Happy FeatHad you been a fly on the yet-to-be ceiling of  Papanui Library last Friday,  you would have witnessed  small children standing on tippy toes to touch the screens, agog teenagers saying “How does it DO that?” when the SMART machine reads the barcodes of five books at a time, and game oldies – at least one of whom stole our hearts when he asked “Can I have another go?” after he’d successfully issued his books.

I took my usual approach – read up on the subject first (cautionary note here: I studied books on how to breastfeed – say no more). It all started with an excellent Time magazine article on Alzheimers and its prevention. The message was clear – keep learning, try new things, stay active and socialize as much as possible. That could be my job description. Heeding this advice, I headed to my local and took out  Making the Most of RFID in Libraries and all I can say is that if understanding RFID is what stands between me and failing mental abilities, I am in big trouble.

But what Friday at Papanui showed me  is that you don’t have to understand everything about new technology to benefit from it enormously. And have fun while you are at it.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, the children’s self-issue penguin arrived. He is irresistible and you should come and visit us at Papanui to meet the machines, the helpful staff, the intrepid customers and the groovy penguin.

So if you are still that fly looking down from the ceiling: I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Friday at Papanui was poetry in motion, but it was definitely a very happy feat!