A Patron-Eye View

I recently saw an excellent proposal from Brian Herzog at Swiss Army Librarian for "Work Like a Patron" day. As the name suggests, the day entails librarians working, as much as possible, as patrons—using public computers, meeting in public meeting rooms, and using public restrooms, to help see the library as patrons do. One addendum (or perhaps, side-proposal) that I'd make is to incorporate common patron tasks to make sure that the instructions are clear and that there are no needless barriers to accomplishing them. Most processes are easy and logical when you're the one building them, but when they're imposed upon you, things aren't always so clear. Is it easy to reserve a meeting room? If you call the library, can you actually reach someone who can help you? Can you get a library card without hassle? An example of the last point: Several years and several moves ago, I nearly didn't get a library card because of Policy. Very soon after moving, within a couple days, I went to the library to sign up for a card, but since I'd just moved, my driver's license didn't have my current address. No problem, the staffer said; just bring in something with your address on it and we can use that. I did so and… no go. The address had to be typed, and the document I'd brought was hand-written, and therefore not acceptable as proof of my address. That invalid proof of address? My lease. I did eventually get my library card, several weeks later and still a bit miffed. But many people wouldn't have. And regardless, if this barrier had been found and exterminated before I'd run afoul of it, I'd have had a much higher opinion of that library and much more goodwill toward it. Perhaps my proposal is more "Be a patron" than "Work like a patron." They come from the same place, though: a desire to make things run better. (And yes, this proposal applies to ALA headquarters as well.)