Dealing with the Difficult

A short while back I gained my first library job, and while it’s been quite taxing after my original job, I find it suits my desires. Many of the patrons who visit the library are knowledgeable in the sense that they know what they are looking for or know whom to ask to find said item. Though there have been a few patrons who have come in looking for things the library does not provide.

One such patron happened upon my work area while I was in the middle of training with my supervisor. Said patron walked up to us and asked a question of us that in no uncertain terms the library could answer or even attempt to do so. However this patron was adamant that the question be answered to satisfaction.

I took a breath and asked a cautious question of my own. I did not want to brush this patron off, but did not also want to inflame their anger either. I wanted to diffuse a little of the stress I had heard in the original question. Unsatisfied the patron left the library. Belatedly I came to understand I could have handled this situation much better. But it was handled tactfully at the time.

My own personal strategy varies depending on the issue and the patron, but can be summed up as:

1. Take a breath.

• A few heartbeats are enough to collect your thoughts and form what you wish to say. When taken by surprise it can feel natural to want to immediately say something, but take a moment to form the right response in your head.

2. Answer the question.

• Refer to your library’s policy or procedures regarding this issue. Don’t attempt to deflect or walk around the patron’s query or statement, this may just make the patron more stressed or angry than they already are.

3. Rely upon coworkers and supervisors.

• Unless you work alone rely upon those who have more experience than you. It also helps to have another person to help to diffuse a charged situation.

In addition I would like to refer you to this excellent article dealing with problem patrons entitled Problem Situations, Not Problem Patrons, by Steven Slavick.

For a bullet point list please check out MLA2010: Black Belt Librarians: Dealing with Difficult Patrons, by Brian Herzog. Especially the section titled “How to (safely) approach a stranger and get them to comply with policy.”

OCLC WebJunction also has a free recorded Webinar called Dealing with the Difficult Patrons. You can access the recording here. The webinar is about an hour long, but well worth it! For those of you who work alone there is a good part at the 40:56 time mark that deals with your specific situation.

Abby and A Look at What Digital Natives Want From Libraries

We have to get ready for Abby and her peers. Actually, they are hear but some of the adults want to pretend that they are not.



If you have ever seen a four year-old pick up an iPad and master it in five minutes you know that this is not that much of an exaggeration.

From the web site:

VALA - Libraries, Technology and the Future Inc. is an independent Australian based not-for-profit organisation that aims to promote the use and understanding of information technology within libraries and the broader information sector. VALA also offers its members access to a dynamic and professional network of information technology practitioners.

Yes, she may have been coached in what to say but the words are true. Wow. The times they are a changing.

Research Channel - Feed Your Head

If left to my own devices I would be watching TED videos and those of the Research Channel. Intelligent information, discussions and alternative sources to the barking reality shows of prime time television. No insult to canines intended.

The topics range from geology, medicine, engineering, genetics, psychology and more.
Per the channel description:

Research Channel is a nonprofit media and technology organization that connects a global audience with the research and academic institutions whose developments, insights and discoveries affect our lives and futures.

This is a video from 2008 by the California State University Monterey Bay on the role that libraries play on the university campus.

The web site seems to be down at the moment so the best place to catch up on the video archive is the YouTube channel or visiting YouTube.edu

Bob Ducket on Using Your Wits

I subscribe to a lot of blogs and websites, both within and outside of the library community. Some times it happens that a non-library resource leads me back to a topic that was covered in the program.

This is one of those times. Bob Duckett was a Reference Librarian of Bradford City Libraries in the United Kingdom. In the post entitled "Reference Desk: Tips on Using Your Wits" he writes about how do you effectively find information for library patrons, no matter when you started learning how to do so.

UK vs US Terminology

This is a guess on my part but when Bob talks about the Enquiry Desk I think that is the same as our Reference Desk. This is a sample:

I exaggerate, and lucky you if you know your clientele and know what their likely demands will be: the course that students will be doing perhaps, or the job descriptions of users of a firm's library. But on a public library counter the next enquirer is likely to be unknown to you. You are at the mercy of the World and his Significant Other.

Yes, my years of watching Dr. Who has come in handy. Which is another point in the article, you want a broad based of knowledge. It is not just the academics, it is the connection with the various worlds we occupy. Your hobbies, past careers and eccentricities are a bonus to be embraced. You will be surprised on how helpful they can be in a pinch.

Take Away Points

Much of what he has to same is common sense but since that is not so common you should be on the safe side and read this anyway. The three main take away point I got were:

• Never talk down to a patron
• Use the interview format to properly understand your patrons needs
• Know your sources and resources. Not everything can be found on the Internet so be open to cracking a book open once in a while. If the microfilm/fiche reader is functional give it a go and discover the past.
  

This was a good article and I do recommend that those of you who may find themselves at the reference desk read and review the concepts.

Volunteer Opportunities at Pasadena (CA) Central Library

The main branch needs volunteer assistance with the Pasadena Community Calendar and the online database AccessPasadena.net

What is involved:

• Data entry,
  
• Online research and verification,
• Customer service.

Provides an opportunity to gain inside knowledge of the various facets of public libraries.

Required skills:

• Effective computer skills: software, browser and typing;
• Effective communication skills: telephone and e-mail.
  

Recommended preparation

• Completion of: LIB 1, 10A, Bit25/CIS 1, LIB 102 (Reference) and LIB 105A (Cataloging)
  

Requirements:

• 5 hours per week, Monday- Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm. Flexible schedule.
  
• Minimum commitment of 4 months.

To apply, contact:

Aracely Sustaita
Technology & Information Systems
Pasadena Public Library / Glendale Public Library
626.744.4254 - phone
626.449.2165 - fax

Yeah, I'm Checking You Out!

When you first glance at this title, you may think I'm talking about checking out a book or even just checking you out. But alas, this humorous post has to do with checking the photos on the student IDs when people check out items here at the Shatford Library. I have to confess before taking the LIB 103 Introduction to Circulation class, I would tend to get lazy about taking the quick extra few seconds to look at the college IDs that students, faculty and staff use to check things out especially when things get crazy at the Circulation Desk. But after listening to our teacher, Eric Hanson, who is ironically also my boss, say that he certainly hoped his Circulation workers were making sure to check those student IDs, I vowed to start taking the extra time to always make sure the person using the ID in hand belonged to that individual. Upon doing so, I recently made a list of the interesting things I noticed as I really took notice of the college IDs.

The most unforgettable card that a student handed to me was truly all mangled up so it was truly hard not to check it out. Immediately, I wondered how on earth the card got in that shape. I tried not to convey any kind of expression but maybe I didn't succeed. As I was typing in his student ID number, he said that his dog had tried to eat his card. I have to confess that I wouldn't have guessed that! I did joke that his dog truly must have been hungry then. It's not as if those plastic student IDs are all that tasty.

Another time I had to look back and forth from the student and the ID card several times because the student really looked very much different from the picture. It's not often surprising to see pictures where the guy had longer hair and a beard in the picture and then currently be sporting a buzzcut and be cleanshaven or a girl has her hair in a completely different style and color. But this guy just seemed not to look like the same guy. After a few looks, I decided it was him. I was tempted to suggest maybe he needs to take a new picture since he had changed so much since his picture was taken.

Other Things Noticed

• Many people do not like to smile for pictures.
• Some people were so not prepared for picture day!
• Magnetic tape falling off or completely missing so have to type in the identification number.
• Bent cards (Perhaps kept in back pocket at one point as I've been known to do.)

I will confess I didn't think it would be much fun having to remember to look at each individual ID card when people are checking things out but it has turned out to be much more entertaining than I could have imagined. I actually look forward to checking people's id cards now when I'm on duty at the PCC Library Circulation Desk.

Quote of the Week

The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history. - Carl T. Rowan

Considering that it seems most of my life has been beleaguered by our country being at war with someone, this quote reached out to me from the many quotes I pondered upon. In addition, the concept of intellectual freedom is one that has been explored in basically every course I've had in the PCC Library Technology Program. Without fail, from Circulation to Cataloging, it comes up again and again. One can try to run from such a concept but when our country whose democratic values have been founded upon the idea of having an informed society then it cannot be ignored.

Once again, the PCC Courier printed an editorial opinion lamenting over the noisiness found in the PCC Shatford Library. I felt once again they have misunderstood what the mission of the library strives for. Sure, there are some students who need quiet study areas. But others are learning through noisy group study. And if the library is indeed a temple of learning, who is to say it must be a quiet place all the time? I don't know of any actual church/temple that is always quiet. There is a time for quiet and a time for noise.

That is not to suggest that I don't believe that noise is not an issue at all in the PCC library at this time. But I do believe the PCC Courier failed to properly investigate what the Shatford Library is doing in coming up with solutions for this issue. One thing for sure is there is no easy answer. One may wonder why is there such a problem. Speaking with Mary Ann Laun, our Library Director, I found out there are a couple reasons why the library is so heavily populated and noisy at times. She stated that one reason is the library serves as an only open student lab for drop in use. Secondly, we are also a temporary "campus center" since there is no venue at this time until construction of the new one is finished. What was astonishing to find out from her is this: "This Fall semester, this library with 950 seats was serving 8500 students!"

Wow! That would definitely explain the incredible number of students served at the Circulation desk during the first few weeks of the semester. I remember days when it seemed you were lucky to catch a breath in between helping students at the desk. And all the shushing we would do as people would walk in. As things have calmed down, I find we still have to remind students to lower their voices but not as much.

Upon talking with fellow co-workers at the Circulation Desk, we were in agreement that the noisier patrons tend to be younger or older people. It didn't surprise me at all that the younger students would tend to be noisier due to my experience working at elemntary and high school libraries. Normally, when the school library is occupied by students it is indeed not quiet. As for older people, perhaps it could be due to talking louder due to hearing loss. I know I can relate to that myself as I sometimes talk louder than I realize due to my hearing loss.

Solutions in Motion

• Announcements (which the students didn't like)
• Campus cadets
• New signage
• Personal intervention service (if students come to the desk and complain)
• Roving technicians

As one can see, it's been a trial and error process in trying to come up with resolutions that makes the majority of people satisfied. Please note that I said, the majority of people. In a perfect world, we'd be able to satisfy everyone but there are some that no matter what you do, you can't satisfy them.

On a good note though.....

Yesterday in LIB 103 Circulation class, our teacher and Access Librarian, Eric Hanson talked about this issue briefly. He talked about how there was one student who had e-mailed the library from his blackberry several times about the noise issue. What was gratifying to hear is that more recently the student e-mailed the library once again to say that he noticed the efforts the library has taken to make it an easier place to study quietly. So the efforts have not gone unnoticed at least by some!

Yes, we could tell someone to just come at a different time to study when the library is quieter like in the evening or on a Saturday. But perhaps that is not a viable solution for that student. I have to admit that I hear quite a few people asking if the library is open on Sunday but alas we aren't. I'm sure if we were open on Sunday, it would indeed be quiet then as well.

Mary Ann Laun also said that in planning the new building for the library based on what we know now, they would definitely have added way more study rooms. Hopefully, none of them would be right next to the lecture room in the library though. There's been many a lecture when the teacher has had to tell a noisy study group in the room right next door to keep it down. Even though we have study rooms, another issue is they aren't sound-proof. So that's another concern as well. It seems it never ends, doesn't it? But I believe that's part of what makes library work stay challenging.

The message I wished the PCC Courier could have relayed is this: We should all try to respect each other within the limited space in the PCC Shatford Library during this time as we reach our learning goals at hand.

Swiss Army Librarian - On The Front Line of the Reference Desk

Folks talk a lot about library 2.0 and technology. I know I do it but I'm a book loving nerd with a thing for gadgets. But what if we are being distracted from what is really necessary? Serving the patrons at the various level of services that they need.

Swiss Amery Librarian thought about this and he graphically should what is necessary and what is possible in today's public library.


This is a quote from his post:

It is the role of the library to take what we can get, and do the best we can with it to meet the needs of our patrons. Sometimes this means offering limited or abridged services, or services that sort of do what we want, but aren’t ideal (i.e., the current state of downloadable audiobooks). But even by working within the constraints placed on us by the groups that support us, we should always strive to provide patrons with services tailored to meet their needs.

That is getting harder to do with budget being squeezed, patrons increasing use of libraries and limited staffing hours. Yet, librarians and library workers make it happen every day.

It is a good post and has given me much to think about. I'm not giving up my gadgets just yet.

Pasadena Public Library Reviewed onYelp

A few weeks ago I was mentioning the importance of being aware of social networking for library workers. There are online communities that share information and hip each other to what is good and what is bad in their opinion.


Yelp is a community that allows users to review and rate a restaurant, hotel, theater experience and yes, even a library experience. The Pasadena Public Library (California) has a Yelp page and at least 23 people have chimed in about their experience about using the library.

For the most part, it is a positive experience for patrons. They like the atmosphere, the beauty of the library, that it has wi-fi, and for one user that it still have VHS videos.

Now some folks felt it was creaky as in creaky chairs and tables and didn't care for the restroom. I understand, as did others people that particular issue related to certain members of the homeless population. There is no easy answer about that situation.

Check out the reviews and if you want to chime in on the Pasadena Public Library, most of us who are or have been in the program have been roaming the halls, then you can add your opinion as well.

The other thing to keep in mind about this is that other libraries can be reviewed as well. Especially if you are looking for work in a library and want to know what the patrons feel about their experiences.

The advantages for libraries this is a way to gauge how the public perceives your services and what they found valuable. It gives libraries an way to take a truth pill as to how they are doing.
It is important to remember that these are people that are motivated to share what they think. It may or may not be unbiased but it is one person's opinion gathered in a collection.

For one library in the valley that might be a bitter pill to swallow. I mention no names but people will talk. Some of that conversation is happening on Yelp.

Quote of the Week

"Seventy million books in America's libraries, but the one you want to read is always out."- Tom Masson

Coming upon this quote made me smile, laugh and ponder. There has been many a time I've gone to the library and the very thing that I want to borrow is indeed out or perhaps not even available period. So I'm forced to find a suitable substitute if such a thing is really possible. Ultimate reading pleasure satisfaction is what I'm after usually. Though lately, I've been seeking to fulfill informational needs for various areas in my life as well.

Also, it made me think about the students that come in the elementary school library where I work that want a particular book but we don't have it or it's checked out. It's not always easy convincing a kid to find something else to read when his heart is set on a particular book. I do my best to meet this challenge though. I will admit it's helpful that usually the student's teacher will help ease this situation as well if need be.

In addition, it's something I have to deal with working at the Circulation Desk at the PCC library. Students often want a reserve textbook that is checked out by someone else exactly during the time frame they need it. It's especially can be frustrating when there is only one copy available. One way we try to deal with that situation is a having a Reserve Materials Request list. While students cannot reserve these type of materials, having such a list keeps students from monopolizing reserve items when other students need them. Other times, it could be a regular circulating book is out and we tell the student that he can put a hold on it. If we're not too busy, we'll help them put a hold on the book. We also refer them to the Reference Desk to find where they can hopefully find the wanted item at a nearby library.

Recently in a film, "How May I Help You? (Soaring to Excellence)" put out by the College of Du Page Press that we watched in LIB 103 Introduction to Circulation, a librarian spoke of how her mother stopped going into her public library due to continuously not being able to find exactly what she wanted. Of course, this is not something we as library students and/or workers like to hear, I would hope! Perhaps this was a lack of customer service on that library's part? (Incidentally, this was a film that dealt primarily with customer service in the library.)

Anyhow, I am hoping the next time I go to my public library haunt that I won't have to hunt so hard for my pressing heart's desire in reading pleasure. Though on second thought, I've found many a new favorite author when I couldn't find exactly what I wanted on my first try. So perhaps not finding exactly what one wants isn't such a bad thing as it can lead you to new books and paths.

Every Day is a Different Day

When I first started working on the Library Student Task Force, I feared a possibility of getting bored with my job due to its basic simplicity. I can say that my fears were unfounded as I discovered quickly that every day is truly different at my job. Although, I have the same schedule and tasks every day, every week, there are factors that make it different.

All the new faces I see every day amidst the familiar students studying in their favorite spots throughout the library. I come across different books every single day which broadens my view of the literary world-fiction and non-fiction. I have to confess it's really hard sometimes not to want to sit down and go through the books I come across but alas, I must wait till my shift is over. Sometimes I put books aside on my book truck to look at later and/or check out or just make note of the book's catalog number to find at another time.

Different questions get posed every single day from patrons whether they're students, staff, or visitors. I daresay the most unexpected question I got from a student was when a girl asked me if it was okay to take a class for fun. This happening the second week on the job!

I am now used to getting questions about:

• Where are the restrooms located?
  
• Can you print from the catalog search computers?
  
• Where can you get the print-out?
  
• What are the most books you can check out?
  
• Do you have to reserve the study rooms to use them?
  
• What are the hours of the library?
  
• Where are there more computers with internet access besides the few on the third floor?
• Where can I check out books?
  
• Where can I find this book?
  
• Where are these type of books located?
  
• Where can I use or plug in my laptop?
  

And the list goes on. Most of these I can easily answer but some I must refer to our trusty reference librarians.

It's a never-ending cycle in the library. Books in, books out. I pick up the same books day after day for re-shelving. While it might seem that would be annoying, I love finding out what the "popular" books are with the students and what their interests are.

You can also tell where we are in the semester usually by what books and materials are being used the most. Lately, all the signs of people doing papers for English or other classes has been quite obvious as we've gotten closer to the end of the semester due to an increase of activity in the 800s.

The side projects such as book shifting and re-balancing along with cleaning that gets tackled in the library also helps keep things from becoming dull.

So for a meager salary as some would say, I find I'm gaining worthwhile experience in an entertaining environment. Did I mention all that I see that happens in the library as I work? That's a post for another day, folks!

Thoughts About Library Customer Service

Sometimes you have a really bad day. Sometimes you have a bad day and you have a person with really poor social skills demanding your attention.

Sometimes you want to take your fist and deliver a therapeutic one-two punch to help that person come to their senses. I can't do that. For one thing I can't throw a proper punch. The second reason is that I suspect it is against the rules and quite possibly the law.

I repeat, don't hit the doofus. This does not mean that you can't protect yourself from the hostile, the hoity or the clueless.

Good customer service skills can help you gain control over ourself so that you don't allow yourself to get amped by professionally rude people. So this is just a brief survey of some of the resources you can use to build up your customer service muscles.



This is a video that demonstrates a problem library customer and the techniques on how to handle the situation. At the end of the video there are four written tips on the skills used to handle the patron.

Here is my real world example.

I was in a recently in situation trying to help a person. The client felt that I was not helping fast enough. "Why can't you just do it!" she barked. "Why are you asking these questions. I don't have time for this, just get me what I want."

Kinda hard to do when you don't know what she wants and she barely has a clue. I finally get it out of her and hand her the correct document to sign. The woman snatches it out of my hands, signs it and flung the pen across the desk.

I wish I could tell you I did a good job of delivering what she asked for. I didn't I was more focused on getting her out of my face. Intellectually I understood it was not about me, the women walked in with a foul mood. But I could have done a better job of dealing with the situation.

Other Resources

I wish I would have seen the video on how to handle Abusive Customers from Pam at Expert Village on YouTube. There was a segment of how to deal with verbally or physically abusive customers.

Steve over at http://blogaboutlibraries.com has a nice 20 item list on some of the things to think about when trying to keep customers happy.



And finally Jim from All Business.com gives a concise, easy to understand video outline on how to listen and provide services to an irate customer.