TouchscreenTears

It's a beautiful day in the library. You're caffeinated, had a snack, and are ready to go. First on your schedule is a tech help appointment where the notes say you'll be helping a patron--let's call her Agnes--with some digital photo organization. You've done this kind of thing many times before. What is the challenge you're most likely to face in this appointment? 1. [[The person will be using software you’ve never seen before.]] 2. [[The person will have way too big a project to manage in the time you have.]] 3. [[The person won’t know their password.]]

Before the session you print off your "What we can do in a tech help session" infosheet and prepare some light explanations of how photo organizing can be a big project. Agnes shows up and she is a smiling elderly white lady who methodically pulls an iPad from a large purse. She explains that she wants to find some pictures and get them together "in a file." She knows it could be a big job, but she just wants to know enough to get started and then she'll be able to finish it up at home. "I don't want to take up too much of your time, dear," she says. [[No problem!]]

You cuss gently to yourself and hope whoever made the booking reminded the patron to bring passwords, since it's too late to contact them now. Agnes shows up and she is a smiling elderly white lady who methodically pulls an iPad from a large purse. She unlocks the screen and opens up the Photos app where her pictures are without any issue. She explains that she wants to find some pictures and get them together "in a file." She knows it could be a big job, but she just wants to know enough to get started and then she'll be able to finish it up at home. [[No problem!]]

Before the session you take a few minutes to brush up on some of the more common photo organizing apps you've encountered (and remind yourself of some key quirks). Agnes shows up and she is a smiling elderly white lady who methodically pulls an iPad from a large purse. You breathe easier, since you've helped people using Apple Photos a lot. She explains that she wants to find some pictures and get them together "in a file." She just wants to know enough to get started and then she'll be able to finish it up at home. [[No problem!]]

Things are going great. She knows her way around her iPad and is smiling at your jokes! But as you start showing her how to create an album, she gets distracted by the old man in the first picture she selected. She starts crying. It turns out her husband for decades has just died and the "file" she's working on is his funeral memorial video. How do you respond? 1. [["Would you like a hug?"]] 2. [[“Maybe we should try this with something a little less important first?”]] 3. [[“Let me do it for you!”]]

She says she doesn't want a hug and apologizes. She didn't mean to cause any problems; things are just very hard, and she's trying to help but her kids are so busy and... Well, she has a lot to say between sniffles. You share a box of tissues. No photos are put in any albums. [[Moving On]]

You decide to try showing her how to find pictures of flowers and make an album from them. You get her to scroll through her photo library and drag pictures to your newly created album. She grabbed some tissues and has been trying to follow along. It seems you've successfully changed the subject. After you've made a flower album you tell her she can now do the same thing with anything she wants (without saying her dead husband's name, or using the word "memorial"). [[Moving On]]

You take over the iPad as she finds some tissues in her purse, and drag pictures of her husband into a test album. You listen as she tells you the stories behind each of them (which get cut a little short as you move to the next to try and get a good representative sample for the video). Silently, you judge her family for giving her this task. [[Moving On]]

You’re almost through your allotted time. She’s not crying any more, but her smiles and thank you's sound distracted. She says she's sorry for being so bad with technology, and for taking up your time "with all this." How do you finish up the session? 1. [[Recap what you’ve gone over one last time.->Debrief]] 2. [[Make sure the interaction gets recorded by getting her to fill out an evaluation form.->Evaluation]] 3. [[Cancel whatever you have coming up and spend your day letting her talk.->Best Friends]]

As you find the evaluation form, she begins crying again. Around her tissues you hand her the paper. "If you wouldn't mind filling this out to rate your satisfaction with our service today, that would really help. Thank you!" You head off to your next appointment and later note the evaluation paper was a little wrinkly. [[What have we learned so far?->Describe and Recognize]]

So the two of you get coffee. You become best friends and go on a cruise together. Your supervisor is kind of annoyed you stop coming in to work. [[What have we learned so far?->Describe and Recognize]]

You can tell that she has not learned everything she came for today, so you go over the steps to make an album one last time. She nods and thanks you and you remind her that she can make another appointment if she needs it. "Sometimes these things take time to sink in." Later, when you talk to your coworkers you mention that she might be coming back and to keep an eye out for her. [[What have we learned so far?->Describe and Recognize]]

You’re a few slides into a full class on how to use Android devices. You’re discussing how to find the WiFi settings in the class, when one patron–let’s call him Bert–begins sharing about how "the government uses WiFi to listen to us all the time! They even change my television channels!" What’s your course of action? 1. [[Find a moment when he pauses to refocus on the task at hand->Refocus]] 2. [[Let him finish his story and agree that WiFi can have some issues.->Acknowledge]] 3. [[Try to teach the class about how WiFi actually works->Wait]]

Bert does not take being interrupted kindly. In fact, he takes it loudly. "That is disrespectful, young lady! I have a right to let these people know about what's going on if you're not gonna tell them!" You explain that we're all here for a class today and have more to get through. Bert rolls his eyes and harrumphs. [[Well I'm glad that's over!->Escalation]]

You're back on your slides and someone asks Bert if he knows about how bluetooth does *insert weird thing here*. This prompts another story from Bert while yet another patron joins in on how "5G makes my clocks go squirrely every night!" A passionate discussion between these three class members is brewing. How are you dealing with this development? 1. [[Reminding them, firmly, that this is a group class and they should be respectful to the learning goals of others.->Teacher Voice]] 2. [[Telling Bert that a different tech program might be better suited for this topic and redirect back to the course material.->Redirect]] 3. [[It’s great to see such enthusiastic discussion; let them talk at will (you’re tired anyway…)->Give Up]]

After Bert is done, you begin to outline the way that WiFi works and how while open networks are less "safe" than password protected ones, modern encryption is actually pretty marvellous... Ten minutes later, you come back from the weeds of network protocols, no one is on the WiFi and everyone is confused. [[Let's just move on->Escalation]]

Bert responds with a satisfied nod. "That's why I never use the stuff." As you're working to get everyone else connected to the WiFi, you have to field a few more questions of whether WiFi is safe. This is getting a little out of your comfort zone, as the answers are a bit more technical than you have prepared for this class. [[Smooth sailing after this though!->Escalation]]

While the loud discussion by one quarter of the class goes on, many of the other attendees are visibly confused. You try to interject some commentary to involve everyone, but it gets drowned out. No one is learning anything about their Android devices (but everyone gets very good tips on making tinfoil hats). [[Don't worry, there's always next week for learning!->After Class]]

The class is over, *phew*. While packing up, fewer people are spontaneously praising you than normal. This may not have been your finest moment. As you get cleaned up,, you think about how you’re going to handle everyone next week for part two. 1. [[Discreetly ask Bert to have a chat after everyone has gone.->Chat]] 2. [[Add a bit to next week's material about ensuring questions are related to the course material and address group, not individual, concerns..->Reminder]] 3. [[You ask the class to focus on getting through the material before sharing questions.->Hold]]

You take control, use your 1950s teacher voice, brook no nonsense and let everyone know they're in a class not Reddit. Bert and his collaborators mutiny and leave the room. Everyone else breathes a sigh of relief and they spend the rest of today's time learning about their phones. They do seem to flinch a little more when you come around to check on them. [[So far so good, but what about part two?->After Class]]

Trying to redirect Bert (and company) to other classes leads off into a warren of digressions about how program topics are chosen and why registration for classes are too late/too early/not on the weekends, but you do make it back to today's Android discussion. You don't get as far as you usually do on your class objectives and you have a sneaking suspicion at least one person never did get connected to the WiFi. [[Good thing this class has a Part Two!->After Class]]

When you talk to Bert, he doesn’t feel like he said anything wrong. You tell him again what the goals for the class were, and he begrudgingly acknowledges that focusing on Android makes more sense for the whole group. "They might not be advanced enough to really get it anyway." He doesn't promise any specific behaviour, but he says he's looking forward to next week. [[How are we doing?->Evaluations]]

Next week you get through most of Part Two, with some interruptions from Bert. You generally had a better time redirecting to the goals of the class though. Asking "is this an individual or group concern?" slowed things down, but some of the course evaluations list that those were the things they learned most from. Go figure. [[How are we doing?->Evaluations]]

Next week you get through Part Two without any stories from Bert, who seems less engaged. Actually, everyone seems to be a bit off. Many people don't remember all of their questions when the Q&A portion begins. You set up a lot of one on one help sessions for the following weeks. [[How are we doing?->Evaluations]]

Finally, you're working the information desk when a flustered patron--we'll call her Catherine--needs help with her phone. She's a bit younger than you, and before explaining the problem she shares how bad she is at technology, how she’s always been bad at technology, how she's broken her phone beyond repair and has no time to fix it, so you should just should reset it. What’s your next step? 1. [[You reassure her that many people have difficulties with technology; the library is here to help people cope.->Reassure]] 2. [[You chat with her about what makes her think the phone is broken.->Unburden]] 3. [[You check that her information is backed up and start resetting her phone.->Reset]]

"Of course it's broken! It's like everything else. I'm just the worst with technology!" she says. It takes many minutes of explanations of terrible things that have happened to her because of technology before she can talk about what brought her here today. Eventually you discover there's a specific app on her phone she's worried about. [[Let's figure out this app!->Fear]]

Catherine acknowledges that classes might work for some people, but doesn’t feel confident that she can understand anything anyone has to teach her. "I'm just too dumb for technology," she says. You tell her that she's not too dumb, and she's looking for help, which is the smartest thing you can do! She says she is not smart at all, and you counter with positivity. This goes on for a while. When you eventually finish pumping her up and get into the specifics of what brought her here today, she reveals an app is giving her issues. [[Let's figure out this app!->Fear]]

Catherine hands you her phone, and nods when you ask her questions, agreeing with everything you say. While you're looking at her phone's settings, it's really unclear why she's trying to do a factory reset on the whole thing. Just at the last moment before resetting the phone (you asked her "Are you sure?" like a dozen times), she mutters "I knew this app was no good." [[Aha! Maybe we have another solution to work through!->Fear]]

It turns out Catherine's having problems logging into an app to track hours worked for her job. She has spoken with her workplace help desk, but can’t understand what they are telling her. She just wants to fix it quickly so she can be in compliance with work policies. She also reveals that she has been reprimanded and ridiculed in workplaces over the years for accidentally deleting things she shouldn't have, and is fearful of repeating this. How do you deal with these revelations? 1. [[You bond over workplace struggles and cheer her up instead of focusing on the app.->Comebacks]] 2. [[Explain how technology is designed not to be easy, but profitable.->Support]] 3. [[Comfort her with how she's doing her best, and things are just hard sometimes. No one needs to know everything!->River]]

It's a good thing you're well versed in affirmation techniques, because that's basically what you spend the rest of your time with Catherine practicing. You brew some tea, and make sure she knows she *is* good enough *and* smart enough, doggoneit. Eventually, one of you remembers the phone, still in her hand.. [[Let's finish this up->Vindication]]

A theme in your discussion (definitely not an unprofessional rant) about technology and how it works systemically is how it's changed over the years, partially in response to areas for improvement seen by people like her. Catherine likes that and takes it to heart. You both engage in some light "burn down big tech!" rhetoric before remembering there was a more immediate problem to solve. [[Let's get back to the phone!->Vindication]]

You and Catherine spend the rest of the time brainstorming insults for her past coworkers, IT department and her snotty-nosed nephew. Her comeback game is now fire, but her tech issues persist. [[Let's finish this up->Vindication]]

Y’all get around to trying out a few more things during your appointment time, and--in an inspired move--you’re able to successfully log her into the *website* version of the app on a library computer. This indicates the trouble is not with her methods, but that the app isn't fully functional. So in the end, you are not able to help her login to the app. But… 1. [[You call her IT department together (with some brainstormed insults prepared).->ResumeHelp]] 2. [[You remind her of the steps you took together and how she can use them in the future.->Empowered]] 3. [[You reassure her that she didn’t break her phone, and search for workarounds to still accomplish her goals.->Luddite]]

She feels vindicated and confident, but is now unemployed (those were great insults!). You make her an appointment with your library’s resume tutor. [[Final Thoughts]]

Catherine becomes an expert at searching the internet with her questions and starts signing up for library tech classes. Then more classes. Then she gets a library degree and eventually takes your job. [[Final Thoughts]]

Part of technology is figuring out new ways to get things to work. And sometimes it's old ways that work! Catherine feels more confident in herself, and denies all of the clearly inferior computer-like technology any more hold over her. She throws her phone into the nearby river, and starts a hobby farm where she will live like it’s the 1800’s. She is unable to monetize it without any social media clout. [[Final Thoughts]]

We have been (and continue to be)\ **Amy Linville** & **Justin Unrau** from the Strathcona County Library. {embed image: 'touchscreentears.png', alt: 'QR Code for sclib.short.gy/TouchscreenTears'} This little interactive story was made in [[Twine->https://twinery.org/]] using the [[chapbook story format->https://klembot.github.io/chapbook/guide/index.html]] and is available at [[sclib.short.gy/TouchscreenTears->https://sclib.short.gy/TouchscreenTears]] \ Thank You! alinville@sclibrary.ca junrau@sclibrary.ca

**Tech Help, with Feelings** * Find emotional regulation techniques from non-techy library training * Debriefing is super important * This is emotional labour [[The End]]

[align center] **Tears on a Touchscreen**\ *An Interactive Tale About\ Doing Emotional Tech Support Work*\ \ by **Amy Linville** (she/her) & **Justin Unrau** (he/him) [[Strathcona County Library->https://sclibrary.ca]] \ \ [[Begin->Photo Organizing]]

**Emotional Factors** * Shame * Anxiety * Frustration * Urgency [[Let's Teach an Android Class->The Android Class]]

**What's the Important Bit?** * Preparation * Breathing space * Variety [[Next up, an appointment with a regular.->Misinformation]] \ [[Wait, here comes a student needing help!->The Assignment]]

A peppy student comes to you asking for a quick bit of help. They have a phone in their hand and tell you they need to upload their assignment and it isn't working. 1. [[Ask what their assignment is about.->Irrelevant]] 2. [[Ask if they are connected to the internet.->BrainInjury]] 3. [[Ask what file format they are dealing with.->MissedPoint]]

They say confidently "It's our TikTok stats." You ask where they have to submit them and they explain their class has a special system, but they don't elaborate. Further questioning uncovers that they have a series of screenshots pasted into a Google Doc they are WhatsApping PDF versions of amongst their colleagues. This is getting complicated. [[The Deadline Approacheth]]

They look at you slightly blankly and nod like you have a brain injury. Further questioning uncovers that they have a series of screenshots pasted into a Google Doc they are WhatsApping PDF versions of amongst their colleagues that need to get into the uploads section of their prof's bespoke learning management system. Right away. This is getting complicated. [[The Deadline Approacheth]]

It's for their online marketing class and they were working on it togeher but Degler left everything to the last minute and they had to redo all of their work. Ugh, Degler. They go on for a while (Degler really does seem to be a bit of a tool) without really touching on any thing you have any practical ability to assist with. [[The Deadline Approacheth]]

You're trying to understand how this assignment was supposed to be submitted and time is passing. The student is getting more and more agitated. They are jumping from topic to topic, now on their phone, now on a chromebook, while messaging happens with multiple people on both devices. Exclamation points are running wild. Other people are lining up at the info desk trying to wave you down. 1. [[Take deep breaths. Explain slowly and clearly what you think the procedure is supposed to be. Ask if there are any questions.->CalmDown]] 2. [[Look over their shoulder for something that might be helpful on their screen.->FindWay]] 3. [[Apologize for briefly abandoning them and try to assist the other people queuing.->MoveOn]]

The clear explanation doesn't seem to be helping as they've now got three identical screenshots of a social media stats page they're trying to paste into a brand new Google document to overwrite the one with all the jokes Degler left in and somehow might be in as the final version? What? [[Time is Running Out!]]

Whatever learning management system they're using is user-unfriendly to the extreme. You have no idea what anything means or where anything even could be uploaded, let alone this frankendocument they've somehow saved as a TIFF? [[Time is Running Out!]]

"You don't understand! I'm going to fail this assignment!" they say. You reiterate what you've already said, apologize and run off to find an InvestiGators book for a very polite 7-year-old. [[Time is Running Out!]]

The deadline has passed. The assignment didn't get uploaded. The student is slightly hyperventilating. There are tears. You check in with the student, saying... 1. [["So next time you should really get this done earlier."->Admonish]] 2. [["You can explain to your instructor. I'm sure it'll be fine. Don't worry."->NotAllRight]] 3. [["I feel terrible! What can I do to make it up to you?"->Guilt]]

The student is lightly wailing and you explain how they need to come in earlier with a complicated problem next time. You trot out the old "Your lack of planning doesn't constitute my emergency" bit. You've protected your feelings well and even got to build up your smug-ometer a bit. Good self-care! [[Now off to that appointment.->Misinformation]]

While trying to change the crying student's perspective you tell a story about how one time you submitted an assignment late in university... but you trail off when you realize that was actually the cascading failure point that stopped you from becoming a marine biologist. [[Now off to that appointment.->Misinformation]]

You end up getting into a videoconference with the instructor (well, maybe a TA? it wasn't clear) and roped in one of your techs who is soon talking to one of the techs on the other end. They manage to reverse time slightly so the assignment gets in on time after all. The student thinks you are amazing and thanks you so much, but the real impact of the thanks are they won't ask anyone other than you for tech help in any form ever again. You have a new life-companion (technology matters only). [[Now off to that appointment.->Misinformation]]

A patron you’ve helped before (named Enid) wants your assistance with “fixing youtube”. She watches a lot of youtube videos and is getting frustrated that the site keeps suggesting upsetting news and political stories. She says she only watches a few of those videos, just to get a full perspective on the issues, but now they are all she gets recommended. Enid’s daughter says it’s her fault for watching those videos and won’t help her. How do you begin the appointment? 1. [[It’s not her fault, but Enid’s daughter may have a point about how easy it is to get led astray on the big, wide internet.->Blippi]] 2. [[You talk with Enid at length about disinformation on the internet and how most social media algorithms are meant to feed us inflammatory content to keep us interested.->Despondency]] 3. [[You discuss the merit of having balanced viewpoints in media and watch a few videos together to understand the nuance…->Ensorceled]]

It’s hard to recognize these things for yourself, so perhaps Enid isn’t ready for the unfiltered internet. You turn on the parental controls in Youtube. Now she can only see Blippi! [[We could also check some other options.->Options]]

After a long lecture, and piled high with blog posts, books and counter-programming YouTube videos, Enid is now overwhelmed by the level of manipulation revealed to her. How has humanity has strayed so far… [[We can also check some other options.->Options]]

You both startle at the sound of the library’s closing announcements and look up from the latest video, bleary-eyed and convinced you must steal the Declaration of Independence to save humanity and freedom! The daughter may have had a point. [[We could also check some other options.->Options]]

In addition, you look around at some feedback and setting options on Youtube. You discuss some tips and tricks, but explain that continuing to watch these videos will, indeed, lead to more of them being recommended to her, no matter what. She wonders aloud how else she is supposed to get balanced perspectives on what’s happening in the world today. Now is your chance! 1. [[You know Enid well and are certain that in addition to honesty in your relationship, she values your perspective. So you’re clear with her -- Youtube is full of garbage.->FuckYouTube]] 2. [[You discuss some pros and cons of Youtube as a news source and the persistence of disinformation on social media websites.->FairBalanced]] 3. [[You commiserate that it is difficult to find balanced viewpoints on the internet and applaud her efforts thus far.->FactsFriends]]

Maybe you aren't quite as emotionally intelligent as you thought, because Enid thinks that was mean. Now she’s upset and doesn’t trust you. You’re no better than her daughter! [[How Shall we Follow Up?->Followup]]

You and Enid have an in depth talk starting with how no one site on the internet has all the answers, but checking multiple, reputable sources can help. You talk about the importance of checking different types of websites, and multiples of each type, but definitely not checking the ones that have been proven as malicious scams, unless those reports are proven untrue… Enid hears you, but isn’t sure where to go next. "So should I try Facebook then?" [[How Shall we Follow Up?->Followup]]

She is glad you see things her way and think she isn’t doing anything wrong. She adds you to her daily “facts for friends” email list on which she shares her top 20 newsworthy youtube videos. [[How Shall we Follow Up?->Followup]]

You send Enid a followup email with a list of library news resources, some fact-checking websites, and guides to help her spot disinformation on social media. You see her in the library a few months later and ask how her social media feeds look lately. She appreciates your help and has definitely looked some stories up on the sites you shared, but she also still watches some of those YouTube videos, "just to keep informed." This is fine. You’re happy for her. It’s all fine. You smile, wish her well, and… 1. [[Empathize with Enid. We can’t be expected to learn everything at once.->OnlyBlippi]] 2. [[Shrug. You win some, you lose some. Small steps make steady progress.->Retiring]] 3. [[Tell her you are glad things are improving and to keep up the good work. You ask her to reach out if she needs similar help with any of her other social media feeds.->EssentialService]]

You also empathize with the daughter so much, you find her contact information and collaborate with her to put parental controls (back?) on Enid’s Youtube. No politics, only Blippi! [[Off to the info desk!->App Login]]

You take one small step towards your desk and sigh deeply. Only 7,246 working days left until retirement… [[Off to the info desk!->App Login]]

She doesn’t need help, but some of her friends might. You’re now the go-to person for helping everyone make their online lives "more balanced." You’ve never before seen such depths of the internet… [[Off to the info desk!->App Login]]