We don't get that many 'incidents' at the library, and - until yesterday - had never been involved in one personally.
That afternoon, I did the library bus thing, doing the rounds of the retirement villages and rest homes. I took with me a young assistant, a school girl doing work experience.
Our third stop was outside a rest home; the residents are mainly retired nuns and priests, and of course non-residents come on board and get all social. It gets quite busy because there are lots of customers and many of them need a hand with the steps and the books.
A young-ish, scruffy-looking guy, reeking of alcohol and loud of voice, came on board and told us he wanted a card. I got my assistant to hand him a registration form and tell him we had to see proof of ID and proof of address. He went home to get his IDs. He came back with 3 ID cars, but none of them included a proof of address. I told him so, but he just grizzled and complaints from him. The customers made disapproving noises. After more grizzling, he announced that he was a member of the library. So why was he asking for a new membership? Oh - he just wanted a replacement card. So I told him we could give him a replacement card for $2. Suprisingly, he continued to grizzle, complaining that he had 3 IDs and should be allowed to take out books. Confusion took over, and I binned his registration form and tended to the soberer customers.
Anyway, time came for us to drive to the next stop and he wouldn't leave. He stalked around the bus, looking at books. We called the police. The police came. We removed a library book from his hand. He left the bus.
The crux of the story is, even though he was a bit drunk, I probably could have handled it better so that he'd either get what he wanted or leave peacefully. I think some of my call-centre ex-workmates could have done it, they get complaining customers all the time. I let myself get offended and ended up getting the police involved.
2 comments:
I think you did just fine. I'd have called the police, too. Of course, in our area we get drunks and junkies all the time, so I've lost all sympathy for them. He changed his story in the middle, was drunk and was disturbing the senior citizens and you. If he wants to get a card that badly without proper ID, he should go to a non-mobile library and speak to a supervisor or something. Dollars to donuts you'd never have seen those books again.
All that said, the first time definitely shakes you up. And the 30th time still shakes me up. :)
Tiny Little Librarian
http://tinylittlelibrarian.blog-city.com
hi! I read your blog all the time, and recommended it to the unofficial children's librarian where I work.
I wasn't shaken by the incident at all, actually. It was a bit of excitement. Although that may have been because there was an excited 13-year assistant in the bus with me at the time
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