[Publib] Overdue notice language

[Chris Ely]

At 02:50 PM 1/3/2008, Conrad Rader wrote:
>My feeling is that a moment of whimsy needs to be looked at as a 
>good starting point.  I can see how some people could react 
>unfavorably to the notices, but as you say, if materials are coming 
>back and patrons are complaining, the glass-half-full part of me 
>thinks you have accomplished something and started a dialog where 
>none may have been before.

If materials are coming back and patrons are complaining, it's quite 
possible what's been accomplished is patrons saying, "I'll never go 
back there again." And they may be passing that on to their friends, 
family and the rest of the community, without adding the reason why 
is because *they* were late with materials and miffed at the tone of 
the notice.

I'm all for keeping things a little lighthearted, but perhaps the 
first lines of the statements (especially the latter two) are a 
little too light and come across as snarky, which can easily translate as rude.

Chris Ely

=====================
Whitewright Public Library, Whitewright, Texas
www.whitewright.lib.tx.us  <librarian at whitewright.lib.tx.us>

"Pathetic human race. Arranging their knowledge by category just made 
it easier to absorb. Dewey, you fool, your decimal system has played 
right into my hands." Futurama