Dis-connection Is A Factor, Too

First off, I can't believe it's been close to two weeks since I last posted anything.  I usually have much more to say, but just haven't had the time.  Finally now, an opportunity is presenting itself.

I have talked about connectivity a lot, but I want to take some time here in this space to look at dis-connection, that is, the one (perceived or not) between libraries and users.  I want to emphasize again that the views I express here are my own, and not necessarily those of my library or my employer.

I work at a small, liberal arts university that has a mixture of traditional liberal arts degrees like History, English, Psychology, Sociology, etc.  We also have pre-professional programs like Business, Education, and Nursing.

Anyways, I have thought recently about how the connections of our students prove to be as much a dividing force as they help to connect users to information.  I am fairly laid-back at work about most things, but the one thing that now irritates me to no end that text message has made its way to the reference desk and beyond.  No, I am not talking about text messaging reference services, those certainly have their place (incidentally it's not a good fit for my library). 

While I am not okay in any way, shape, or form with people text messaging while I am teaching them about library resources, I have developed some ability to either ignore it or to constructively correct the situation.  Perhaps its just a fact of life that it is going to happen, as today's student seems to need the constant connection to the internet, to their social networks, and their friends.  What concerns me more than that, is that some students have got the notion in their heads that it is completely legitimate to text their friends while I am answering their questions in one-on-one situations.  If anyone has some great strategies for handling this, I'd love to hear about them. 

Moving away from the text-ing debate now, it seems that as libraries are changing, some users are dis-connected from proper library etiquette.  Cell phones calls can be problem, as are bad library acoustics.  I am not so naive as to think that everyone will come into the library, quietly find a book, find a table or chair or study carrel, those places still need to exist in libraries.  I realize that not all schools or libraries are like that, but I have also come to realize that the reaction of the students to noise from their fellow school mates can play a significant role in the way people conduct themselves.  That said, I think I would take people texting in a library over calling their friends.  A keystroke or touch on a smartphone or messaging phone is less irritating than the student who answers their phone: "What am I doing?  I'm in the library" in a non-library voice.