Patron made me cry

[Daphne]

Monday night was just horrific. My branch was incredibly busy because ESL class registration was being held in addition to a computer class. Patrons became nasty when told the ESL class was filled 20 minutes after registration began. One patron had the nerve to come over and say "I know it's difficult to complain about a free service...." Well there you go, asshole. I don't even know why we bother.

What really set me over the edge was a patron who had gotten up from his computer later that night. His hour for the day was up, so the computer automatically logged him out. Another patron asked if the computer was free, and I said yes. I could see the gray log-in screen from my desk. The guy returns to "his" computer to find the patron I sent over on it. He comes to my desk and starts screaming at me. He tells me that he doesn't appreciate me telling another patron to log him out. I said he was already logged out. He tells me that I am lying. I just about lose it with him. I get the person in charge, and she is completely ineffective. She tells him something like "well maybe she made a mistake." This pisses me off even more. I have a master's degree and I have worked in the district for 3 years; I think I know what the available computer log-in screen looks like. I look at both of them and tell them that he was logged out. I demand that the PIC print the patron's booking history. While she goes to do this, the patron stands to the side of my desk and glares at me. At that point I tell the PIC that either he goes or I go. He was invading my personal space and trying to intimidate me. It was a hostile environment. She concurs and tells me I can go off desk. Once I got to my private staff area, I burst into tears. I just can't believe how rude people are.

Anyway, the patron's booking history showed that he had met the hour time limit, and that is why he was automatically logged off. He missed the warning message because he was away from the computer station. Somehow that was my fault.

I am ready to resign. I can no longer deal with idiots.

[mischugenah]

I feel your pain. I spend a lot of time at public libraries, I love them, and it always blows my mind how idiots can think that this FREE PUBLIC SERVICE somehow owes them something. It's FREE. You're getting way more than you're paying for as it is, shut your yap and appreciate it. If you're really that desperate to get on the internet, you might try paying for your own.

I'm going to go OT for a moment on one of my pet peeves, I HATE hearing people whine about how many immigrants don't speak English. "If they're going to live here, they need to speak our language." Actually, my cousin is one of them, blew my mind when he announced that Hispanics should learn English *before* they immigrate. Um, ya, and you're going to go to Mexico and offer your services for free?

the ESL class was filled 20 minutes after registration began.

Obviously, they'd LOVE to learn English. But classes are few because (shocker) nobody's willing to spend money to remedy the situation they spend so much time whining about.

[draftermatt]

That guy was an idiot, and ungodly rude. I don't get why people are like that. Especially in the library. I haven't been in one for a long time, but man when I was the way people acted around them was just outlandish.

But what does a master's degree have to do with anything? Even Doctor's make mistakes.

[Crazeyal]

Next time call either security or the police. If your superior is ineffectivein protecting you, take matters into your own hands. Don't allow abusive people to control the situation. Since you know who this guy is, GET HIM BANNED.

[Daphne]

But what does a master's degree have to do with anything? Even Doctor's make mistakes.

I think I can tell what a gray log-in screen looks like as opposed to the blue Windows background. Patrons seem to think we're morons. They have no problem asking us for help, though, when they accidentally shut their monitors off. lol.

[Ill_Used_Heroine]

You know, our library system just installed new software, which means that the patron's get to make their own internet reservations (can't wait for that to get FUBAR'd) and then when their hour is up, it just shuts off (after giving them like, 5 popup warnings ... oh sure, like that's going to make them finish up their all-important emails).

So, yeah, we're gonna go live with it in August, after we get trained (meaning, a library employee from another branch goes to Oahu to get trained and them comes back and trains the rest of us ... so yeah, minimal training). I doubt there's even a user's manual, since we never got one for our library system's database ware. I just can't wait for the trouble to start.

#1 Patrons have to go online to make their reservations.
Uh, yeah ... they're making reservations to use the internet because they don't have any internet access of their own! So, they're still going to have to either do it here on our PACs or do it over the phone.

#2 It's system-wide.
Oh great ... so, instead of patrons being able to branch-hop and get a 1 hour reservation at our branch, and then another 1 hour reservation at another branch, ad nauseum, now they can truly only get one 1 hour reservation per week! That'll go over well.

#3 This is supposed to make things easier for staff.
I'll believe THAT when I see it. Not only is it going to make things harder, because patron's are going to complain when they lose their email or whatever, now they have to pre-pay for any and all printing at the Circ Desk (something akin to having a debit account) and since so many of them have no idea how to choose what to print, they end up with 51 pages of web site when they only needed 1 page. What fun!

I thought internet at the library was for reference. Nope ... it's for email, email, and email. Tourists on vacation have to get their email! HAVE TO!

[Daphne]

^
That's how my library district has operated for a number of years, except that patrons can get an hour each day. Once their hour is up, they can go on extended time, which means they could get automatically disconnected at any time. We want them to come in and make their own reservations because we don't have the time to make each person's reservation for them. We actually have real reference questions and collection maintenance to do. Even after all of our prodding, however, they still can't figure out what to do. They have no problem finding their internet porn but making the actual reservation is too much work for them.

I am looking forward to leaving public service work forever and moving to Los Angeles next month. There is a lot of opportunity out there for someone with a library and information science background outside of the traditional public library setting.

Next time call either security or the police. If your superior is ineffectivein protecting you, take matters into your own hands. Don't allow abusive people to control the situation. Since you know who this guy is, GET HIM BANNED.

I work in one of the worst branches in the district. My branch is understaffed, ill-equipped for the number of patrons currently using it, and mis-managed. It's a free-for-all in there. Situations are not handled appropriately, and patrons who should be trespassed on the spot are not. Management waits until problem patrons completely lose it and become hostile to employees and other patrons alike. It is a terrible work environment, but I am leaving it in the very near future.

[Andara Bledin]

#1 Patrons have to go online to make their reservations.

#2 It's system-wide.
Oh great ... so, instead of patrons being able to branch-hop and get a 1 hour reservation at our branch, and then another 1 hour reservation at another branch, ad nauseum, now they can truly only get one 1 hour reservation per week!

#3 This is supposed to make things easier for staff.

*winces in sympathy*

I do not envy any of you one bit.

#1) So, which bright star came up with the idea of online registration to use a system to go online? That is one of the more retarded decisions I've ever come up against. This is the sort of thing that should have a separate terminal that does nothing but reservations on site, in addition to online.

#2) Wait, 1 hour per week? Do you even get enough people using them to need to be that restrictive? Is there any way to use them once the hour is up, or are they just s.o.l. until the next period? I couldn't even get through my spam in one hour per week.

#3) The first month is going to be hell. I don't suppose you have any vacation time saved up?

^-.-^

[Bright_Star]

Just tell them to buy their own damn computer. PROBLEM SOLVED!
There's no reason for you to have needed to put up with that nonsense. It's crap like that why I quit Wal-Mart.

[Daphne]

I just cannot understand the sense of entitlement some patrons have in regards to our materials. I don't know when accessing the Internet from a library computer became a constitutional right. They also bitch when they're placed on a waiting list for new dvds. Here's a novel idea- go to Hollywood Video or Blockbuster and actually pay money to rent the damn thing!

I can't wait to get out.

[Ill_Used_Heroine]

#1) So, which bright star came up with the idea of online registration to use a system to go online? That is one of the more retarded decisions I've ever come up against. This is the sort of thing that should have a separate terminal that does nothing but reservations on site, in addition to online.

We do have 4 PACs (Public Access Computers), which are mainly for title/subject/author searches within the system's database. Patrons can place their internet reservations on the PACs, but they STILL have to come to the library to do it, so they'll make a special trip to the library to place a reservation for what will probably be another day during the week, as we have only 4 (count 'em FOUR) internet PCs available to the public AND we're the regional branch AND this is a tourist destination with lots and lots of people who have to get their email now, damnit! You should see the amount of people outside the doors before we open on Tuesdays ... and, yes, they ALL want to sign up for the internet.

#2) Wait, 1 hour per week? Do you even get enough people using them to need to be that restrictive? Is there any way to use them once the hour is up, or are they just s.o.l. until the next period? I couldn't even get through my spam in one hour per week.

Yes, one 1 hour reservation per patron, per week, throughout the entire state. The reason it's so restrictive is because we only have 4 internet PCs and 4 gazillion people wanting to sign up. I believe there is a walk-on deal, where a patron can get a half hour on the internet, but that's only if there's no one waiting, which rarely happens. I will say that lots of other branches (on other islands) have way more internet terminals than we do.

#3) The first month is going to be hell. I don't suppose you have any vacation time saved up?

*sigh* I'm saving it up for next year, when I go to visit my family for a month.

[MoonChild2007]

Good for me for getting a computer! Although I will say that even people who don't work get hassled. we have a system where we swipe our library card to get a reservation. I did that and went to the computer. This came over to me to tell me that he was on that computer. ( I haven't seen him leave the computer) and I tell him that I just got on it. I get up to talk to the library associate about it. She tells me I should be on that computer. ( All of this while the stupid idiot wasn't even on the computer ) and I go back. He comes back and bitches to me again. I just got up and left. I couldn't take his bull anymore. I mean, i did NOTHING to this guy and he is harassing me.

Although a part of me wanted to tell the associate that the guy was bothering me.

[aurelemsrealm]

I frequently visited the library here in town when I first moved here a couple of years ago so I could get on the internet until I finally got set up to access it from home. This library grants patrons 1.5 hours per day to access the internet on a first come, first served basis. You type in your library card number and a password you select, and viola, you're surfing the net! I think I've seen only one patron throw a fit about having to give up the computer after 1.5 hours. He was even begging to buy more time for the day. It was a truly pitiful display, and he really made himself a laughing stock to everyone else who saw the scene he made. I would've like more time, myself, but I didn't make a scene about it. Besides, I generally had my day planned out so that I could do my e-mail and surfing before going to work for the evening.

[Ill_Used_Heroine]

You know, there's been a few times where it almost came to blows between patrons using our internet PCs. And, I swear, they're always just sending email. If sending/receiving email is that important, it's really time to get your own PC.

Yes, patrons using the internet is sucky when it comes to making appointments and chasing them off and all, but I have to say that the absolute worst part is that you need to have a valid library card to even use the internet here. So, if you aren't a resident of this state (or, if you are but can't officially prove it), you have to purchase a library card, either $10 for 3 months, or $25 for 5 years. I'm sure you can imagine how the tourists, who insist "I just need the internet for FIVE minutes to get my email!" feel about paying $10 for that all-important five minutes of online time.

"Where I live, it's FREE to use the internet, and you don't have to have a card!"
Yeah? So go back THERE and use it!

"Our library at home has 150 internet computers and you can just sit down and use them at any time!"
Uh huh ... well, we only have 4. And we have at least 50 people a day clamoring to get online. You do the math.

"Don't you have wifi for my laptop?"
Sir, you're lucky we have XP on our PCs. You should have been here 5 years ago when we were using Windows 3.11 ... now THOSE were good times. Good thing I know DOS.
"Dawws? What's that?"
Ummm ... nothing.

Oh yeah ... fun, fun, fun in the library!

[Ill_Used_Heroine]

I work in one of the worst branches in the district. My branch is understaffed, ill-equipped for the number of patrons currently using it, and mis-managed. It's a free-for-all in there. Situations are not handled appropriately, and patrons who should be trespassed on the spot are not. Management waits until problem patrons completely lose it and become hostile to employees and other patrons alike. It is a terrible work environment, but I am leaving it in the very near future.

And I thought my branch was bad ... your branch sounds just awful! *hug* Things here aren't quite that bad, but we do have a big homeless problem in addition to employees who like to get paid for doing nothing all day.

It's good you have that MLS, cause that should open a lot of doors ... and not just library ones. I keep thinking that if I ever moved back to the mainland, I could get a clerical job in any library. The question is, would I want to?

Good luck in LA!