On Saturday, I was helping a man get a new library card. He also wanted to get a library card for his daughter. I asked him, "Is your daughter here?"
He said, "No, but I'm her father."
I told him that she had to be present to obtain a library card (for several reasons: (1) to make sure that she existed, (2) to explain the policies of the library to her, (3) because library cards are for individuals, not families, and card use is only extended to family members in certain circumstances).
I didn't go into detail on these reasons, but I told him she had to be physically present.
"But she's an eight year-old," he said. "She doesn't have any rights. I'm her father."
"Well, in the public library, she does," I replied.
That sort of shut him up, and I tried to be extra nice to him during the rest of the encounter. Whenever a patron is agitated, you kill him or her with kindness. If you continue to act unaffected by a person's outrage, it's harder for that person to stay angry.
He said that he would bring his daughter the following day.
Still, his initial reasoning made me think of this "Wonder Showzen" video clip:
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2007/thank-you-slaves-p1.php
Are all library patrons irritable or is it just fathers? I'm beginning to sense a theme here ...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I have a library card and months ago put myself on the waiting list for a book that I can't remember the name of and have yet to be notified that it's available. What gives? Do you have any influence at the KCLS?
Interestingly, the constitution actually garentees the rights of minors as well/much as it does their seniors. His 8 year old actually does have rights.
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