Comments on: What’s In a Term? http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html Learning in Libraries and Loving It Fri, 04 May 2012 00:51:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: thewikiman » Blog Archive » library semantics http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1887 thewikiman » Blog Archive » library semantics Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:16:41 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1887 [...] semantic debate rears its head at regular intervals – what to call library users. Patrons, customers, or just users? [...] [...] semantic debate rears its head at regular intervals – what to call library users. Patrons, customers, or just users? [...]

]]> By: thewikiman http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1382 thewikiman Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:57:35 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1382 I think the level of expectation from a patron is lower than that of a customer. Customers demand more and expect more than patrons - so if we're to overcome the traditional problems with the way in which we are perceived, we need to embrace the whole concept of customer-service more readily. <br /><br />Everything we do informs the way people outside the profession see us, and so us being averse to the term customer will only make people more likely to maintain their old associations as to what 'librarians' are like, rather than catching up with that we're now REALLY like. I think the level of expectation from a patron is lower than that of a customer. Customers demand more and expect more than patrons – so if we're to overcome the traditional problems with the way in which we are perceived, we need to embrace the whole concept of customer-service more readily.

Everything we do informs the way people outside the profession see us, and so us being averse to the term customer will only make people more likely to maintain their old associations as to what 'librarians' are like, rather than catching up with that we're now REALLY like.

]]> By: Iris http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1372 Iris Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:43:41 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1372 I'm still not sure why "customer" is important "for the good of Information Professionals." Maybe this is just my own hang-up, but I don't see what we gain, what's new, in the "patron-is-customer" phrase. It feels more like people getting tired of a word and finding a near synonym. Maybe I'm missing something? I'm still not sure why "customer" is important "for the good of Information Professionals." Maybe this is just my own hang-up, but I don't see what we gain, what's new, in the "patron-is-customer" phrase. It feels more like people getting tired of a word and finding a near synonym. Maybe I'm missing something?

]]> By: thewikiman http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1370 thewikiman Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:21:54 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1370 Okay I can see your point, one can only use the terminology appropriate for one's own library! But I do think in general, for the good of Information Professionals and particularly how we are perceived outside the profession, we all need to be more willing to accept uncomfortable notions like 'patron-is-customer'. <br /><br />We'll call that one a draw... Okay I can see your point, one can only use the terminology appropriate for one's own library! But I do think in general, for the good of Information Professionals and particularly how we are perceived outside the profession, we all need to be more willing to accept uncomfortable notions like 'patron-is-customer'.

We'll call that one a draw…

]]> By: Iris http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1369 Iris Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:52:46 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1369 Hi thewikiman, I think you may be right that context matters. I think context even matters within the U.S.A. In fact, context matters within academic libraries in the U.S.A. At my small liberal arts college, neither our faculty nor our administrators would welcome the change toward thinking of students as customers. They're decidedly anti-customer as a concept for education, in fact. Luckily for me, this aligns with my own preferences, so I can continue using "patron" to my colleagues and "campus community" on most outward facing documents.<br /><br />I recognize that if I were to go to work in a public library or even a large university, the prevailing term may have been chosen for me and may not be to my taste.<br /><br />HistoryLibrarian, when I wrote for a publication that would be read by academic librarians in many types of libraries, that's exactly the term I settled on (after more angst and hand-wringing than it was probably worth, frankly). Hi thewikiman, I think you may be right that context matters. I think context even matters within the U.S.A. In fact, context matters within academic libraries in the U.S.A. At my small liberal arts college, neither our faculty nor our administrators would welcome the change toward thinking of students as customers. They're decidedly anti-customer as a concept for education, in fact. Luckily for me, this aligns with my own preferences, so I can continue using "patron" to my colleagues and "campus community" on most outward facing documents.

I recognize that if I were to go to work in a public library or even a large university, the prevailing term may have been chosen for me and may not be to my taste.

HistoryLibrarian, when I wrote for a publication that would be read by academic librarians in many types of libraries, that's exactly the term I settled on (after more angst and hand-wringing than it was probably worth, frankly).

]]> By: thewikiman http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1368 thewikiman Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:42:02 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1368 I have to go against the prevailing wind here, I'm afraid...<br /><br />Although people have been fighting the term for a while (and with good reason), it does seem like 'Customer' is here, and here to stay. If we as Information Professionals refuse to embrace it then we're falling out of step with our customers. No point in trying to force our preferences onto them. <br /><br />Maybe it's more apparent in the UK, where, in academic libraries, our students have only recently become fee-paying customers in the traditional sense. They expect an exceptional standard of customer-service, and us being uncomfortable with the term 'customer' only gets in the way of delivering that... I have to go against the prevailing wind here, I'm afraid…

Although people have been fighting the term for a while (and with good reason), it does seem like 'Customer' is here, and here to stay. If we as Information Professionals refuse to embrace it then we're falling out of step with our customers. No point in trying to force our preferences onto them.

Maybe it's more apparent in the UK, where, in academic libraries, our students have only recently become fee-paying customers in the traditional sense. They expect an exceptional standard of customer-service, and us being uncomfortable with the term 'customer' only gets in the way of delivering that…

]]> By: Tom http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1367 Tom Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:49:55 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1367 I have a palpable disdain for "customers." I'm not sure "patrons" is ideal, but I can't think of any ideal term, so I usually go with "patrons." "Patron" also suggests an exchange of money, but I find it a little more neutral or something. It suggests more of a paying guest (which our students are) than an imminent exchange of money. Or, perhaps, I just think too hard about these things. I have a palpable disdain for "customers." I'm not sure "patrons" is ideal, but I can't think of any ideal term, so I usually go with "patrons." "Patron" also suggests an exchange of money, but I find it a little more neutral or something. It suggests more of a paying guest (which our students are) than an imminent exchange of money. Or, perhaps, I just think too hard about these things.

]]> By: historylibrarian http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1366 historylibrarian Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:42:42 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1366 Why not researcher? Why not researcher?

]]> By: Iris http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1365 Iris Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:37:20 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1365 Thanks, Mark. :-)<br /><br />As usual, there's a discussion over on the <a href="http://friendfeed.com/lris/54c446a8/what-in-term" rel="nofollow">FriendFeed thread</a>. Thanks, Mark. :-)

As usual, there's a discussion over on the FriendFeed thread.

]]> By: Mark http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-term.html/comment-page-1#comment-1364 Mark Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:18:07 +0000 http://pegasuslibrarian.com/2009/07/whats-in-a-term/#comment-1364 Love this, Iris!<br /><br />Brava! Love this, Iris!

Brava!

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