Tech-NOs

In this world of technology solutions for everything from reading a book to brushing your teeth (have you seen some of those new fangled tooth brushes?!), it’s somehow comforting to realize you don’t have to do it all. Lately a number of librarians have been sharing technology that they have not embraced into their daily life. It seems coming clean about our personal tech-nos is liberating. Here in the library we show people all day, every day how to use different technologies to access information and meet a variety of needs. It’s to the point where we forget our online catalog is technology. But don’t be fooled, even the tech-savvy librarian has closet full of tech-nos.

Here are few of my personal tech-nos:

I turn on my home computer as little as possible.
I am horrible at replying to personal emails. I currently have 96 messages in my personal email account. I’m holding on to the belief I will reply to them at some point.
In Denver as part of my job I was handed a PDA. I had to ask how to turn it on. Even though I was able to master that task, I gave it to another librarian whose PDA was no longer working. I knew I would never really do anything beyond the on/off function.
I don’t know how to use a cell phone very well. When I borrow someone else’s cell phone to make a call (because of course I don’t own one), I ask them to turn it on for me, fumble around and somewhat surprisingly am able to place the call, and then hand it back and ask them to turn it off. For me turning one of those things on or off is basically a crap shoot. It may be my last stand against cell phones.
I listen to music that friends give me on a boom box that my mom sent me 8 years ago.
I have absolutely no interest in setting the clock on my DVD player. In fact I have put black tape over it because I don’t like how the glow ruins the darkness in my house.
Oh yeah, and I don’t own a car. I haven’t for about 15 years.

I asked other library staff to come clean about their tech-nos and here’s what I got:

Beth - still uses her 12-year-old car’s cassette player refusing to install a CD player. She is *considering* getting an iPod to remedy this.

Carrie - although fairly plugged in by my standards (cell phone, blog, iPod, personal computer and a laptop, to name a few), does not have a blackberry, a PDA, or paid TV service.

Adrienne - does not use an alarm clock! Unless, of course, you count a 5-year old and a 3-year old. Even if you do, it’s still a pretty low tech solution.

Emily – like Beth, Emily only has a cassette player in her car, but even better is she runs Windows 95 on her home computer.

Shannan – as many on our island, does not have a cell phone. She also does not have call-display on her home phone. So if she screens your phone call, it’s not personal.

Heidi – no cell phone, blog, iPod. Her 12” television does not have any cable or satellite service and lives inside a cabinet only to see the light of day for a DVD movie.

Camilla – no home Internet service. Note: a hidden tech-no from Camilla is that her response to my email was given in a handwritten note written on one of those library scraps of paper.

Diana – email is frankly not her thing. When I need to make sure she knows something in a timely manner I tell her verbally or leave a hand written note on her desk. Note: I did not receive a response to my email request from Diana; one week was not enough lead time (sorry for the set-up, Diana!).

Floyd – our amazing tech-yes Technology Specialist – no land line phone (he does have a cell phone so I’m not sure if this counts as a tech-no), no netflix, no HDTV, no Bluetooth headset, no cybernetic implants, no nukes. Way To Hold Out, Floyd!!

What are your Tech-nos?

Laura Tretter, Director
San Juan Island Library
360.378.2798
ltretter@sjlib.org

news@sanjuanislander.com

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