ChengChat

By Kurt Wagner

A wise man once said “every reader his/her book, every book its reader, save the time of the reader, and the library is a growing organism.”* These library principles have never been expressed so well.

At the Cheng Library we spend a lot of time doing “librarian” things: teaching classes, improving our collections, assessing our programs, rolling out new databases and web pages, putting up signs, and telling people to take their food to the Friends Room.

But that’s not what we are really all about. It’s really all about you.

Sometimes we lose sight of this and have to remind ourselves that though we have our own understanding of what the library should be, we must always be aware of what you need it to be. All the things we do have you at their center. It’s all about you.

This column is not going to be all about the Cheng Library. It is going to be about you. If you want to know about us, we’re available:  call us, email us, chat with us online, or text us. Why not try our mobile app?

We want you to talk to us. We must know about you:  the questions you have, the research you’re doing, and the resources you need to do your work. It’s all about you.

That bit above about “every reader his/her book, every book its reader” is meant to say it’s our job to be a matchmaker, to make sure you get set up with the things you need. These might include a book, an e-book, a video, a scholarly article, a website, or other information.

The other part, “every book its reader,” is meant to say the reverse is also true. We strive to make sure all of our resources, physical and virtual, are matched to the users who needs them. Because it’s all about you.

Check out that last statement again: “the library is a growing organism.” We are all about change, growth, and development. Sure, we still fit the old image of a library – a big building full of books. But we know we can’t stand still, and we are as much interested in moving ahead as we are about preserving the past.

What changes do we need to make? That’s where you come in. We need to hear from you. What’s the place of the library in this day and age? What do you need it to be? What are the best ways it can help you and your success?

Maybe you don’t use the library right now. If the reason is because you don’t see yourself in what the library does, we’d like to help change that perception. Talk to us.

So that’s it. We’ll be here, a different librarian each time, writing about things here at the library. But although we’re talking to you in this column, the most important communication will be when you’re talking to us. We promise to listen. Because it’s all about you.