[Publib] Re: Publib Digest, Vol 34, Issue 4 (Overdue Notice Language)

[loganrb at sbcglobal.net]

While I would not go so far as to say that the suggested reminder messages are "passive aggressive" or "nasty", they do come over as excessively cutesy, a quality which I find irritating. I am not surprised by the reaction of some of the recipients. Would I be mistaken in guessing that most of the complainants were men?

I am afraid that this kind of language plays to too many old stereotypes of libraries and librarians, and risks having the library tagged as "unserious" -  not at all desirable when we have to compete with more "serious" agencies for funds.

Although I have been told (instructed, even) that library users now prefer a "warm and fuzzy" approach, hardly any public library is autonomous, but must depend on a larger organization (city, county or district) for its continued well-being. The library's communications must reflect the entire organization to which it belongs - I would not care to receive a notice from the tax department or the health district which began with "Oops!", and I am not convinced that the library should be any different.

Unless, of course, we really do believe in the stereotype.

Robert Logan
Austin, TX



   



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