On Wednesday I had the wonderful opportunity to take my grandchildren, ages 5 and 8, to the public library near their home in West Columbia for a special outing after school. We had their library cards and permission from Mama to check out books and videos so we were set. When we got to the library, the 8-year-old immediately started looking for books by her favorite authors and also books in her favorite series. I offered to help but she quickly informed me that she could search the card catalog for what she needed (her school librarians would have been so proud!). I was pleased that she didn’t hesitate to approach the librarian with questions about where things were.
The 5-year-old wanted to use the computer to play some of the educational games available. She sat down at the computer and the librarian immediately yelled across the library that she (meaning my granddaughter) couldn’t use the computer unless she had a library card and would give it to the librarian so computer access could be granted. I took the card to the librarian for her to scan the barcode and waited for her to return it to me. In a very exasperated voice I was informed that she had to keep the card as long as the child was on the computer and that there was a 30 minute limit and then she’d better be finished.
While the 5-year-old was using the computer, I selected some books for her and the 8-year-old found books she wanted as well as videos for her and her sister. It was then that we were told in a very unpleasant manner that the computer time was up. That was just as well because it was time for us to leave since their mom was off work and expecting us home. As we started to leave the children’s room, the librarian, in a rather accusing tone, asked the children just how many library cards we had. I told her that we had two, one for each of the children. The librarian then told me we had too many videos, that only 3 were allowed per card. Being a librarian I certainly didn’t have a problem with their limiting the number of videos that could be checked out but I sure did have a problem with the attitude of that children’s librarian and how she related to my grandchildren.
Well, the children decided which video they would put back and we proceeded to the check-out desk. Rudeness in the children’s section was nothing compared to the attitude we encountered at the check-out desk. If it had not been for disappointing my grandchildren, I would have left every book and video right there and walked out.
Hospitality is so important to every library patron but it’s especially important to young children who are emerging readers and library users. The way they are treated in their public and school libraries will set the tone of how they perceive libraries and librarians for the rest of their lives. What does it cost to smile? to be pleasant? The same information could have been shared with me and my grandchildren in a pleasant manner. Rudeness was not necessary; it made me decide that the next time my grandchildren want books to read that we’ll go to Barnes and Nobel where they are treated with respect and people are interested in them.
Driving home from work tonight I heard a portion of the John Tesh radio show. One of his “intelligence for your life” tidbits was a report on a news article from a midwest newspaper which said we are, in general, becoming ruder to everyone we encounter. After our experience in that public library I would have to agree. Unfortunately, the attitude of these public librarians is often the attitude I find in schools and school libraries around the state; it makes me cringe to hear how some school librarians talk to the students who are their customers. I can choose not to return to that public library but our students can’t necessarily choose to do the same. What message are we sending our children when we, their librarians, treat with them disrespect, rudeness, curtness, and general disdain. As a profession we say that our job is to create lifelong readers and learners but with the attitude exhibited by many in our profession what we’re really creating is a generation of people who will have little regard for, or use of, libraries of any kind.
I challenge any librarian who reads this to take a close, critical look at the hospitality level of his or her library. Enlist some “secret shoppers” to visit your library and give you feedback on your hospitality quotient. If you don’t get a positive report from your secret shopper, then some serious work is needed to increase your customer service rating and treat your patrons (aka customers) with the proper attitude. Hospitality and general friendliness…so important yet so often lacking in our relationship with our library users. What would it cost you to change your library atmosphere? I certainly hope that happens in the public library I visited this week but I fear nothing will change. Perhaps rather than posting to my blog about the experience I should just write a letter to that library director. Now where did I put my pen and paper?
2 responses so far ↓
anonymom // September 29, 2007 at 12:21 pm |
Wow, I am so surprised to read that you were treated rudely at a children’s library, a place where nurturing children is supposed to be a priority! We have a wonderful library in our town with an amazing staff.
Mary // September 16, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
I, too, have experienced rudeness in a public library. Unfortunately, libraries are not always any different than other public places (i.e. stores, movie theaters, etc). when it comes to employees having a bad day and taking it our on their customers. I do believe, however, that with the public perception of libraries that we are constantly trying to improve, we shoud be very, very cognizant of interactions with our patrons. A bad day is no excuse when one’s whole perception of good service is based on its interactions with the public.