Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Using Public Computers for Hate Letters
Oh yes. This is another popular use of public computers. Allowing the ranting crazies to write and send off hate mail. However, sometimes they do get caught.
Recently, a patron from Ohio was busted and sent to prison for 4 years for sending hate letters to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in addition to other people. The FBI nailed him using the public terminals at the library the man frequented. See the article here.
I have only slightly mixed feelings about using a public library's computers to catch the guy. Yes I am glad they caught this guy and sent him to prison. There is enough hate in the world. And many times, hate letter writers are working up to more violent acts (Unibomber anyone?). Seems to me that if you are using a taxpayer subsidized item which is shared by the general public, and you are using it in a public space like a library, you shouldn't have any expectation of privacy. Especially if you print to a shared printer.
On the other hand, there is something deep inside that says that libraries should be places of private thoughts and we should guard this temple zealously - i.e. check out records, computer data, etc. And usually I have these noble thoughts right about up to the time the FEDS come in looking for the crazy letter writer. A problem of the idealistic versus the practical. Something to ponder.
Recently, a patron from Ohio was busted and sent to prison for 4 years for sending hate letters to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in addition to other people. The FBI nailed him using the public terminals at the library the man frequented. See the article here.
I have only slightly mixed feelings about using a public library's computers to catch the guy. Yes I am glad they caught this guy and sent him to prison. There is enough hate in the world. And many times, hate letter writers are working up to more violent acts (Unibomber anyone?). Seems to me that if you are using a taxpayer subsidized item which is shared by the general public, and you are using it in a public space like a library, you shouldn't have any expectation of privacy. Especially if you print to a shared printer.
On the other hand, there is something deep inside that says that libraries should be places of private thoughts and we should guard this temple zealously - i.e. check out records, computer data, etc. And usually I have these noble thoughts right about up to the time the FEDS come in looking for the crazy letter writer. A problem of the idealistic versus the practical. Something to ponder.
Labels: computers, crazy patron, privacy
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Tell-All Books
Yes, as librarians we deal with many stupid people. That's just the facts, ma'am. And we librarians all seem to know about it and nudge each other about it, but just don't try to write a fictional book based on your experiences or you'll get fired.
Labels: books, fired, library, stupid people
Monday, July 28, 2008
Dealing with Stupid Patrons (or People in General)
This Unshelved comic struck me as particularly apt:
http://www.unshelved.com/archive.aspx?strip=20080725
http://www.unshelved.com/archive.aspx?strip=20080725
Labels: stupid people
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Cover Pages for Patron Faxes
At some point, you are probably going to work in a place that allows patrons to use the fax machine for a small fee. This is a great service and very helpful to the homeless population in your library who want to harass "the Man." HOWEVER, you should NEVER NEVER NEVER allow them to fax unsupervised or without a cover sheet. Here's why:
A friend of mine is the director of a small county law library. She often works the reference desk in addition to her director duties. She called me yesterday to announce that from now on, all faxes sent from her library will include a cover sheet saying, "This fax and the opinions herein do not represent X Library or its staff. This is a personal fax being placed by a sender at X library."
"That's a good idea," I said. Then she told me why she had to make up that policy.
Last week, one of the regular crazies came in and asked to use the fax machine. Since he had the $$ to pay for the faxes, she couldn't deny him usage just because he's got more bats in his belfrey than Batman. So she agrees, takes his money, and then turns her back while he faxes to give him a bit of privacy.
That afternoon, she got a call from NASA. Yes, as in the agency that sends people into space. Seems the crazy man du jour had faxed a letter to NASA asking them to quit making it hail. He was tired of the noise and wanted them to reschedule the hail for later in the week when he would be out of town.
My friend was embarassed and explained the situation to the NASA person, who probably got a huge laugh out of it and now has that fax pinned to the employee bulletin board. Thus, from now on, all fax users have to use a cover sheet.
She and I speculated on how to make sure that someone sending a fax wasn't harassing people or telling the President about an immanent invasion of martians.
Moral of the Story: Always cover your ass and the ass of your library. You never know what your patrons will fax or to whom they will send it.
A friend of mine is the director of a small county law library. She often works the reference desk in addition to her director duties. She called me yesterday to announce that from now on, all faxes sent from her library will include a cover sheet saying, "This fax and the opinions herein do not represent X Library or its staff. This is a personal fax being placed by a sender at X library."
"That's a good idea," I said. Then she told me why she had to make up that policy.
Last week, one of the regular crazies came in and asked to use the fax machine. Since he had the $$ to pay for the faxes, she couldn't deny him usage just because he's got more bats in his belfrey than Batman. So she agrees, takes his money, and then turns her back while he faxes to give him a bit of privacy.
That afternoon, she got a call from NASA. Yes, as in the agency that sends people into space. Seems the crazy man du jour had faxed a letter to NASA asking them to quit making it hail. He was tired of the noise and wanted them to reschedule the hail for later in the week when he would be out of town.
My friend was embarassed and explained the situation to the NASA person, who probably got a huge laugh out of it and now has that fax pinned to the employee bulletin board. Thus, from now on, all fax users have to use a cover sheet.
She and I speculated on how to make sure that someone sending a fax wasn't harassing people or telling the President about an immanent invasion of martians.
Moral of the Story: Always cover your ass and the ass of your library. You never know what your patrons will fax or to whom they will send it.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Entertaining Yourself
Another important lesson you will not learn in library school is that you must be able to entertain yourself in order to be a successful librarian. Why? Frankly, there will be down times when your magnificent brain and skills will not be needed. And during these times, if you act bored or restless, you will be targeted for brainless tasks.
Librarians are hired for their knowledge and brains. But, like computers, there are times when we are not needed and we must go into standby mode. Anyone who has been on the reference desk about 4 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon knows what this feels like.
Even after you do busywork such as reading ALL your professional publications, catching up on your emails, and filing, there will still be dead time. What to do? Play Internet games, engage in on-line shopping, pay bills, update one's blogs, etc. The key is that YOU LOOK BUSY even if you are not.
Otherwise, coworkers and bosses will immediately presume that you have TONS of extra time and need extra work or shifts on the reference desk. If you find you have more standby time than actual work, then perhaps you DO need another task or shift. If you need to brush up on ways to look busy without actually working, check out Dilbert's co-worker Wally. He will inspire you.
Librarians are hired for their knowledge and brains. But, like computers, there are times when we are not needed and we must go into standby mode. Anyone who has been on the reference desk about 4 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon knows what this feels like.
Even after you do busywork such as reading ALL your professional publications, catching up on your emails, and filing, there will still be dead time. What to do? Play Internet games, engage in on-line shopping, pay bills, update one's blogs, etc. The key is that YOU LOOK BUSY even if you are not.
Otherwise, coworkers and bosses will immediately presume that you have TONS of extra time and need extra work or shifts on the reference desk. If you find you have more standby time than actual work, then perhaps you DO need another task or shift. If you need to brush up on ways to look busy without actually working, check out Dilbert's co-worker Wally. He will inspire you.
Labels: down time, looking busy
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Evil IT People
Librarians are natural enemies of the information technology employees. We ferret out information and the IT people do their damndest to hide it from us. Apparently this is not restricted to the library world but is true throughout most professional offices. For example, one of Dilbert's mortal enemies is Mordac, the evil-hearted director of Information Services for Dilbert's company.
Want a real life example? Last week day a new docking computer was installed in my office. BAM. No notice that my old computer would be removed. No discussion, nada. It was upgraded to a docking computer station, which means its a laptop that can turn into a desktop.
Did I get an email discussing how to dock or undock it? NO. Did I get a demo on how to properly dock and undock? NO. Was I was told to start taking my own laptop to the reference desk? NO. The only clue I had was that I walked up to the reference desk....and there was no computer there. So I asked the HR person who is in the office next to me what was going on. She said she had the same problem the previous day and explained to me how I needed to undock my computer and take it to the reference desk with me.
Why was the HR person doing the explaining?? Why hadn't the IT guy told me what was going on? Isn't that PART OF HIS JOB???
Fuming, I stomped into the IT dept. to confront the evil IT master. "Why didn't you send out an email discussing how to do this? Or maybe provide an in-person demonstration?" I asked.
"Sink or swim," he answered with an evil grin on his face. I gave him the glare of death and replied, "Oh I usually swim. And then I get out and beat the swim instructor to death for not doing their job." The smug expression faltered slightly at that. I am not sure what he thinks I will do to him, but IT people know that librarians do a lot of weird research....and who knows what revenge I may exact?
Having said my piece, I made my grand exit from his office. Unfortunately, I didn't know any more than when I went in. So I did what you will need to learn to do - the work-around.
Anytime you are stonewalled by IT, just ask the other employees at the library. SOMEONE will have figured out what is going on and will explain it.
Moral of the story: Know your enemy. Keep open communications with your IT dept. so that perhaps you will get training and info when you need it. But prepare to be disappointed, outraged, and frustrated by IT people and their policies.
Want a real life example? Last week day a new docking computer was installed in my office. BAM. No notice that my old computer would be removed. No discussion, nada. It was upgraded to a docking computer station, which means its a laptop that can turn into a desktop.
Did I get an email discussing how to dock or undock it? NO. Did I get a demo on how to properly dock and undock? NO. Was I was told to start taking my own laptop to the reference desk? NO. The only clue I had was that I walked up to the reference desk....and there was no computer there. So I asked the HR person who is in the office next to me what was going on. She said she had the same problem the previous day and explained to me how I needed to undock my computer and take it to the reference desk with me.
Why was the HR person doing the explaining?? Why hadn't the IT guy told me what was going on? Isn't that PART OF HIS JOB???
Fuming, I stomped into the IT dept. to confront the evil IT master. "Why didn't you send out an email discussing how to do this? Or maybe provide an in-person demonstration?" I asked.
"Sink or swim," he answered with an evil grin on his face. I gave him the glare of death and replied, "Oh I usually swim. And then I get out and beat the swim instructor to death for not doing their job." The smug expression faltered slightly at that. I am not sure what he thinks I will do to him, but IT people know that librarians do a lot of weird research....and who knows what revenge I may exact?
Having said my piece, I made my grand exit from his office. Unfortunately, I didn't know any more than when I went in. So I did what you will need to learn to do - the work-around.
Anytime you are stonewalled by IT, just ask the other employees at the library. SOMEONE will have figured out what is going on and will explain it.
Moral of the story: Know your enemy. Keep open communications with your IT dept. so that perhaps you will get training and info when you need it. But prepare to be disappointed, outraged, and frustrated by IT people and their policies.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Where is the Photo of Jesus?
Some of you have heard this story. For those of you who have not, I swear on my mother's grave it is true.
It is a Sunday afternoon in the public library and I am on the reference desk. A nicely dressed man, probably in his mid 40s, comes up to the desk. "Can I help you?" I ask. "Yes," he said. "I'd like to see the photo of Jesus."
I scrutinize his face. I look around for hidden camcorders, or some sign that this is a joke. But no. The man is 100% serious. So I take a deep breath and say, "Do you mean some of the religious paintings of Jesus?"
"No," he says, looking at me as if I am too stupid to understand the question. "The photo of Jesus."
With a perfectly straight face and sincere tone, I say, "Well, that's gonna be hard to come by because Jesus lived 2000 years ago and the camera was only invented in the 1800s. If I had a photo of Jesus, I'd be very rich because I would've sold it long ago."
"What do you mean?" he asked angrily. "I've seen pictures of Jesus all over the place! I am just asking you to show me the real one!"
Patiently, I say, "What you have seen are artistic renditions of Jesus. See, if the artist is white, then Jesus is white with blue eyes. If the artist is Hispanic, then Jesus is Hispanic-looking. If the artist is black, then Jesus is black. See how that works?"
I try to allow him to save face. "Would you like to see a book that has a lot of paintings of Jesus in it instead?" I ask him.
The patron was having none of it. "Look, if you don't have a photo of Jesus you should just say so! I am going to the Christian bookstore! I bet they'll have a picture of Jesus!!!" And with that statement, he stormed out of the library.
"Ok, good luck with that," I said cheerily as he left. I was so glad he was going to bother someone else!
As I sat there afterwards, I decided I was stunned at the sheer ignorance of the question. And also at the disbelief of the patron. I don't think anything I could've said would have convinced him that a photo of Jesus doesn't exist anywhere in the world. But then I'm an atheist, so what do I know?
It is a Sunday afternoon in the public library and I am on the reference desk. A nicely dressed man, probably in his mid 40s, comes up to the desk. "Can I help you?" I ask. "Yes," he said. "I'd like to see the photo of Jesus."
I scrutinize his face. I look around for hidden camcorders, or some sign that this is a joke. But no. The man is 100% serious. So I take a deep breath and say, "Do you mean some of the religious paintings of Jesus?"
"No," he says, looking at me as if I am too stupid to understand the question. "The photo of Jesus."
With a perfectly straight face and sincere tone, I say, "Well, that's gonna be hard to come by because Jesus lived 2000 years ago and the camera was only invented in the 1800s. If I had a photo of Jesus, I'd be very rich because I would've sold it long ago."
"What do you mean?" he asked angrily. "I've seen pictures of Jesus all over the place! I am just asking you to show me the real one!"
Patiently, I say, "What you have seen are artistic renditions of Jesus. See, if the artist is white, then Jesus is white with blue eyes. If the artist is Hispanic, then Jesus is Hispanic-looking. If the artist is black, then Jesus is black. See how that works?"
I try to allow him to save face. "Would you like to see a book that has a lot of paintings of Jesus in it instead?" I ask him.
The patron was having none of it. "Look, if you don't have a photo of Jesus you should just say so! I am going to the Christian bookstore! I bet they'll have a picture of Jesus!!!" And with that statement, he stormed out of the library.
"Ok, good luck with that," I said cheerily as he left. I was so glad he was going to bother someone else!
As I sat there afterwards, I decided I was stunned at the sheer ignorance of the question. And also at the disbelief of the patron. I don't think anything I could've said would have convinced him that a photo of Jesus doesn't exist anywhere in the world. But then I'm an atheist, so what do I know?
Labels: bizarre question, jesus
"Free for All" - Book on Public Library Weirdos
Lately I am reading "Free For All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library" by Don Borchert, a public librarian. It's pretty funny, and scarily accurate. This is required reading for anyone who works with the public.
