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 actual IT staff who are on the front lines of library technology. Learn how to approach troubleshooting like your tech does, and even some basic things you can do on your own.

1. Behind the Secret Identities:
What Your Tech Wants You to Know
Laura Solomon, MCIW MLS
,
Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
laura@oplin.org

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. It’s not new & shiny

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

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

10. 2.
Communicating
with us

11. Understand that we’re jugglers

12. Just answer them…please?

13. No, you’re not stupid

14. Ask & Pass

15. Read. Read. READ.

16. 3.
Reporting
Problems

17. From Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxy

18. Respect channels

19. “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.

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

21. A picture is priceless

22. 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

23. 4.
How to
Think
Like an
IT
Person

24. ????

25. +
FTW
+
FTW

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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 5.
Stories
From the
Field

30. 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:……………………………..?

31. “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. “

32. Printer pickle

33. Not always about the tech

34. 4 surefire ways to annoy IT staff

35. 1. Staring at plugs

36. 2. Making
us play
Sherlock

37. 3. Exaggerating
vs.

38. 4. Anecdotes

40. Reporting matters. A lot.

41. YOU *are* a tech

42. We are not the enemy

43. http://www.twitter.com/laurasolomon
http://www.linkedin.com/in/laurasolomon
laura@oplin.org
http://www.meanlaura.com
http://www.slideshare.net/laurasolomon
Thank you!