Priority:     normal
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Mon, 5 Oct 1992 12:33:22 CDT
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Tony New <NEW@LIBRARY.UTA.EDU>
Subject:      Re: A READER COMMENTS

Hello Richard,

I'd also like to extend a "welcome" to you.  It is always nice to
hear from the patrons.

I'd like to  reinforce a couple of comments already made.

Unfortunately the "battleground" descriptor is all too apt.  We have
to deal with attempted and actual thefts, yelling patrons, lude and
obscene behaviour, threats of violence, actual violence, vagrants
sleeping (and doing other less pleasant acts) in the stairways and
many other actions on the part of the patron.  Through it all we are
expected to, and usually do, maintain a pleasant demeanour.  Hopefully
with the support of our superiors.

Circulation is one of the major service points and a "catch all" for
service functions that do not easily fit into the structure of other
departments.  Where reference is able to say "Sorry, we don't have
the information"  Circulation many times is in the position of an
"authority figure" and must say "You can't"  or "You are not allowed".
More simply:  Circulation is the department that for whatever reason
must say "No" more often than any other.  People do not like being
told "No".  They become upset.  Dealing with upset people is a time
consuming and stressfull activity.  Venting that frustration is
partially what has been taking place on this list.  Venting it here
where it is cathartic is preferable rather than at the desk where
it would be non-productive.

Personally, I have had books thrown at me; been accused of racism;
screamed at, threatened, and been told to perform acts which I do
not believe are physically possible <grin>.   It is tough to try to
remain civil in these instances.  I and others in my department have
attended various workshops designed to teach the skills used in de-
fusing tense situations.  The common denominator in these workshops
is that you can't control the other person's behaviour, only your own.
Maintaining a calm controlled response no matter what is the
objective.   I am lucky in that I have a supportive supervisor who
expects me to stand firm when called for and apologize and remedy the
situation when we make a mistake.

> People who refuse, for whatever
> reason to give their Social Security numbers, are labelled "jerks"
> by one librarian. Maybe they are a bit paranoid, maybe they are
> being pursued by vindictive ex-spouses, who knows? But they
> presumably have a right not to give their SS number -

Yes they do have a right to refuse to give their SS#.  It makes extra
work for the staff, however (which explains, if not excuses the
comment).  Libraries went to court and won the right to protect the
privacy of patron records.  When the patron is informed of this,
usually that alliveates the objections.

> Why did this behaviour work so well:
> because my complaint wasn't treated as unreasonable, on the
> contrary she made me feel that I Was important, and defused a
> situation which could have blown up very nastily if either of us
> had let it.

Bravo to the staff member who handled your complaint.

It is tough to handle situations where the patron is being abusive.
All we can do is try our best.


Signed

one-of-the-folks-at-the-counter


 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| Tony New                                   ===            __       |
| Central Reserves, Circulation                |=========== |  )     |
| Univ. of Texas at Arlington Library         //            \\       |
| Box 19497                                \   /            \   /    |
| Arlington, TX 76019-0497                -  +  -     o~   -  +  -   |
| NEW@LIBRARY.UTA.EDU                      /   \     ~      /   \    |
| Voice: 817-273-3395                                                |
| Fax    817-273-3392                       "That Cycling Fanatic"   |
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