What grade does your media collection get?

How many times has a patron handed in an audiobook and informed circulation that one out of the 30 discs didn’t play – but, sorry, they don’t recall which disc was the problem? Or have you taken items out of the library yourself, only to be disappointed by the frequent skipping and freezing… or worse, total silence?

A visual solution, like a library media report card, can significantly improve patron library experience by:

• giving patrons an outlet to report any problems they’ve encountered
• increasing chances of reporting by placing “report cards” with the media (at the point of need)
• saving library staff & volunteers time identifying problem items at check in
• improving collection quality by repairing, replacing, or withdrawing items (thanks to patron review and reporting)

The idea for a media report card came to me one dark and frustrating night. My mother, sister, and I had planned a lady’s night in and I had checked out a period piece – that, miraculously, none of us had already seen – for the occasion.
 

It was a bumpy start.

The film froze several times in the first fifteen minutes, so we changed rooms and DVD players and eventually managed to skip past the bumpy beginnings. Soon my mother, sister, and I found ourselves lost in the story. We were enthralled and eagerly anticipating our sugar coated ending when, in the final ten minutes, the DVD froze. Noooo!!!

Desperately, we tried all the tricks:  fast forwarding over it, skipping ahead a chapter then rewinding, turning the DVD player off and on again, switching DVD players, gently cleaning the DVD, etc. Nothing helped. After an hour of trying we called it quits.
 

Having talked up the library to my family sometime beforehand (because none of my family are library users) I was incredibly embarrassed and disappointed. How many times had our library patron’s “relaxing” evenings come to a similarly scratchy halt? How could I keep recommending library media if this was the quality of the items going out? This wasn’t the first scratched DVD / CD I had checked out, but this was the first time it happened in company.

I wished we had some system to report problem DVDs the moment patrons encountered problems, so that the library and patrons could pro-actively improve our media collection and the user experience. The media report card was born.

My first report card asked:

“How do I play?

• great
• skips / freezes
• wouldn't play

Which disc?  ___

After some trial and error, we removed the “great” option (as it was starting to waste paper), but we were thrilled with the positive patron feedback to our new DVD cleaning program. I was even more pleased to see other neighboring libraries pick up the system for their media collections.

Manheim Township Public Library of Lancaster Pennsylvania is the latest to adopt the system – putting their own stamp on it - and I am thrilled!

DVDs awaiting resurfacing thanks to the new media report cards

My only suggestions for visual improvement would be to increase the point size of the font and check boxes to report scratched or frozen discs and cut some words below – so that the patron’s eye can identify the paper’s purpose and use quickly.

What do you think? How has your library improved the quality of their media user experience? What grade would your library media collections receive?   

~Jessica Gutacker 
Franklin & Marshall College Library
Manheim Township Public Library

Speed Limits

One of our most popular library services is network printing.  To expedite printing lines and avoid mishaps, we recently configured all print jobs to a limit of 100 pages, and/or 30 MB in size.  To convey these limits to our users, we added this simple visual reminder at the point of need (in this case, the release station.)  If limits change, a simple update to the visual is all that is necessary.

Making the Environment Breathe the Customer

2009

2013

A highly "visual" organization derives its success from constantly focusing on the customer.  The Periodicals Reading Room pictured above illustrates a series of strategic environmental changes made between 2009 and 2013 to enhance user satisfaction.  By increasing natural lighting, adding historic artwork, and repositioning furniture, the library was able to transform this popular reading space at little cost.  It is important to remember that a visually dynamic workplace energizes employees as well as customers, building a strong sense of pride and ownership in the organization.

"The Library As Visual Workplace" article

After three years of experimenting with visual workplace principles, I've pulled together my thoughts in a five page article titled, "The Library As Visual Workplace:  Visual solutions offer the simplicity library employees (and patrons) need."  Read the article online as part of The Journal of Creative Library Practice or access the full .pdf article at dspace.fandm.edu/handle/11016/23926 

Library Patrons as Visual Workers

Do visual workplace principles apply only to library workers? Take a quick look around, and you'll realize that no - they apply to everyone. The library is full of customer "workstations" where library patrons manipulate data and machinery to produce desired outcomes. Here's a list of examples:

Computer stations

Print Management "Release" stations

Scanning stations

Self-Checkout stations

Photocopier stations

Microfilm Reader/Printer stations
Book Returns

By applying proper visual workplace signage and principles to these areas, patron efficiency and satisfaction can be greatly enhanced. Please see images of a well-designed public scanning station below. Note the visual "how to" instructions on yellow paper attached to the table, and additional "press this button" label on the scanner itself.