Brother could you spare a...

I was asked more than once today for what I would consider office supplies it almost makes me want to scream, "GO TO OFFICE DEPOT!" (or Staples, or Kinkos, or Target, or AOE* local) I have been asked for things or that they want to buy them at the library even the books that they check out they ask if they can buy them or just "have" like give them an item. Here is a list of the few I could remember being asked for:

Rubber bands
Paperclips
Envelopes
Manilla Envelope
Binder
Hole punch
Scissors
White Out
Postage Stamps
Report cover
Floppy Disk
USB Drive
Memory Stick Reader
Scanner
CD

And last but not least... Money! to pay fines or printing or copiers
and even once just basically begging in the library

Things Patrons Say

We were discussing how Library patrons say things that mean something completely different. It is always to make it sound like something the library has done wrong or needs to fix. I thought I'd share it with you for laughs and maybe some readers can add ones in their own life.

The copier is out of paper = I don't know how to use the copier
Printer has printed my paper wrong = I don't know how to print things
Printer is broken = Don't know how to use the printer
Computer won't take my password = I didn't read the printing instructions
The book isn't on the shelf = I don't know how to find books
You didn't check-in the book I returned = I didn't return the book
I didn't check those things out = I lost the items
Fines were not things I checked out = I forget anything more than a week ago
I shouldn't have to pay that = I don't want to pay the fines
The internet isn't working = I don't know how to use the computer
I can't afford to pay the fines = I don't want to pay the fines

Sometimes there are exceptions and the person really doesn't have the money or something isn't working correctly, but that is so rare that we have found it hard to believe patrons on first blush.

A is for Always Annoying

In our library parking lot we have signs all over the place that say "Library Parking Only" and one that even says "Owners will be towed at Their Own Expense". People disregard it because we almost never tow anyone. Next door there is a doctor, dentist, and maybe another business and they abuse our parking lot. They disregard the signs. The library has put notes on their vehicles, talked to their businesses, and even said to them when they walk from our parking lot to their business. Sometimes it is one of those slight annoyances like when you know someone is being ignorantly rude. Other times it is down right aggravating, such as yesterday when our parking lot was full and an employee had to circle around for several minutes to find a spot.



Above you will find one of our "multiple offenders" this person actually advertises the business that they run nearby on the back of their SUV while totally ignoring the signs. I have posted pictures so you can see they are parked RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SIGN. Ridiculous! You can also see their business phone number so if you have the time you can call them and point out their... (I can't find the right word so fill in the blank). I have thought of leaving a personal note or worse but instead I pray for self control to not let the air out of their tires or worse. I should probably pray for them they really learn... to read and to be considerate.

If it were up to me we'd put up a sign who the tow company is that will be towing vehicles we see illegally parked (part of the problem is we need additional signage). Put another notice out, just to be thorough and then tow them. Get an agreement to share part of the tow fee with the company and THEN TOW THEM; maybe $100 or more loss will get their attention.

Criminal Minds

I'm not talking about the show, although I do enjoy watching Hotch, JJ, and Dr. Reed. I'm talking about the one I heard about today at the library.

A patron told me that the fines on his card were due to someone who stole his identity, and used his ID to get a library card. Then that criminal used the library card to check out 4 DVDs and returned them late. What a thoughtful foe. If it were me I wouldn't think to use a stolen identity to get a library card, but if I did, I would check out the 25 max number of DVDs and NOT RETURN them.

But that's just me, imagine you have a stolen identity, not that any of my readers would, but imagine in Bizarro world that you have one. What would you do with it?