[Publib] "pet" names for librarians

[lynne ingersoll]

I get called a variety of things -- dear, honey, young lady (I'm over
60)--but I don't take offense if the person is from an older generation.
And I hardly ever hear than from a younger person.  I think it is pretty
harmless unless it's said with a smirk or a leer.  My nametag says Ms.
Ingersoll but many longtime patrons call me Lynne and that's fine with me.

We had a staff member some years ago named Susan, whose nametag read Beth.
She didn't want patrons to know her real name.

Lynne S. Ingersoll
Reference Services Manager
Blue Island Public Library
2433 York St.
Blue Island, IL 60406
(708) 388-1078 x20
(708) 388-9301 Fax
 
-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Sarah Hartman
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 2:35 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] "pet" names for librarians

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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