault.
Yes, the older anti-tech librarians do eventually get shoved out of the library, but unfortunately in most cases they aren't being replaced. And if they are, it's usually by a non-library background person with watered down librarianship.
If libraries go "extinct" you can pretty much blame the older ones in charge who lead them over the cliff.