[OPLINLIST] repeatedly bad patrons

Wed Jul 21 10:29:54 EDT 2010

I am in agreement that many abuses of the staff and the collection must
be stopped, but with sensitivity and kindness. We have recently
suspended the privileges of two customers who constantly berate the
staff over the phone, make repeated requests for the same info to many
staff members in one day and other wise abuse us. We use incident
reports to track behavior and decide when enough is enough--usually
following months or years of repeated behavior. I would use this same
practice with a family that is continually returning damaged materials.
Since we are now using the Unique collection services, we could bill
them for the damaged items and they would quickly reach the referral
level, thus stopping their cards, but I think that is cowardly. 

We get paid well to deal with these people on behalf of the public. I
try to remember that when I have to have one of these conversations. I
represent all of those people who use us well. 

Nancy Levin 
Nancy S. Levin
Director 
Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library
2345 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118
216-932-3600 ext. 240
nlevin at heightslibrary.org              www.heightslibrary.org

-----Original Message-----
From: oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org]
On Behalf Of Nancy Koebel
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 9:43 AM
To: Marsha Wagner
Cc: OPLINlist
Subject: Re: [OPLINLIST] repeatedly bad patrons

I know the altruism of the past was to let patrons continue to use (and
abuse) the library and its materials.  In this day of relying more and
more on local tax dollars, librarians may have to face the realism that
we are being trusted with taxpayer money and that with limited funds we
too must be accountable with those funds.  Allowing continual abuse of
patron privileges or library materials does not go over well when levies
are asked for.  I think it looks better to the general public who don't
believe that they are being asked to pay for libraries that just
continue to give things away and let people abuse the trust.  

----- Original Message -----
From: "Marsha Wagner" <mwagner at canalfultonlibrary.org>
To: "Laura Thorne" <thornela at oplin.org>, oplinlist at oplin.org
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 9:18:23 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [OPLINLIST] repeatedly bad patrons

I am going to reply with the experiences I have had with repeatedly bad
patrons. At the Fairborn Library we had a patron who was mentally
challenged who would check out books and either keep them or cut out
pictures. Even though he paid for the books he damaged or kept staff
were reluctant to continue to let him check out. As then the Branch Head
I allowed him to check out when he had payed for all his damaged or lost
books. Another patron returned a book on building dog kennels that had
been urinated upon. We charged that patron for the cost of the book. If
we had patrons who charged up their cards we did not let them use their
family members cards but just their own. This is difficult if a parent
wishes to use a child's card. If you do not know the individuals this
can occur. But that is not the case here. My advise is to charge them
for the cost of the materials they have ruined. Also require that each
family member clear up their library cards in order to have them contin

 ue to check out. Just make sure that you follow the same guidelines for
damaged materials with all patrons. 

While I served as a director in the Toledo area, one of the other
libraries had a patron who used actual bacon as a bookmark. 
He was a senior who damaged large print books. The director charged the
patron for the damaged books. Also that director 
had books that animals had urinated on. Staff there immediately disposed
of the books and the patrons were charged for the cost of the materials.
The director had the unhappy job of discussing this with the patron who
was in denial that the books were damaged. The director was firm about
the fact that the books were damage beyond another person being able to
use them. 

While you and I may have great sympathy for the family and want them to
have access to materials, they can use the materials in the library and
hopefully not damage them. They are damaging materials that other people
have paid for with library tax dollars. You may wish to allow them to
purchase library discards if you regularly have library or friends book
sales. 
You have my sympathy as this is a difficult matter. 

Marsha Wagner 
Director 
Canal Fulton Public Library 
154 Market St. NE 
Canal Fulton, OH 44708 
330 854-4148; fax 330 8549520 

"All that mankind has done, thought, gained or been; it is lying as in
magic preservation in the pages of books." Thomas Carlyle 

-----Original Message----- 
From: Laura Thorne [mailto:thornela at oplin.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 12:45 PM 
To: oplinlist at oplin.org 
Subject: [OPLINLIST] repeatedly bad patrons 

I am sure we all have these patrons, those who have multiple overdues
for months on end. We have a family with 6 or 7 kids who have returned
books with bugs in them, unknown liquids spilled on them, and various
other unsavory habits. Right now, each member of the family has multiple
overdues, with lots of fines (yes, we charge fines, even for children).
None of them are able to check out because of the fines and overdues.
The last bag of books they returned in the bookdrop had roaches in it,
and the books were filthy (in many ways). My staff wants the whole
family blocked from checking out, even if they are able to settle all
their accounts. This is not the first incident of having to discard
materials because of damage, bugs and soil. The staff insists they have
proven they are not responsible in handling library materials. They tend
to pay off one card, so then everyone in the family will check out on
that card until those materials are overdue. My head tells me that, once

 the fines are paid, they can check out again but my heart feels
differently. Should we continue to allow this family to ruin books? Have
patrons been banned/blocked for repeatedly ruining books? I am sure
someone will say, "at least they are using the library" and other pc
comments but I am tired of cleaning up and calling the exterminator. If
it were not a repeated incident, I would not even bring up the question
but it is a pattern. Any thoughts? Laura Thorne Director Jackson City
Library 
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-- 
Nancy Koebel
Birchard Library of Sandusky County
423 Croghan St.
Fremont, OH  43420
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