Comments on: And The “Worst Patron Ever” Award Goes To… http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/ The stories of a part-time librarian mixed with nonfiction book reviews. Join in the fun! Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:17:17 +0000 http://www.today.com/version-2.3.1 By: Hava http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4274 Hava Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:05:41 +0000 http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4274 Stephanie >> Thanks for the mention of the bookmark. I still feel horrible about it. Usually guys don't get that excited about pictures of their daughters, and so to see him go from being so very excited about it to looking like I just kicked his puppy...I felt like the lowest of the low. I wanted to hide in the back and never coming out because I just did NOT want to tell him the truth. Uggh. :-( Jennifer >> I used to work at a fancy ski resort at the front desk as a front desk clerk, so I know all about that world too! Some of the guests at my resort were absolutely unreasonable, and I was glad to finally leave. Luckily, the library doesn't normally have patrons like this! dletus >> Thank you. :-) May you ever continue! Callista >> The important part there was that you were nice to them. Some people have it in their heads that if someone makes a mistake, that they are given full rights to just throw a holy fit about it. They can scream, yell, and throw tantrums all they want because they are "in the right." But as I tried to tell this patron, everywhere you go, you are going to have people make mistakes. You cannot expect perfection 100% of the time. So please continue to be patient with your librarian - I know that I appreciate it when people are patient with me. :-) Lidian >> Oh boy - I wouldn't be happy if someone were throwing money at me! I am glad that at least this conversation happened over the phone (mostly because I might have reached over the counter and strangled her if it happened face-to-face!! LOL!) And no, I don't think this woman would have taken it well at all if the roles were reversed. ;-) cmaher >> As I told my husband, I think the woman is mentally unbalanced. A normal person would have gotten upset, but would have wanted to come in and do something about it, instead of just yelling for 20 minutes over the phone. This lady didn't want anything done about it (as evidenced by her not coming into the library last night to take care of it after we talked on the phone) but instead just wanted to use me as a verbal punching bag for 20 minutes. I am just about to write up a new post about that in just a bit, so watch for that. Ann >> As always, you guys rock. :-) If I can ever return the favor, just ask!! Hava Stephanie >> Thanks for the mention of the bookmark. I still feel horrible about it. Usually guys don’t get that excited about pictures of their daughters, and so to see him go from being so very excited about it to looking like I just kicked his puppy…I felt like the lowest of the low. I wanted to hide in the back and never coming out because I just did NOT want to tell him the truth. Uggh. :-(

Jennifer >> I used to work at a fancy ski resort at the front desk as a front desk clerk, so I know all about that world too! Some of the guests at my resort were absolutely unreasonable, and I was glad to finally leave. Luckily, the library doesn’t normally have patrons like this!

dletus >> Thank you. :-) May you ever continue!

Callista >> The important part there was that you were nice to them. Some people have it in their heads that if someone makes a mistake, that they are given full rights to just throw a holy fit about it. They can scream, yell, and throw tantrums all they want because they are “in the right.” But as I tried to tell this patron, everywhere you go, you are going to have people make mistakes. You cannot expect perfection 100% of the time.

So please continue to be patient with your librarian - I know that I appreciate it when people are patient with me. :-)

Lidian >> Oh boy - I wouldn’t be happy if someone were throwing money at me! I am glad that at least this conversation happened over the phone (mostly because I might have reached over the counter and strangled her if it happened face-to-face!! LOL!) And no, I don’t think this woman would have taken it well at all if the roles were reversed. ;-)

cmaher >> As I told my husband, I think the woman is mentally unbalanced. A normal person would have gotten upset, but would have wanted to come in and do something about it, instead of just yelling for 20 minutes over the phone. This lady didn’t want anything done about it (as evidenced by her not coming into the library last night to take care of it after we talked on the phone) but instead just wanted to use me as a verbal punching bag for 20 minutes. I am just about to write up a new post about that in just a bit, so watch for that.

Ann >> As always, you guys rock. :-) If I can ever return the favor, just ask!!

Hava

]]> By: "Ann" http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4273 "Ann" Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:55:01 +0000 http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4273 I actually saw you flip off the phone... It really made me laugh. I've been there too, so I know EXACTLY how you feel. And there's a reason we keep chocolate in our office! I actually saw you flip off the phone… It really made me laugh. I’ve been there too, so I know EXACTLY how you feel. And there’s a reason we keep chocolate in our office!

]]> By: cmaher http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4270 cmaher Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:52:43 +0000 http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4270 I feel for you. Sounds like she is one of these women that believe that everyone is out to get her. You never now, she may have a diagnosis of paranoia. It's aweful how people can react. When I worked in a restaurant I had people throw food and drink at me from across the table or counter. Usually they were just using me to vent I feel for you. Sounds like she is one of these women that believe that everyone is out to get her. You never now, she may have a diagnosis of paranoia.

It’s aweful how people can react. When I worked in a restaurant I had people throw food and drink at me from across the table or counter.

Usually they were just using me to vent

]]> By: dletus http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4267 dletus Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:14:34 +0000 http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4267 I'm always nice to my librarian and the landlady at my local pub. They're the only two places I couldn't imagine being unwelcome at. I’m always nice to my librarian and the landlady at my local pub. They’re the only two places I couldn’t imagine being unwelcome at.

]]> By: jenniferlprice http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4266 jenniferlprice Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:05:59 +0000 http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4266 Great post, Hava; I'm glad you had a chance to vent about it and I hope it helped. I spent six years as a Front Desk Clerk/Front Office Manager and I have certainly met guests very similar to the patrons you mention--the nice ones you wish you could do more for, the dumb ones who make you wonder how the world still operates, and the ones that simultaneously make you want to cry, scream, yell, and laugh. As I used to tell employees in Customer Service Training--just keep reminding yourself that you only have to deal with them for no more than fifteen minutes; at least you're not their wife/husband/child/coworker/subordinate and have to deal with them all the time! Great post, Hava; I’m glad you had a chance to vent about it and I hope it helped.

I spent six years as a Front Desk Clerk/Front Office Manager and I have certainly met guests very similar to the patrons you mention–the nice ones you wish you could do more for, the dumb ones who make you wonder how the world still operates, and the ones that simultaneously make you want to cry, scream, yell, and laugh.

As I used to tell employees in Customer Service Training–just keep reminding yourself that you only have to deal with them for no more than fifteen minutes; at least you’re not their wife/husband/child/coworker/subordinate and have to deal with them all the time!

]]> By: stephanieebarr http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4265 stephanieebarr Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:06:05 +0000 http://nonfictionlover.today.com/2009/01/08/and-the-worst-patron-ever-award-goes-to/#comment-4265 I understand you. I have been there, long long ago. Okay, maybe not all that long ago (you don't have to be in the service industry to deal with complete jerks). I can't tell you it will all be fine; when I get torqued, I have to work my way through. But I wish you well. I'm very sorry about the lost bookmark. I understand you. I have been there, long long ago. Okay, maybe not all that long ago (you don’t have to be in the service industry to deal with complete jerks).

I can’t tell you it will all be fine; when I get torqued, I have to work my way through. But I wish you well.

I’m very sorry about the lost bookmark.

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