End User Training and Support: A Role for Librarians
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What Does an End User Want?
Meg Williams
Network Program Specialist, FLICC/FEDLINK
I want to be able to do my work
Independently.
I am an adult.
I usually know enough to do my job.
-- That's why they hired me.
If I need to know something new:
I either want to get the information myself,
Or I want someone to hand it to me,
Or I want someone just to tell me the answer.
I don't want an involved discussion of how I can get it myself
.
If it's too hard to get, I don't really need it.
Sometimes I like to get out of my office to go get something or talk to somebody new.
Mostly, I'd rather stay near my desk.
I have my favorite sources.
When they fail me, I want to look at everything, and choose what I want.
Sometimes I like looking at things I don't need right now
.
I don't really care how much things cost.
Unless it comes out of my budget.
Or the amount is scandalous, and we're getting cheated.
I'm not afraid of my computer.
In fact, I can usually make it do what I want it to do.
If I can't, I get someone else to make it work.
Actually, I rather like my computer and I want to see more of what it can do.
But not when I have a deadline.