[Publib] Purposely Annoying Patron

[Linda Cannon]

You shouldn't need to make new rules for this patron. You should already
have rules, including barring harrassment of staff and patrons. That
covers an enormous array of behaviors.

I would suggest that the person in charge have a discussion with him
outlining his objectionable behaviors, and explaining that some of these
behaviors constitute harrassment. As far as asking the same question
over and over, that may be harrassment or may be due to some mental
impairment. If you think impairment is the problem, have the next staff
member who assists him print out the answer(s) and start a file. When he
asks the same question again, pull it out, copy it, and hand it to him.

Your rules should contain consequences for infringement, so you should
be able to tell him that if the harrassing behaviors do not cease and
desist that he will be banned from the library for a period of time. In
our shop, we extend the banishment for each subsequent event. So, we
might start off with a 2-week or month long ban (depending on the
type/severity of the behavior) and then the next time it would be two or
three times that period.

In most cases, one or two bans has done the trick. In some cases
(generally mental impairment of some type), we have had to ban someone
permanently. They may petition to be reinstated, but there are
conditions to be met. Sometimes we've just made a decision for the
patron. In this case, if explanations and a ban or two didn't work, I
would simply say, "I'm sorry, Mr. Smith, but we evidently cannot assist
you to your satisfaction, and will be unable to offer future reference
assistance." *That's* for the information seeking behavior. I would
absolutely not tolerate *any* instance of the physical behavior
described. On *that* score, I would tell him that if he touches anyone,
the police will be summoned.

Of course, given the above, you may understand why I am sometimes
referred to as "the Blonde Nazi." 


Linda Cannon, Collection Development Librarian
Joplin Public Library
300 S. Main St.
Joplin, MO  64801
417-623-7953
lcannon at joplinpubliclibrary.org
http://www.joplinpubliclibrary.org 
-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Denise Johnson
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 10:55 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Purposely Annoying Patron

I must begin by saying that 99% of our patrons are a pleasure to work
with. One gentleman has been purposefully annoying since October 2006.
He gets on a research and indexing use computer and asks for assistance.
He will wait until the staff member sits down and call her back for more
assistance. He will continue this behavior sometimes 27 times in one
session. He will return the next day and ask another staff member the
same questions, wait until she sits down and call that person back for
more assistance. 

He will ask a question and when you explain the answer he just stares at
your eyes, smiling and will come back at you with the same question in a
different phrasing. He will ask the same questions of each of the three
women who work in this area of the building. (I suspect he would do the
same if the employee were a male.)

When helping him find an item in the stacks, he would block her exit
from the stacks, or make it so she would have to make body contact with
him when trying to exit. When the staff member went the other direction,
and he paced her along the line of stacks and quickly stepped out in
front of her at the end of the row so she would bump into him*each time
chuckling.  

At one point, he asked a question and after receiving the answer, he
responded with "You sure look nice."  He said he had to go to the car to
get his cell phone as he was expecting a call, could he leave his books
on the table.  He was told he could leave the books, but needed to take
his two back packs with him.  He expressed incredulous disbelief that he
couldn't leave them since he was coming right back and trusted us to
watch them.  

Many mornings we find a pile of goatheads (local seeds with stickers
that really hurt to pick up with your bare hands), fuzz, or string, etc.
on and around the table where he's sat.  

It is my opinion that this is at best childish, push-your-button
behavior. It may be the precursor to an adult Alzheimer's or other
mental behavior. At worst this is a serious mental problem, since he
smells more "rank" by the week. 

We believe he is being purposefully annoying and trying to instigate an
incident. In general I am opposed to issuing a new policy to counter the
actions of one annoying person, since that may interfere with our
ability to assist another (only on one occasion) annoying patron. How
would you handle this situation? We are losing patience.


Denise Johnson, County Librarian
Midland County Public Library
301 W. Missouri Ave
Midland, TX 79701
Direct Phone:(432) 688-4333
Fax: (432) 688-4939
e-mail denise_johnson at co.midland.tx.us
Main Library number (432) 688-4320


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