[Publib] Attitudes in the Library.

Sat Mar 28 08:51:39 EDT 2009

While I would love to walk into a church-like library, and relish the
few remaining public libraries that are able to maintain this
absurd/unnatural sense of hallowedness, I think there is no excuse save
nostalgia to wish that the library was like the "good ole days" when
people were intimidated by it. My own mother will not go into the
library, and her daughter is a librarian! She does view the library like
a church, like it belongs to someone else and you are just a annoying
visitor who shouldn't breathe too loud. She is a literate adult, over 50
years old and the library intimidates her because of how it was in the
past. This is just absurd. People should not feel this way. It's bad for
business and bad for them too. 

I agree that we should encourage (read enforce) respect in the library,
and find a way to manage our resources so that we provide high-quality
materials and put more towards research activities than towards
entertainment. I'm a strong supporter of computers areas with different
functions. I don't give 2 craps what someone is doing on
Facebook-"networking", waiting to hear from a friend about a job,
writing to their child in Iraq, sending ridiculous pictures to their
friends-- if it is important to them, it is important. However, people
who are doing research, applying for jobs, dare I say it..learning or
trying to learn need to have easy access.  They shouldn't have to wait
for hours for someone talking crap to their friend who is across the
room. (In my library, having a bloody teen area would solve 90% of our
problems, but I'm not the person who makes these decisions.) 

In my opinion there are bigger, deeper issues here than what is
entertainment and what is valid learning. I work in an urban library and
when I see people come and do to use the computers or check out books, I
see one big lesson in race and class, especially class. Adults,
librarians included, complain and complain about the teenagers and riff
raff, but we should all know that the people who smell and wreak havoc
and spend all day on Facebook would be doing this at home if they had
the cash. People are crummy and lazy and rude and stinky, but they want
to participate and the library is the only way for a lot of people. It
is society's focus on the individual that is the problem, not the
library's. People who have money pay attention to the millions of
advertisements encouraging them to buy one more thing and treat
themselves to the healing powers of carrots stuck in your ears, and the
spa who can provide this service with chocolate covered strawberries on
top. Even if you don't have money, this idea is everywhere. The library
is one of the few public spaces left, and in my town, like many, doesn't
have free showers or free mental health care. What's a librarian to do??

Yes, I want people to have more respect for the library, but no amount
of rules is going to change that. When I enforce rules, I do my best the
convey to people that they are not just violating a rule they are
disrespecting everyone in the library and not just my sense of decorum
and the sacredness of books. Major attitude shifts need to take
place-people have to see themselves as part of a larger picture. The
rich folks at home are as selfish as the poor folks at the library, and
that's part of the problem. 

I'll stop now so I can go open the doors.

jillian

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of
terry.lawler at phoenix.gov
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 5:33 PM
To: Backwage at aol.com
Cc: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] Attitudes in the Library.

As usual, you crack me up.  I am very sure that I would never have been
able to keep a straight face if someone asked me what semen tased like.

It is true, as a public librarian I don't always get to set the terms of
the encounter.  I get to set limits, but the terms aren't always mine.
On the days when that gets frustrating and I start to judge people, I
just remember that I have the coolest job on the planet and thank the
gods and goddesses that I'm not still working at Hooters.

Oh, and I am pretty sure that I DO make a lot of kids pray for my
forgiveness;)

***************************************************************
"We connect today's community to a world of possibilities."

Terry Ann Lawler             4402 N. 51st Avenue
Librarian II*Lead               Phoenix  AZ  85031
Palo Verde Library            602-534-5967
  www.phxlib.org <http://www.phxlib.org/>

Read Our Teen Blog                            
www.phxblaze.blogspot.com <http://www.phxblaze.blogspot.com/>  
Friend us! 
www.myspace.com/phxlib

-----Backwage at aol.com wrote: -----

To: Terry Lawler/LIB/PHX at PHXENT, publib at webjunction.org
From: Backwage at aol.com
Date: 03/27/2009 03:10PM
Subject: Re: [Publib] Attitudes in the Library.

In a message dated 3/27/2009 11:24:31 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
terry.lawler at phoenix.gov writes: 

	1. What sexual positions are good for someone who is 8 months
pregnant? 

	2. How do I expunge my criminal record? 

	3. How do I know when my eggplants are ripe? 

	4. I want to make my car run on old french fry juice, how do I
do it? 

	5. I need to learn how to cook Mexican food, I just moved in
with my dad and I'm tired of eating quesadillas every night. 

Just by way of comparison, the questions I have been recently asked
while working as an analyst and researcher in a private firm: 

1.  "Is it true that having sex is good for cramps?"  (at first I
thought she said "gramps" and had my answer all ready). 

2.  "How do I expunge my son's criminal record?" 

3.  "Can you find my son-in-law?" (daughter was pregnant)  

4.  "What is the cheapest place around for Thai food?"  (they were
buying) 

5.  "You're a librarian?  Why don't you work in a library?  I thought
that was for women."  (I told him I was pretending) 

6.  "What does semen taste like?"  (I thought he said, 'cement,' and
said, "It tastes like concrete, only dry."  After being corrected I
said, "It probably tastes like children."  

My patrons aren't homeless drunks; they come back from lunch drunk
sometimes.  One other difference:  when they ask me complex questions, I
have to produce a written report with footnotes.  Last week I put
together a response to an RFP in a couple of hours.  

Actually, the difference between this work and public library reference
is that I can act like an old-time librarian.  I can recommend books and
un-recommend others.  I can set the terms of encounter.  My people can
work me very hard (I am on duty 24/7) but they respect me and my work.
Nobody dares to correct, doubt or second-guess me.  If they disagree,
they can write their own report, and they haven't yet.  

On the side, I help some of the employees with their college homework;
also their kids with whatever they're doing, so long as it isn't math or
chemistry.  Most of what my firm publishes is written by me:  manuals,
scripts, all that sort of thing.  

I think that being a librarian (by whatever name) you've got to have two
attitudes:  one from Jesus and another from God.  You should act like
you want to wash the feet of everybody you see, and simultaneously
project that everybody ought to pray for your forgiveness.  

M. 

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