Category Archives: ipod

It’s about customer service, folks [Updated]

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[Update: I forgot, dumb me, to link to the original post. Fixed.]

In a Slashdot posting read this a.m., entitled “Why Everyone Loves Apple,” I found some words that I think are very relevant to libraries, technology, debates about Library 2.0, Web 2.0, you name it. Here is the particular sentence I found to be so “right on the mark”:

“It’s regrettably amusing that Apple competitors are working hastily to develop iPod clones to reap in success, but what many of them fail to comprehend is that it’s not necessarily the iPod that makes Apple successful, but rather its customer service.”

Moving this into the library realm, what this basically is saying is, It’s all about customer service, folks! We can (and I think we should) investigate and implement relevant new technologies in libraries as much as possible. But if these new technologies or technology services don’t really enhance customer service, then we are deluding ourselves. Sure, it is cool and hip to have iPods available for checkout, or to encourage gaming, or to develop RSS feeds for everything. But are those things really, truly enhancing customer service? In many cases, I’m sure the answer is, Yes. But not in all cases. Library users aren’t all dissatisfied and turned off about technological backwardness, poor OPACs, or whatever. Don’t forget the users who use libraries for, um, books. Print books. Print journals. Print newspapers.

Let’s not forget that while the energy and excitement currently displayed in the biblioblogosphere (boy, I hate that word) over new technologies is generally very positive, it needs to be critically assessed in light of local library user needs.

Oh, and by the way, there are many people who don’t like Apple. And Apple has not done everything right; they’ve made many big mistakes. But I think libraries can learn from the Apple lesson that libraries are largely about the user experience, and that the single most important factor in user satisfaction is the perceived level of service they receive.

Two gadgets away from nirvana

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“…Two gadgets away from nirvana.” I had a good chuckle over that line, which is part of a much longer post about the possibilities for e-books from SimonWaldman.net. The author outlines some good points about the way that certain pieces seem to be aligning in a positive way for the e-book market (both for the publisher, and for the reader). Honestly, I am not (yet) a fan of e-books at all, from the angle of one who has managed or provided access to a fairly large (several thousand) collection of e-books in a library, as well as from the patron angle. One of the best implementations of e-books that I’ve seen in the past few years is Safari Tech Books Online (available for libraries through ProQuest). Other e-book collections and services, however, are not particularly user friendly as of yet, including those provided by netLibrary, eBrary, and Overdrive. The last vendor in particular bugs me because it does not support or allow e-books to be downloaded onto an iPod. I’m sure my local public library and its consortial members have put lots of money into providing access to these e-books from Overdrive but this glaring omission in functionality renders the service useless to me.

Keegan turns 14

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Yesterday was Keegan’s 14th birthday. We are celebrating his birthday this coming weekend with a get together, but last night, Michele made him a special meal and we had cake and ice cream. Keegan was pretty down in the dumps in spite of this, mainly because he found out that a Gamecube game he had wanted to buy at Target wasn’t suitable (too much violence, foul language, etc.). It was his choice to make and I’m proud of him for making it, even though he felt pretty bummed about it. He also wanted to buy a new MP3 player (he already has an iPod Shuffle) but doesn’t have enough money yet to buy a nice one.

Christmas is over

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Well, Christmas is over. I’m tired out and so is Michele. We are still in our PJs and it’s almost noon! The kids are playing with their new toys on the living room floor, recovering from late nights, sugar highs, and excessive excitement. I’m listening to some of the songs I bought with a gift certificate to iTunes. I’ve never bought so many songs before in my life. I’m thrilled with the ability to buy just the songs I like, many of whom have special meaning or move me with their sentiments. Among my purchases are Johnny Cash singing “I Walk the Line” and “Ring of Fire” as well as LeAnn Rimes singing “Unchained Melody” with a voice that gives me goosebumps. Oh yeah, and I’m downloading the rest of the episodes of the tv show “Lost” that I don’t have already.

Keegan is staying at his grandparents’ house for the next few days and will go hunting with his grandpa today for the first time. He is very, very excited about this. Tonight he and his Uncle Bryan and his grandparents are going to see “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”

Tomorrow I go back to work and back to the daily grind.

New iTunes includes video download

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I was excited by the news today that a new video iPod is now available from Apple. I can dream of some day being able to own one of them. I still like the one I’ve got (a 4 Gb iPod Mini), but I’d like to have the battery life and storage capacity in the latest version.

Another part of today’s big news from Apple was the release of iTunes 6.0. This is a major update to the software. The main new feature is the ability to download video. In particular, you can download all of this season’s episodes of ABC’s hit drama, Lost, or some other Disney-owned shows, as well as some short movies from Pixar.

I’ve never seen a whole episode of Lost and it is one of the only shows on TV that I think might be worth watching, so I was intrigued by the possibility of downloading the season premier episode for $1.99, with no commercials. (I think that is a great price, btw, for 40+ minutes of video — remember, with no commercials to disrupt it). So I gave it a whirl. I just finished watching it on my PowerBook G4 using the new iTunes and thoroughly enjoyed it even though the resolution wasn’t that great. I hope this whole concept put forth by Apple today succeeds and that there will be more interesting content made available for download for a reasonable price in the near future. So far, I like what I see. Now, I wonder if I can get away with putting that 60 Gb video iPod on my Christmas list…

Getting my feet wet with podcasts

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I recently entered the realm of podcasts. (I know, I know, podcasting is so yesterday. What can I say, I am late to the party.) I have a longish commute by train and bus and almost every day, I use my iPod to listen to audiobooks. It’s a small step from audiobooks to podcasts, especially with the built-in support for podcasting in the latest version of iTunes. I’ve read that a lot of people think podcasting is overhyped. Maybe so. It is most akin to listening to a prerecorded radio show. I like this new technology because it lets me listen to news of interest to me at a time of my own choosing, i.e. when it is convenient. Some of the podcasts to which I’m subscribed include iLounge.com Podcast, Inside Mac Radio, MacCast, NPR: Technology, and this WEEK in TECH.

This new method of sharing news and information won’t supplant the ways in which I currently keep up-to-date, but it is a nice
supplement. I rely very, very heavily on blogs to keep “in the know” for breaking news. Most of the time, what I learn from podcasts, I have already read about via a blog or news site somewhere. Still, listening to podcasts helps to sort of round out the news or gives me a new perspective on what I’ve already learned.

A sorry Saturday

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To give an idea of how this Saturday has gone, I only got out of my PJs a half hour ago, and the little kids are still in their pajamas. Last night was really difficult because Brinley kept waking up, over and over and over again. Our Jack Russell Terrier puppy, Maddie, kept barking all the time in her crate downstairs in the kitchen because Keegan had forgotten to put back the sheepskin bedding for her crate. After a while I gave up and listened to an audiobook on my iPod for a while. I woke up with a severe headache and three very crabby little kids, each of whom has a cold. (Of course, their parents are never crabby.)

Michele and I gave up after a few wakeful morning hours and went back to bed for a while.

The end result? A do nothing day. One good thing about it is that Michele feels a bit better.

“I don’t have to go to the library…”

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Chicago Tribune | Welcome to campus; have an iPod

This article in today’s Chicago Tribune caught my eye because of one particular phrase. A DePaul University student is quoted as follows:

“I don’t have to leave my room,” said Emily McDermott, a freshman who said her room is usually littered with pizza boxes. “I can get everything in my room on the Internet. I don’t have to go to the library, I can have food delivered, I can talk to people online.”

It’s the mention of libraries that I think is interesting. Is this student typical? Do students really not bother coming to the library anymore because so much of what they think they need is available online? I am doubtful of this. I think this is true for some, but certainly not for all, or even for most. It is quite interesting for me to see the heavy use of my library by those who use online resources. Sure, circulation statistics are down, but use of the physical space is still pretty high. Students come to the library even if they are doing their research online.

The real problem, I think, is in communicating to students about the wealth of resources available online as well as offline. I think that if libraries did a better job of highlighting the two together, more use would be made of both. Most students I interact with are overwhelmed by what the library offers. They don’t know where to start. Once they know about what is available to answer their research needs, they use it.

One time about a year ago, I overheard a student tour guide tell parents and prospective students who were trouping through the library: “The library has x number of books, x number of periodicals, but actually, everything in the library is available online, so you don’t even need to come here.” I about choked.