The User Study, Conversation, and Reading the Newspaper

The other day, a librarian leaned over the reference desk and chatted with a bemused reader about a recent article in The New York Times. It could just as well have been a conversation concerning a movie, a television program, a play, or a local baseball game. Aside from enjoying themselves, the two illustrate the informal user survey. The librarian learned about another individual's attitudes and tastes. Later this knowledge will be translated into opinions on the interests of the community and will probably surface in discussion about what books to buy or not to buy. At the same time, the friendly reader came to appreciate the librarian, who assisted with everything from finding materials for the children to passing the time discussing a current event.