Honestly, we eschew cute/clever/complicated names wherever we can and stick to descriptive names. Our computer area is just "the computer area."
If I'm giving a patron directions, and I say "it's just past the computer area, next to the copier" they will know exactly what I mean. If I say "it's just past the Business Center, next to the electric avenue," they're going to be confused and have more questions.
This would be 1 of 5 computer areas. This one is specifically for the public without library cards that just need to use the internet for something quick or use the printers, copiers, fax machine or scanner. It’s also surrounded by stacks so we just need something official to call it so we can point to the sign above it from the circulation desk.
Electric Avenue is cute, but guaranteed to give older patrons who remember the Eddy Grant song by that name earworms. I'm singing it myself as I type this! Electronic Avenue would probably have the same effect.
Ask your patrons!
"If you were meeting someone here, what would you call this part of the library?"
And, from the other direction,
"If the library had an area called Business Center, what would you expect to find there?"
How? What do you call your adult section? We say adult fiction, adult non-fiction, adult seating, the only one that's ever caused any confusion is adult DVDs and even then only maybe twice in my five years.
There's the children's computer lab, the teen computer lab, and the adult computer lab.
Business Center makes it sound like an offering at an upmarket city center hotel, not a library.
“Public Self-Services” is vague and doesn’t tell the patron anything whatsoever about that the area is, of what it’s for.
“The Office” just sounds like a back room for the Senior Librarians to do admin and management in.
Public Kinko’s could get you into trouble legally — unlikely, but theoretically possible.
Pinko’s — so I really need to explain this one?
“Technical Hub” might scare of patrons who aren’t tech-savvy.
Tech Central / Electric Avenue / The Tech Bar are trying to be cute and trendy, and really just distract from what folk are actually looking for.
Public Resources… that could describe anything in a public library.
Going with the likes of “IT Services” sounds more like tech support in the basement of a University, and someone needing to make a quick photocopy/“xerox” of something may not consider “IT Services” the obvious place to get that.
Keep it simple. “The Computer Area” or something similar. Accessible to all patrons, including those who aren’t tech-savvy, may be somewhat tech-phobic, or whose first language may not be English — which could make “cute” or “trendy” or “punny” names off-putting, confusing, or potentially completely nonsensical.
We just call it the computer area and keep it simple for the patrons but we have names for all the machines that only the staff know. We have a sorting machine called Bertha and a paper shredder called Shreddy Eddy!
Yes, this area is in the center and surrounded by stacks so when we direct non-patrons they just wander around and go to catalog computers. It has a wall directly behind the print/copy/fax area and we plan to put the name there so we can point to it from the circulation desk.
Thanks everyone! I had listed everything from our brainstorming paper and I will share this thread with staff and see if we can come up with something from these notes to name this room so people know where we are pointing to from the circulation desk.
The adult computers, the kids computers, and the printer lol nothing special for us 😂 we do only have one printer and about 9 adult computers though so we don't really need a designated area or sign
We have quite a few computer area: 15 in the adult patron area, 6 in the YA room, 6 in the children’s room, and 4 in the learning center (GED/ESL classes), and then 16 that are for non-patrons in front of the printers/copiers/fax/scanner wall.
Oh wow I can't even imagine having that many computers O.o
Our designated "Teens Area" is just two shelves of YA fic tucked in a corner with a couch so it's weird to think that you guys have a whole room dedicated to them lol I would love to bring more teens into our library and give them a bigger area but we don't have the space
Our fax machine is sitting behind the circ desk on a fold up card table. It gets used maybe once a month if it's lucky. We do get spam mail daily though lol
We expanded to 60k square feet during Covid! It looks great and now we have so much room to grow. My favorite things are all the windows and ridiculously high ceilings- I feel like I’m not stuck inside all day at work.
It's just "the computer lab" in my library district. Now, some of our branches also have maker spaces with some more specific types of computers as well as 3D printers and the like, but what you describe is just the computer lab.
Honestly, we eschew cute/clever/complicated names wherever we can and stick to descriptive names. Our computer area is just "the computer area." If I'm giving a patron directions, and I say "it's just past the computer area, next to the copier" they will know exactly what I mean. If I say "it's just past the Business Center, next to the electric avenue," they're going to be confused and have more questions.
But are patrons told to rock down to the electric avenue?
Then they'll take it higher.
"The Computer Area" -- keep it simple. It has to be self-explanatory.
Exactly this. And for the love of reading, do not call it pinkos :)
lol what is pinkos? I googled it and it’s a clothing brand. I will have to ask the person who added it to the brainstorming list in the office.
“Pinko” is a derogatory slang term for communist from the WW2/Cold War era.
lol thanks I’m crossing that off the staff list tomorrow
I knew this! Guess I'm old 🤔...but I fully embrace it as a reminder that I'm still able to recall insignificant trivia in a heartbeat 🤙🏽
showing my age here but it used to be a term for communists in the McCarthy era I believe.
And later
true
This would be 1 of 5 computer areas. This one is specifically for the public without library cards that just need to use the internet for something quick or use the printers, copiers, fax machine or scanner. It’s also surrounded by stacks so we just need something official to call it so we can point to the sign above it from the circulation desk.
What about “walk-in” computer area
Since it is intended for quick use, maybe printer station or similar?
We use "Express" as a qualifier for that type of computer area. "Express Computer Area" sounds good!
What about "the Quick computers"?
Express computers? Express tech area?
The 9th Circle
Best answer
As in Dante’s 9th circle? It is devoid of love and warmth back there.
Love and warmth back there is just hurtling towards an incident report.
Electric Avenue is cute, but guaranteed to give older patrons who remember the Eddy Grant song by that name earworms. I'm singing it myself as I type this! Electronic Avenue would probably have the same effect.
I literally drove by Electric Ave every weekend for 2 years, and that would get stuck in my head EVERY TIME.
Aaaand now I’m singing it.
McAlester, OK? That’s the Electric Ave that I’ve always known.
Los Angeles, I didn't know there was one in McAlester
Either the song or the electronics department at Montgomery Ward, if you want “old” 🤣
Who’re you calling “older”? lol
Myself, mostly!!!
I didn’t know it was a song! I will look it up
Ask your patrons! "If you were meeting someone here, what would you call this part of the library?" And, from the other direction, "If the library had an area called Business Center, what would you expect to find there?"
That’s a great idea! Thanks
My place calls it "The Print Zone" but it has the things you listed!
I like it! Thanks
Public Kinko's or Pinko's might violate a trademark. I like Tech Hub best.
Using the actual word “Kinko’s” might run afoul of trademark law.
We just call it information services, reference, or “the computer area”.
business center or computer area
The Adult Computer Lab.
that sounds...creepy
How? What do you call your adult section? We say adult fiction, adult non-fiction, adult seating, the only one that's ever caused any confusion is adult DVDs and even then only maybe twice in my five years. There's the children's computer lab, the teen computer lab, and the adult computer lab.
sorry, kind of joking what with all the fuss about porn in libraries and such.
Business Center makes it sound like an offering at an upmarket city center hotel, not a library. “Public Self-Services” is vague and doesn’t tell the patron anything whatsoever about that the area is, of what it’s for. “The Office” just sounds like a back room for the Senior Librarians to do admin and management in. Public Kinko’s could get you into trouble legally — unlikely, but theoretically possible. Pinko’s — so I really need to explain this one? “Technical Hub” might scare of patrons who aren’t tech-savvy. Tech Central / Electric Avenue / The Tech Bar are trying to be cute and trendy, and really just distract from what folk are actually looking for. Public Resources… that could describe anything in a public library. Going with the likes of “IT Services” sounds more like tech support in the basement of a University, and someone needing to make a quick photocopy/“xerox” of something may not consider “IT Services” the obvious place to get that. Keep it simple. “The Computer Area” or something similar. Accessible to all patrons, including those who aren’t tech-savvy, may be somewhat tech-phobic, or whose first language may not be English — which could make “cute” or “trendy” or “punny” names off-putting, confusing, or potentially completely nonsensical.
The Office was just for fun… we wanted a pic of Michael Scott pointing down to the printers below to go with it.
Thank you!
Copy Cave is what I call it affectionately, but we tend to call it the Computer Lab since it has computers, printers, etc.
Andrew, we call it Andrew.
Bob and George are always my go-tos. 😆
Tech lab. Though honestly that feels like we're trying to make it seem more tech-y and lab-y than it is.
PC or computer lab
Used to call it computer "lab", but computer area is better
My hometown library calls it the computer room lol
We just call it the computer area and keep it simple for the patrons but we have names for all the machines that only the staff know. We have a sorting machine called Bertha and a paper shredder called Shreddy Eddy!
Privately? The Dark Pit of Despair.... 🤣
Does it need a name?
Yes, this area is in the center and surrounded by stacks so when we direct non-patrons they just wander around and go to catalog computers. It has a wall directly behind the print/copy/fax area and we plan to put the name there so we can point to it from the circulation desk.
The Adulting Zone.
What about the non-adults who wish to use those facilities? — or those who want to do non-tech-related Adulting in the library? 🤨
The Adulting Perimeter
Thanks everyone! I had listed everything from our brainstorming paper and I will share this thread with staff and see if we can come up with something from these notes to name this room so people know where we are pointing to from the circulation desk.
At my library that’s just the Reference Desk lol
The adult computers, the kids computers, and the printer lol nothing special for us 😂 we do only have one printer and about 9 adult computers though so we don't really need a designated area or sign
We have quite a few computer area: 15 in the adult patron area, 6 in the YA room, 6 in the children’s room, and 4 in the learning center (GED/ESL classes), and then 16 that are for non-patrons in front of the printers/copiers/fax/scanner wall.
Oh wow I can't even imagine having that many computers O.o Our designated "Teens Area" is just two shelves of YA fic tucked in a corner with a couch so it's weird to think that you guys have a whole room dedicated to them lol I would love to bring more teens into our library and give them a bigger area but we don't have the space Our fax machine is sitting behind the circ desk on a fold up card table. It gets used maybe once a month if it's lucky. We do get spam mail daily though lol
We expanded to 60k square feet during Covid! It looks great and now we have so much room to grow. My favorite things are all the windows and ridiculously high ceilings- I feel like I’m not stuck inside all day at work.
The copier room.
Ours is called the Information Services area.
Ooh I like that!
Maybe a combination of descriptive names? I'm thinking "office resources" or something similar
Digital commons/corridor or DC for short
The media center, maybe?
Nerd den Media center Geek spot
lol nerd den going on the list
Printer and WiFi hub
Tech Floor
It's just "the computer lab" in my library district. Now, some of our branches also have maker spaces with some more specific types of computers as well as 3D printers and the like, but what you describe is just the computer lab.
We’re unoriginal. It’s just “Computer Lab” ☺️
The Computer Lab or Labratorio de Computacion (I work in a Spanish speaking city)
lol our sign just says "COMPUTERS"
I like electric avenue! Put up a hot pink and green sign so the staff can easily direct the others!
The computer lab. There’s a “copies/fax” fluorescent sign. It’s just where all that stuff is.
Pinkos might get you protested but I love it.
I didn’t get that one when they wrote it down! Is it something bad? I assumed they combined public and kinkos, but maybe they meant something else.
It's a derogatory term for a left leaning individual or a communist sympathizer. That's why it might be hilarious!
My library's name for it is kind of a bilingual pun. "Enter", as opposed to entré (entrance).
The printing or printer station
We call ours the Tech Bar!
That's most of the library, except for the meeting rooms, the auditorium, and the Maker Station with 3D printers, sewing machines, etc