I just found a great Google product which might be helpful for library staff. If you go to Google and click on More, then on the link "Translate", you get something like Alta Vista Babel Fish, that is, a translation program. I tried it out with English to Spanish and was pleased with the results. Even if the customer doesn't speak English, you can type in a question such as "Would you like to get a library card today?" and you can see the Spanish translation pop up on the screen. It would be possible, in a pinch, to communicate with a non-English speaking customer just by showing them the screen. Google's translate feature lists over 40 languages. I like this product so far and would recommend it to staff and friends as a useful communication tool.
Another Google product that's easy to access and to use is Gmail. I timed myself and had a new Gmail account set up in under 5 minutes. It's quicker and less cumbersome than Yahoo email, in my opinon.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment