Here are some of the things I worry about during long lonely evenings at the reference desk:
What if that patron I have been calling 'sir' actually identifies as a woman and she is just too polite or embarrassed to tell me?
What if every library gets as good about weeding as I wish ours were, and then my nutty patrons can't request old irrelevant books through interlibrary loan anymore?
Is having so many pseudoscience books on our shelves really the right thing to do?
What if the phone numbers and addresses I am giving out from our White Pages database are enabling our patrons to stalk people?
What if I am reinforcing the delusions of the mentally ill patrons when I treat their requests like they are reasonable?
Is it somehow wrong to say "same to you!" to patrons who tell me to have a blessed day if I don't believe in God or any other blessing entities?
Any answers welcome.
What if that patron I have been calling 'sir' actually identifies as a woman and she is just too polite or embarrassed to tell me?
ReplyDelete--in my experience they will tell you or they will choose not to so they avoid embarrassing you. either way, not a huge problem.
What if every library gets as good about weeding as I wish ours were, and then my nutty patrons can't request old irrelevant books through interlibrary loan anymore?
don't worry that will never happen
Is having so many pseudoscience books on our shelves really the right thing to do?
no
What if the phone numbers and addresses I am giving out from our White Pages database are enabling our patrons to stalk people?
that's a tough one...I got nothing.
What if I am reinforcing the delusions of the mentally ill patrons when I treat their requests like they are reasonable?
it's unlikely your treatment of them will affect their illness one way or another
Is it somehow wrong to say "same to you!" to patrons who tell me to have a blessed day if I don't believe in God or any other blessing entities?
no, it has reached the level of inanity, not a profession of faith
So comprehensive!
DeletePseudoscience, the patrons love it
ReplyDeleteThey sure do! We had a psychic some to Small Town Library and the program was packed!
Delete