What you have told us
Here you can search through numerous patron comments and the corresponding AADL replies. Search by the type of comment, in general by what the comment is regarding, or by a particular issue.
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Type: general suggestion
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Hello, Instead of wasting paper when we scan what we checkout...we should be given an option to print or not to print. I mostly pitch my list of checkouts in the garbage since I get emails of books that are due...technology!! thank you..
AADL Reply: Hello, thanks for contacting us. There is actually a setting in the selfcheck software to allow users to choose not to print the receipts, and in the manual it says, "Note: doesn't work." =) However, there is a new version where this is fixed and offers a choice that works. We're testing that version, so watch for it in a future upgrade. Thanks again for your feedback, and thanks for using your library! -eli Eli Neiburger Associate Director for IT and Production Ann Arbor District Library
Date Received: 2013-03-14
Type: catalog problem
Regarding: Interlibrary loan/MeLCat
Patron Comment: I've been checking for the book on CD "Mort" by Terry Pratchett: https://elibrary.mel.org/search~S15?/Xmort+pratchett&searchscope=15&SORT=DZ/Xmort+pratchett&searchscope=15&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=mort+pratchett/1%2C14%2C14%2CB/frameset&FF=Xmort+pratchett&searchscope=15&SORT=DZ&2%2C2%2C/indexsort=- for about a year now, hoping to borrow it through MEL, but it is ALWAYS checked out. I find it hard to believe this 20+ year-old audio book can be THAT popular. I suspect that someone has lost it and has a way of continually and endlessly renewing the due date.
AADL Reply: Thank you for contacting us. Currently, AADL does not lend AV materials through MeL. My apologies for any inconvenience. Best, Sherlonya Turner Youth & Adult : Services & Collections Manager
Date Received: 2013-03-13
Type: web site feedback
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Would it be possible to add a "sort by" feature to the account page? I would like to be able to sort by each column such as title, media type (DVD/book/art print), date, etc. if I could just click on the title header for each column to resort that would be great. Thank you!
AADL Reply: Hello, thanks for your suggestion! It's a good one, and we'll put it on the list for an upcoming release. Thanks again for your feedback, and thanks for using your library! -eli Eli Neiburger Associate Director for IT and Production Ann Arbor District Library
Date Received: 2013-03-11
Type: other
Regarding: inquiry from other institution
Patron Comment: The Ignacio Community Library in Ignacio, Colorado is interested in offering art for checkout and we are wondering where you purchased your prints.
AADL Reply: Thank you for contacting the Ann Arbor District Library! Will you be focusing on local artists or on a more international scope? AADL has been collecting art prints for over twenty years from a variety of places, including catalogs, library conferences, and what had been a good selection of posters at the now-out-of-business local Borders store. I'd be happy to talk about some specifics if you contact me at 734-327-4241 or choatec@aadl.org. Best, Celeste Choate, Associate Director of Services, Collections & Access
Date Received: 2013-03-10
Type: other
Regarding: other
Patron Comment: Is it possible/permissible to drop off used text books at the Traverwood branch or must I take them downtown. Thank you!!!!
AADL Reply: Donations are accepted, but are processed by the Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library and are placed in their Book Shop. Donations cannot be accepted at branch locations. Donations may be brought to the back of the Downtown Library (343 S. Fifth Avenue) during library business hours (http://www.aadl.org/aboutus/hours). Enter the Staff Parking lot off William Street, ring intercom buzzer at door and tell receptionist that you have materials to donate. Donation bins are directly inside the door. The Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library will then process your donation. For more information on material accepted visit http://www.faadl.org/ and follow the "How to Donate" link. Thank you. Karen Wilson, Administrative Assistant
Date Received: 2013-03-07
Type: other
Regarding: inquiry from other institution
Patron Comment: Dear Celeste, I just saw the article in the USA Today. I'm the Co-Founder and Coordinator of the Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library, Richmond, CA (and born in Ann Arbor - moved away when 5 years old). Do you folks have a seed library in Ann Arbor? It sounded like it from the article, but I was interested in finding out since I'm keeping a log of sister libraries. If you do or are interested in starting one, we have resources at http://RichmondGrowsSeeds.org on our "Create a library" page. Congratulations on the great press! Peas,
AADL Reply: Thank you for reaching out to the Ann Arbor District Library and for your kind words! The AADL does not currently have a seed library. I have been following the recent discussion about starting a seed library on the PUBLIB listserv with interest, though, and we will be in touch if we have questions about starting one. Congratulations on the great press to you, as well! Best, Celeste Choate, Associate Director of Services, Collections & Access
Date Received: 2013-03-06
Type: other
Regarding: other
Patron Comment: From USA Today-- "In Ann Arbor, Mich., the library circulates three kinds of energy meters that patrons can take home to test how much juice their appliances use. On a recent Monday, 27 of the library's 30 meters were checked out with the 28th on hold, said Celeste Choate, associate director for services, collections and access." I'm most intersted in hearing about this. Anything you can share would be most welcome. Cary, NC
AADL Reply: Steve, Thanks for contacting the Ann Arbor District Library! AADL Information on unusual stuff held by AADL is available at http://www.aadl.org/catalog/browse/unusual, with this on Energy Meters, which are popular: Concerned about how much energy you are using? Check out one of AADL's energy meters and see just how much energy a given appliance uses. The meters are simple to use; just plug it into both an outlet and the appliance and then read the display. If you're more interested in how much energy a set of devices use, try our 10-outlet emeters. This energy meter monitors voltage, line frequency, KWH and current leakage. You can tell how much power you’re drawing and how much you’re losing while the built in surge protector keeps your gadgets safe. It even tells you if your outlet isn’t properly grounded. We also offer an advanced 8-outlet wireless energy meter set. Use the wireless set to monitor multiple outlets across your entire home. Energy Meters are loaned for two weeks and can be requested in the catalog. If you are interested in learning more about Energy Meters or other parts of AADL's collections, please contact me directly at choatec@aadl.org. I look forward to possibly talking with you! Best, Celeste Choate, Associate Director of Services, Collections and Access
Date Received: 2013-03-06
Type: general suggestion
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Hello, I really appreciate that the AADL is a member of the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, but I was noticing that we are not one of the libraries that is a part of OverDrive Advantage. As an avid e-reader I think this additional service would get a lot of use--and quite frankly, I was surprised to see that the AADL was not on the list of participating libraries. Thanks for the opportunity for input,
AADL Reply: Thank you for contacting the Ann Arbor District Library! We strive to balance the different needs of all of our patrons when we allocate funds in the materials budget. I appreciate you taking the time to let us know that you are interested in AADL participating in the OverDrive Advantage program and will keep it in mind. Best, Celeste Choate, Associate Director of Services, Collections & Access
Date Received: 2013-03-05
Type: general suggestion
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: I would like to know if at all possible could there be some kind of computer station? Where the general public could use for downloading music and picture videos? As well as a color printer? Thank you for hearing me out.
AADL Reply: Hello, thanks for your interest. We do have public computer stations at all of our locations available for walk-in use, with the capability to download music, pictures, and videos to your flash drive or to send in email. We do not currently offer a color printer, although we are working on some infrastructure upgrades that would later allow us to add one. Thanks for your comments and suggestions, and let me know if you have any other questions. -eli Eli Neiburger Associate Director for IT and Production Ann Arbor District Library
Date Received: 2013-03-04
Type: my account problem
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: A general suggestion for an upgrade to the Hold system: Due to my schedule, I can normally only make it in to the library once a week (normally on Sundays.) At first glance, the "hold=7 days" rule would SEEM perfect for patrons such as myself. However, I came in yesterday to pick up all of my weekly holds. Either one item was not yet out on the shelf, or ANOTHER title came in and was shelved JUST AFTER I picked up my other holds that same afternoon. According to my email, it was logged in literally MINUTES before closing that day. Worse, this title was one of those from on a massive, multi month wait, with yet another massive hold list behind it. Since you only hold for seven days, it will now only hold until next Saturday, one day short of when I normally come in. This means I must now make an additional trip sometime this week, or risk going all the way back to the end of the queue for this long wait hold title. That doesn't seem fair. My first thought was to suggest extending holds to EIGHT days. However, this will seriously lengthen everyone's queue in the hold system, so upon reflection, that may not be acceptable. Instead, I'd like to suggest this upgrade to the hold algorithm: --- IF a person has been in and checked something out earlier on the day when a new hold arrives (testable by looking at the account's activity log), THEN have the hold system place it on an EIGHT-day hold. This gives them a true 1-week hold. --- OTHERWISE, place the new hold on a SEVEN-day hold as before. Alternatively, a simpler fix - not as good as the above, but acceptable:: --- IF the item comes in after NOON, then place it on an EIGHT-day hold. --- ELSE, place it on a SEVEN-day hold. (Patrons would have to insure their once-a-week visit is in the afternoons, but that's a small price to pay for this fix.) Either one of these algorithms will fix the problem with us once-a-week library visitors and deal with the case of JUST missing a new arrival, yet not significantly impact the total hold system's queue length for others. As a software engineer, I can assure you that to implement it this only requires adding a single check of the checkout activity log in the software, right before the "hold expire" date is assigned to the item. What do you think? Is this doable by your programmers? If you are purchasing your Hold system software from a vendor, this may be routed back to the vendor, as a Change Request / Bug Report. Please feel free to have your programmers correspond with me on this topic further, or connect me with the software vendor that provides you with your software, so I may converse with them about it.
AADL Reply: Thanks for your suggestion. We appreciate your comments and your ideas; we are always interested in ways to make using the library better for AADL patrons. At this time the system the AADL uses is not able to provide the options you suggest for hold queues and, you are correct, extending the hold pick up times would definitely slow the availability of popular items. As we look at changes to systems and procedures in the future, we will certainly keep your ideas in mind. Thanks again for your comments and for using aadl.org. Diane Dahlem Circulation Manager
