[OPLINLIST] Angry Patron Making Threats

[Susan Pieper]

Hello all,
Where is the line between keeping a patron's name confidential and
reporting (perceived) threats that were made targeting local law
enforcement and government employees? A patron recently came in asking
for assistance in finding legal documents (records of tickets, law
violations, etc.) His comments while a staff member was assisting him
consisted of: "Those Nazis at the courthouse wanted to charge me $5.00
a page for this! I need to clean house! I want to just pull the
trigger, they're harrassing me, I'll have their jobs, etc. etc." We
thought he was blowing off steam, but he was very loud and angry and
going on and on and on about wanting to get a state law enforcement
officer fired and the injustices he perceived were done to him by a
previous sheriff and county judge. Our staff member was very
professional and did not get lured into his banter. Is there a point
where we should contact law enforcement? Where his threats credible or
was he just blowing off steam? We would feel terrible "after the fact"
if something had happened and we had this knowledge of his attitude
and anger. We hope he isn't a powder keg getting ready to explode. On
the other hand, if I did report these threats, and he was unstable, he
could come after library employees. I'd be interested in hearing how
you would handle this issue. I will also be addressing this issue with
our library board, but wanted to get your feedback.
Susan Pieper
-- 
Susan Hill Pieper
Director/Editor
Paulding County Carnegie Library
Rural Library Services Newsletter
205 S. Main Street
Paulding, OH 45879
419-399-2032 (voice) 419-399-2114 (fax)
www.pauldingcountylibrary.org
susanhillpieper at gmail.com
ALA Councilor-At-Large (2007-2010)