[Publib] Patron disagrees with challenged and/or homeless people in the library--addendum

[Kevin Okelly]

Those are really great suggestions!

Kevin O'Kelly
Reference and Cataloging Librarian
Somerville Public Library
79 Highland Ave.
Somerville, MA 02143
(617)-623-5000


-----Original Message-----
From: Judith Turner <turnermalibmba at yahoo.com>
To: 'PubLib' <publib at webjunction.org>
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 08:12:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: [Publib] Patron disagrees with challenged and/or homeless
people in the library--addendum

> I sent this reply offlist to Denise on Monday but thought I'd send it
> out to the list because I'm not sure anybody mentioned some of the
> suggestions I had (also, perhaps this wound up in her SPAM filter as so
> many messages sent from a yahoo address do.)
> 
> Perhaps the patron mostly wanted to vent about an uncomfortable or even
> scary experience and that will be the end of it.  However, it would be
> a good p.r. move to suggest she come to the next board meeting and
> express her concerns there.  
> 
> That way it's her responsibility
> to decide how far she wants to take this while demonstrating that
> you're trying to make her comfortable at the library, too.  What you
> want to avoid is having her feel the library is unresponsive because
> she could do a fair amount of damage by complaining to friends, writing
> to local papers or calling elected officials and claiming library staff
> did nothing to stop what she considers threatening behavior (these
> things get exaggerated in the retelling.) 
> 
> It would be a good
> idea to bring the situation to the attention of  Board members and
> have
> a discussion or review existing policies regarding patron dress and
> behavior so everybody is on the same page in case there are further
> developments.
> 
> 
> I may be assuming this is more serious than it is, but you did see an
> email out asking for advice, so my final suggestion is to keep a record
> of these sort of contacts and your followups and any action taken.  If
> a perennial "odd" patron is provoking others to complain more
> frequently,  there my be something "odder" than normal that may
> require
> intervention by mental health professionals.
> 
> Judy Turner
> Whitefish Bay, WI
> 
> 
>