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Re: response to reference hours



My 2 cents (and  a small digression) re: problem patrons and a reason to
stick politely & helpfully to policies that are there to protect resources
-

Beth Harris wrote:

>3) Dealing with unpleasant patrons.  This may sound like an excuse but I
do
>know that it's an issue with some people.  We recently had a graduate
>student who was really ugly to our reference staff because the archives
was
>closed. No one wants to be put in a position of dealing with difficult
>patrons and staff are less likely to support policies where this might
>happen.  I don't mind dealing with the patron because I have the authority
>to explain the issues but it's the weekend and evening staff that often
get
>the abuse.  If your staff can understand the issues, they in turn, can
>explain it to the patron.  It might help the staff to provide them with
>standardized answers for typical complaints.

I agree!

My experience with reference (academic library & archives on occasion) is
that patrons who make large amounts of fuss and/or become verbally abusive
about reasonable (albeit possibly unfamiliar to them) policies  are often
doing it in order to be able to walk off with materials.  It's a pretty
common technique  for getting people uncomfortable with &/ or untrained in
regard to problem patrons to give them what they want.  Granted, this is
not always the case, but who can afford the risk?  If they're intent on
getting at your stuff, it's not possible to generate a set of policies that
no one will ever take exception to - you'll have difficult patrons whatever
policies you adopt.

During my life at the reference desk at an art library special collection,
we had some very valuable books disappear forever because a patron made a
scene and bullied a staff person into giving her permission to take
room-use-only materials out overnight.   We used the sad incident to do a
staff training session on difficult patrons which helped quite a bit in
reducing the dread/stress of something like that happening again (which is
pretty much a certainty, eventually). 

Just be aware that a problem patron may be making a scene simply to be able
to manipulate staff into making exceptions(again, to perfectly reasonable
policies). Outrage and bluster are  especially effective techniques  with
library professionals & public servants, as they're taking advantage of the
desire on the part of the staff's professional committment to providing all
patrons what they need. 

I recommend calmly sympathizing with the person's need, firmly and politely
outlining  the policies and sticking to them, and offering them whatever
reasonable choices/alternatives  exist.  No need to be defensive (or even
apologetic IMHO).


Carolyn Texley
The Lincoln Museum
Ft. Wayne, IN

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