No, your library's tech staff doesn't hate you. Or try to confuse you on purpose. They even speak the same language as you do! Yet, often, conflict arises between tech and other library staff. Everyone gets frustrated, and issues don't get solved as quickly as everyone would like. Discover what you can do to make communication easier and make problem resolutions happen faster. Hear stories and some words of wisdom from techs on the front lines of library technology. Learn how to approach troubleshooting like your tech does, and even some basic things you can even do on your own.

1. What Your Tech Wants You to Know
An webinar
Laura Solomon, MCIW, MLS
laura@designforthelittleguy.com
Infopeople webinars are supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library
Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act,
administered in California by the State Librarian.

2. 1.
Assumptions
=
problems

3. Not all IT people are the same.
No, really, this matters.

5. We make it look easy, but…

6. Real life IT

7. “What did you do before Al Gore
invented it?”

8. It’s not new & shiny

9. It’s not indestructible

10. It’s not always what you think it is

11. Image from http://day1of1.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/it-is-what-it-is/

12. 2.
Communicating
with us

13. Understand that we’re jugglers

14. Be careful what you say

15. Just answer them…please?

16. No, you’re not stupid

17. Ask & Pass

18. Read. Read. READ.

19. 3.
Reporting
Problems

20. From Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxy

21. Respect channels

22. “The computer is down!”
• The ILS software temporarily lost network
connection
• A workstation lost network connection
• All workstations lost network connection
• A workstation will not boot
• An unexplained message appeared on a
workstation
• A given website will not load
• Someone has disconnected the display from the
workstation, or almost any other possible
occurrence.

23. “Take the time to explain
your problem.
If your explanation is
one sentence,
it’s probably not enough.”
--IT guy at Stanford University

24. A picture is priceless

25. What to include?
• Tell the truth
• Is it reproducible?
• What happens if you try another computer
or browser?
• Screenshot and/or actual text of error
message
• Don't just say it's broken, say HOW it's
broken

26. We go here

27. 4.
How to
Think
Like an
IT
Person

28. ????

29. +
+
FTW
FTW

30. Understand dependencies
If “A” doesn’t work, then “B” probably won’t,
either.
A B

31. Simple things count
• Check power, cables and paper
• Is the computer frozen, or just the program?
• Recognize that printing directly from the
Web or from an email is often a losing
proposition

32. reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot
reboot reboot reboot reboot reboot

33. Skills to learn
• Check & clear the print queue and the
printer’s buffer
• Copy & paste from the keyboard
• Which emails are scams

34. 5.
Stories
From the
Field

35. Me: Hi what’s you problem?
Caller: my computer is giving me an error.
Me: Okay, what’s the error message say?
Caller: I don’t know I just clicked OK and it went
away.
Me:……………………………..?

36. Me: Hi what’s you problem?
Caller: the printer quit working.
Me: Okay, let’s start with the basics. Is it plugged
in?
Caller: Yes!
Me: is it turned on?
Caller: OF COURSE IT”S TURNED ON!
Me: Is there paper in it?
Caller: ………………………………………….Thanks. <click>

37. “I was once instructed to
refer to the computer as
a monitor and the
monitor as a computer
in order to suit the
outlook of a particular
co-worker. “

38. Printer pickle

39. Not thinking it through

40. Once a year

41. A patron story

42. Not always about the tech

43. Not just non-techs

44. 4 surefire ways to annoy IT staff

45. 1. Staring at plugs

46. 2. Making
us play
Sherlock

47. 3. Exaggerating
vs.

48. 4. Anecdotes

50. Reporting matters. A lot.

51. Passivity is negative

52. YOU *are* a tech

54. We are not the enemy

55. (Absolutely shameless plug)

56. http://www.twitter.com/laurasolomon
http://www.facebook.com/laurasolomon
http://www.linkedin.com/in/laurasolomon
laura@designforthelittleguy.com
http://www.meanlaura.com
http://www.slideshare.net/laurasolomon
Thank you!