Social media ‑ the old fashioned way

The Killam Memorial Library, like many university offices and departments, has a Facebook wall. But it gets far more comments on its other wall – one that’s decidedly more old-fashioned.

Every couple of weeks, the Comments Compliments and Complaints (CCC) board, located on the wall across from the Killam’s Circulation Desk, gets reloaded with the latest set of yellow comment cards, filled out by the library’s patrons. Beside each comment is a new response: some cheeky, some serious, but all of them considerate and written with care.

“I sometimes have students crowd around, looking over my shoulder as I put up a new batch,” says Tina Usmiani, communications officer for the Dalhousie Libraries. “They want to see what the latest discussion is – and they’re not shy about letting us know when we’re late in posting new ones.”

Responsive, respectful - and fun

The responder (known on the board as the “CCC Wiz”) remains mysterious; Ms. Usmiani will only say that the responsibility for the CCC board has moved among various library staff over the years – quite a few years, in fact. While she’s not entirely sure how old the comment board is, she knows that it dates back more than 30 years; it may well have been present when the building first opened in 1971.

“I suppose you could say we’ve always been into social media,” she laughs. “It’s like Facebook or Twitter, in some ways: we have to continue to be responsive, respectful and show that we’re acting on what people say. If we didn’t, people wouldn’t use it.”

The comment box can get upwards of 40 to 50 cards submitted over a two-week period. They range from service requests, to compliments, to the entirely random. (How would you respond to a card that reads “Teach me how to dougie” – or one that includes the logo of the Wu-Tang Clan rap group and says “Wu-Tang is for the children...The library is cool too”?)

Those comments get responses, though – every single one does, minus the very small number that are rude or profane. And the responses are often funny; not just “university funny,” but actually funny. Ms. Usmiani says that the idea is to bring the friendliness, energy and enthusiasm of the Dal Libraries’ team to the CCC board – with jokes, clip art and more.

“The silly ones are often the most fun,” she notes. “But the whole project serves a serious end: it’s a way for us to learn what people think about our services, and find ways to improve.”

Responding by improving services

A few years ago, when comment cards about noise in the library spiked, the administration made the decision to make the fourth and fifth floors dedicated quiet study floors. Some types of feedback, though, are easier to address than others. The library passes along comments about cleaning, facilities and study space to the appropriate university departments, but acknowledges that those issues reflect the challenges of a growing Dalhousie student population – one more than double the size of what the Killam was originally built for.

“The good news is that students want more from us,” she adds. “More study spaces, more computers, longer hours…That shows that we’re valued.”

Sometimes, commenters are so eager to join the conversation that they don’t even bother placing their thoughts in the suggestion box: they’ll write on others’ cards or stick their own right on the board itself. Ms. Usmiani says that her favourite comments are the ones that thank or celebrate the people who work at the library.

“Whatever they may think of our printing costs or noisy patrons, people consistently tell us that our staff are fantastic, and they often single out specific librarians or front-line staff. That means a lot to our team.”