BeepBeepBzzBzz

A colleague and I were discussing how satisfying it would be to track down those errant books and DVDs by sticking RFIDs in them and using tracking devices to find them. You would tune your tracker to the right frequency and be pulled magnetically to the correct location. And then five years later you'd get brain cancer and see lots of pretty pictures...

Today, though, was a time of being told off by frustrated patrons who were leaving the library because the computers were too slow... Two patrons in a row this afternoon. One woman, iced latte in hand (how'd we miss that?) first wanted to know where the nearest Kinkos was and then declared that she'd have to go to the law library, which was way too quiet but at least had computers that worked. She strode out, ice jiggling in her plastic cup and a wild look in her eyes.

Oh for a computer whisperer!

While I hope that we are just having growing pains, I don't get the sense that a solution is in sight just yet. I think we need to take a hard look at the level below which we must not sink. Maybe these patrons will come back. Or maybe they'll go to Kinkos...