[Publib] "pet" names for librarians

[Sarah Hartman]

Another Sarah here, who gets called Amy consistently by a certain patron.

The pet names aren't particularly welcome, but I just ignore them.  I 
certainly prefer them to impromptu hugs after a session of Internet help, 
or high-fives in the stacks after helping a patron locate a book.  I doubt 
most people who use pet names know they are making others 
uncomfortable.  Maybe a friendly "oh, no need for sweetie, please just call 
me Sarah" would work?  That's what I have used for some of our non-native 
English-speaking patrons who call me "lady" when asking for help or 
thanking me.

Sarah Hartman
Middleton Public Library


At 12:28 PM 12/22/2006, you wrote:
>I woudl really like to know an effective, even "snappy" way to handle 
>patrons that call me "honey, sweetie, etc." as I help them over the phone. 
>It's bad enough that many of them get my name wrong (How do you get Joan, 
>Beth, etc. from Sarah?) Most of our patrons are old, and some heard of 
>hearing, and some senile, but I still don't like being called a "pet" name 
>by someone I don't even know. And I don't want to offend.
>
>Any good ideas?
>Sarah
>Utah State Library
>
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