What shall we call our ______ (patrons, customers, users, or constituents)?
In Austin, Texas the Texas Library Association sponsored a 12 hour workshop spread over just 24 hours (we worked hard and fast) Monday, and Tuesday, December 3rd and 4th.
The workshop was called:
Many things were presented, learned, and proposed. I may write about some later, but now I want to concentrate on one concept presented by the keynote speakers:
George Needham
and Joan Frye Williams
Summit Presentation
[PowerPoint with audio podcast] Joan and George talked a lot about looking at Libraries from those we serve’s point of view. This was most poignantly pointed out when they talked about what we should call those we serve. We have used terms like “user”, “patron”, “customer”.
Joan likes to talk about those we serve as “civilians” because we Librarians speak in code and those we serve do not. So, if you listen to the podcast, you will hear her slip and use the term civilian a lot. To her that means anyone who does not have formal Library School training.
But the main term they proposed was “constituent”. This term has many implications. First, is that we are charged to serve more than just those who walk into the door just as elected officials are responsible for serving more than just those that vote. In a School Library the constituents applies to the teachers who do not come to the Library as well as those who do. The constituents apply to the students who do not use the Library online resources at night for homework as well as those who do.
The term constituent implies that we sort of work for them. There was some heated discussion as to whether the Librarian knew more about what the constituent wanted or did the constituent. One tentative consensus was that whether the Librarian or the constituent knew more about what the constituent wanted, the Librarian had to at least start with what the constituent wanted before broadening the possibilities to the constituent.
I think it is critical that we look at our spaces, our signage, our databases interfaces, our catalog interfaces from the constituents’ point of view. We need to be sure that the quality we provide is also convenient.
There is one downside to call those we serve constituents—it is hard to spell! 
December 10th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I don’t think I like constituent! It makes the librarian seem like a politician. I am not ready to put myself in the same category with them just yet.
December 10th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
I love melscales, but I have to disagree. I LOVE constituent (and yes, it’s hard to spell, and I am a spelling queen!)!!! It is a constant and continual reminder that no matter WHO COMES IN, I am there to serve them. It doesn’t matter if they borrow the projector/laptop from me 4x per week… or NEVER. It doesn’t matter if I go into their class to teach a research lesson… or NOT. It doesn’t matter if they e-mail me 40x per day about library, technology, and everything… or NOT. I am still the “gatekeeper” for everyone and anyone, all the time, 24/7, neverending. I like that thought. It’s overwhelming, but I like it. And I know my space doesn’t serve my constituents well… except that it’s aesthetically pleasing. Other than that, it’s a crummy space. However, we work within that space to provide a valuable program, and keep books in kids’ hands, and teach technology, and encourage creativity, and explore the answers to every question imaginable, and to NOT be quiet, and to laugh… always to laugh! Constituents, I am ready! (Except that tomorrow from 8:00 – 9:00, I’ll be filming the 2nd grade winter program in the cafeteria, so come before or after that, if you need me!)