Anonymous Patron writes “On the heels of a December 26th story, An Olympian editorial blames a subset of homeless patrons for the increased vandalism and crime at the Timberland Regional Library:
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Librarians report an increase in disruptive, even criminal, behavior in recent months, much of it stemming from the transient crowd.
Library staff has been verbally and physically abused. There have been reports of illegal drug use in the bathrooms and drinking on library property. Vandalism is on the rise. Loud voices and erratic behavior shatter the typical, quiet atmosphere most people associate with libraries.
Something has to be done to restore law and civility to this very important public gathering place.”
Daniel adds: It’s good to see a newspaper that sees a public library as a place worth defending!
The walmart gambit. Greet library customers.
One model is greeting library users and visitors every time including every next visit like at Walmart. The walmart gambit reduced the incidents because greeting people humanizes the venue more.
At our libraries in Boston and Cambridge people are often not greeted routinely. A lot of library customers needing library services slip through out of concerns for things like interrupting the librarians, concerns they might take too much time, concerns that they are not considered to be worthwhile library customers, concerns the librarians do not like them, concerns they might be considered stupid, et cetera, et cetera.
A friendly open unformulated greeting to people you pass by does a lot more than is often thought. It makes you appear more humane.
Re:The walmart gambit. Greet library customers.
Oddly I agree.
Most people apologize for interrupting me when in actuality I work for them and I am there to help them. I am always ready and willing to help a patron.
I suggested library orientation tours be made available for new library card holders. Sign up, get a card and let us show you around. Five minutes is all it would take, 10 tops. Nobody bought into my idea at the department head meeting so it died. Oh well…
We have so many volunteers we could have greeters. We don’t have problems with bums and junkies and too many perverts but the greeter could nip that in the bud too (or get stabbed by some whacko so get a big burly greeter). If the troublesome patrons have to look the greeter in the eye and respond to their cherry hello they may simply go elsewhere.
Re:The walmart gambit. Greet library customers.
At my library, our patrons know they can interrupt us. Every computer at the reference desk has a “Please Interrupt Us” sign front and center on top of the monitor. It’s not unusual for new patrons to come up to the desk, maybe hesitantly, laugh when they see the sign, and announce that they’re interrupting.
Re:The walmart gambit. Greet library customers.
Besides people with careers at libraries our libraries’ afficionados can be resources too. A new model of reference desk services could include gathering groups of library users and sharing hints, tips and pointers or doing that via your favorite libraries’ online forums. Odd that libraries shy away from setting up such tools that would make more accessible and available collections and expertise!
Avid library users know that you can go about things the way you are supposed to or you can go about things in different ways serendipitously other that the way you are supposed to go about navigating the collections.
Not just public libraries
At our last university faculty senate, there was a report from campus security about how disruptive and even violent incidents in classrooms were dramatically rising. At my previous campus, we had to break up a couple fist fights in the library this year–something that had never happened before.
It’s not just public libraries and the homeless. People in general are just getting more surly, it seems. It’s frightening.