There was a wait for the internet computers, and someone signed up on the wait list as "Killer of Library Rules". When one became available, and I said, "killer of library rules, your computer is available," an older man walked up & sat down, and said, " I was going to put killer of librarians, but I thought you'd call the police." Heads whipped around to look at him. I told him he was correct, that I would in fact call the police. He said he didn't think I had a sense of humor. I told him I wasn't amused by threats of violence. Whoaaaaaaaaaa. Evidently he's a long time patron, and has never been a problem. I wonder if dementia is setting in, or if he's stranger than they thought. This is about the 4th time in a week that I have seen him, and I found him "off" each time. Not quite as off as today, however.
I thought about it, and will if he does something similar in the future. But evidently it's remarkably out of character for this man; the branch manager was shocked when I pointed him out to her. If it is senile dementia, that's really sad. Not sad enough to deal w/ again, however.
Proper (given) name will only be called all others will be skipped. NEXT!
The guy was totally out of line.
Out of curiosity, do other people sign up with "Screen names" or other alaias' ?
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"The statements and opinions contained in this communication do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Commission regarding these issues."
I thought about it, and will if he does something similar in the future. But evidently it's remarkably out of character for this man; the branch manager was shocked when I pointed him out to her. If it is senile dementia, that's really sad. Not sad enough to deal w/ again, however.
I would agree with you, I would not allow him access the next time. However if it is senile dimensia, how would he react if you denied him? Maybe the BM should be brought in for that particular situation?
People may use an alias. This was the 1st time I've seen a phrase. Sometimes it's Jane Doe, or Kurt Cobain, or their s.o.'s name. Then they forget or whatever, so you're calling & they just don't answer. Then you go, "hey dumbass! are you waiting for a computer???"
That man was in again yesterday, his phrase was "library inefficiency".
I would agree with you, I would not allow him access the next time. However if it is senile dimensia, how would he react if you denied him? Maybe the BM should be brought in for that particular situation?
Our administration isn't terribly supportive, and denial of service would only be allowed for something egregious. I'm good at de-fusing angry patrons, so I'm not worried about that. The branch manager is having a family situation right now, so isn't in much. And if it does come down to it, the local police are right up the road, and remarkably responsive when we do have problems.
Yes, because he stands about 5 feet away, waiting. The other day he was distracted when his computer became available. I could delete him from the queu (sp?), but I think that would escalate the situation.
I'm not sure what is/has annoyed him, unless it's because he has to wait. But we only have 5 internet computers & they're always busy...
Yesterday, it was the elderly woman who insisted upon telling me about our lifeguards. Life Guides. No, it was Spririt Guides. And how we each have 2. And they are male & female. And were our relatives from a previous life. Now, I'm sorry if you're lonely. Or bored. Or whatever. But do I HAVE to listen to this?
Today it got even better. The local County Dept of Senior Services sent an 88 yr old man to the library. This man had gone to Sr Services because he & his 84 yr old wife were being evicted because their landlord wanted to charge them more rent, and they can't afford it. Sr Services sent them to the library, telling him that we had rental listings. Which are, admittedly, available from several websites. None of them, however, are affordable. And the library does NOT offer social services. I called the County and the Municipality affordable housing offices. The County said that there is a 7 year waiting list, and the Municipality that there was a 5 year waiting list. He took the cheapest rental listing that I could find, and left, but he can't afford it, so I don't know what they will do. He was wearing pants that may have fit him at one time, but now must be held on w/ suspenders, and just possibly, are older than I am. He needed a walker, and evidently his wife is quite ill, as he wanted to remain near the doctors she was familiar with.
About 2 hours later, a man who had had a stroke was in, wanting books on gnomes and elves. Not fairy tales, not mythology, but factual books on gnomes & elves, written by a Princeton professor. Trying to decipher the wishes of someone who has a had a stroke, and translating what they are saying to what they mean is a bit difficult. But that wasn't the problem. I had no trouble realizing that g r o n k e s was gnomes and l e a v e n s was elves, and that h e a t h e r y was mythology. No, the trouble arose when he asked if I had ever seen a gnome. In the flesh, so to speak. And told me about all the times he had seen them. Seriously. In great detail, and at great length. I don't know if he has actually seen gnomes, merely believes that he has seen gnomes, or if perhaps this was a result of his stroke, and previously he was as gnome-free as you and I. Well, at least I. I know I have never seen a gnome. The gentleman assured me that this was because I had never been where the gnomes lived, naturally. He added that he hasn't seen them since 2000. I wonder where they've been hiding since then.
Oh, Foxfyre, what a day you had. Perhaps the gnomes have moved to a different, more gnome-friendly climate. Do gnomes require someone to believe in them for them to exist and/or appear?
I'm very disturbed about the older couple....what is going to happen to them? There has to be somewhere for them to go, I hope that Sr Social Services can help them.
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oh yes, you must always satisfy the monkey. Strong and Beautiful smells like a monkey
I didn't think that perhaps the gnomes had relocated. Or retired to Florida?! lol... I don't think gnomes are like fairies; I think they exist whether you believe in them or not. I should have asked!
I don't know what will happen to them. I doubt very much that Sr Services will do anything for them. I had the impression that they sent them to the library and that was it. You could tell he was embarassed and ashamed to even be asking; he struck me as very independent. After he left I was so upset I had to walk away for a while.
That's so incredibly sad, I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for that gentleman to ask for the information and tell you the reason why. I refuse to believe that Sr Services can't do anything for them, they should be ashamed of themselves for just sending them to the library instead of at least having an advocate intervene on their behalf and try to place them somewhere.
I would have been in tears after that.
-- Edited by Buttercup at 23:29, 2006-08-15
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oh yes, you must always satisfy the monkey. Strong and Beautiful smells like a monkey
I would say that you are perfect for your job, it sounds as if you handled the situations just right.
It is sad when some jacka** landlord desides he needs a new car and forces up the rent on old folks when they know that they can't afford it--just my opinion.
As for the elves, they had to get away from the gnomes, (the property values were going down and the stink from the stills) they went to Vermont. The gnomes are still there (at last sighting), they just moved to higher ground a little more inland.
Buttercup wrote: That's so incredibly sad, I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for that gentleman to ask for the information and tell you the reason why. I refuse to believe that Sr Services can't do anything for them, they should be ashamed of themselves for just sending them to the library instead of at least having an advocate intervene on their behalf and try to place them somewhere. I would have been in tears after that.
-- Edited by Buttercup at 23:29, 2006-08-15
It was sad, Butter. And it's typical of more and more gov't agencies, be it federal, state, and now local, as well as doctors who can't face telling their patients that they are dying. If it isn't taxes, financial aid, or INS, it's state unemployment, jobs, DMV, and housing. Now I guess the local agencies have decided that we should do their jobs, too. And this agency keeps advertising what an advocate for seniors that they are.
There aren't too many jobs for librarians where you don't deal with people, but as soon as I find one, or one opens up, I'm putting in for it. I can't stand this anymore.
I would say that you are perfect for your job, it sounds as if you handled the situations just right.
It is sad when some jacka** landlord desides he needs a new car and forces up the rent on old folks when they know that they can't afford it--just my opinion.
As for the elves, they had to get away from the gnomes, (the property values were going down and the stink from the stills) they went to Vermont. The gnomes are still there (at last sighting), they just moved to higher ground a little more inland.
Thank you for the compliment woody, but I think if I had found that man somewhere to live I would have felt better. I don't know the situation with their landlord - if it's a new landlord, or if they just got greedy, but they CAN get a LOT more rent, given the situation in Ocean County right now. I hope it's not greed.
Of course it's greed.... and partly the fact that some has to pay for the cost of living going up and don't forget the gas prices....That land lord is in business to make a profit....He has to think about feeding his own family at some point in the game...
As for the old couple.... They got let down or (sold out) by the politicians that run this country.... they were promised a government retirement plan that just does not live up to expectations.....First off, they don't get enough to live on.... secondly... they will die before uncle SAM pays back all he money that was taken away from them...
So what do the people of America do to fix the problem..... keep electing the same idiots that screwed it up in the first place...
Thank you for the compliment woody, but I think if I had found that man somewhere to live I would have felt better. I don't know the situation with their landlord - if it's a new landlord, or if they just got greedy, but they CAN get a LOT more rent, given the situation in Ocean County right now. I hope it's not greed.
I also hope that it's not greed, but unfortunately that's probably the case. If so, they're not going to be able to continue living in Ocean County and they'll have to sacrifice the familiar physicians for a roof over their heads.
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oh yes, you must always satisfy the monkey. Strong and Beautiful smells like a monkey
How sad. I just had time to read this and it makes me feel grateful that my parents have my siblings and me to help them out.
Why are these poor people alone...dont they have any family to help them? I can understand being an only child with no nephews, nieces or cousins and can certainly understand being an only child without children, but arent there people out there who will help these poor old people?
AAAAGGGHH!
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"The life given us by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal." -Cicero
How sad. I just had time to read this and it makes me feel grateful that my parents have my siblings and me to help them out.
Why are these poor people alone...dont they have any family to help them? I can understand being an only child with no nephews, nieces or cousins and can certainly understand being an only child without children, but arent there people out there who will help these poor old people?
AAAAGGGHH!
I was thinking the very same thing, Bread.
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oh yes, you must always satisfy the monkey. Strong and Beautiful smells like a monkey
I did volunteer work in a nursing /assisted living center.
This place was clean, well staffed......great retirement home, but it didnt matter. There were a few residents who looked happy, but most of them looked miserable...no matter how clean or active they were kept. Many had been dumped off by their spoiled children who were just using their trust funds to keep mom and dad out of their hair....there were rarely any vistors for these poor , sad old people. Granted the ones in the 24/7 nursing units needed to be watched all the times and maybe that was the best place for them, but the ones that knew what was going on and waited daily for their children to visit ripped at my heart. I couldnt stand it.
-- Edited by Bread Styx at 11:45, 2006-08-16
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"The life given us by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal." -Cicero
How sad. I just had time to read this and it makes me feel grateful that my parents have my siblings and me to help them out.
Why are these poor people alone...dont they have any family to help them? I can understand being an only child with no nephews, nieces or cousins and can certainly understand being an only child without children, but aren't there people out there who will help these poor old people?
AAAAGGGHH!
I was thinking the very same thing, Bread.
I feel for the couple and for you Foxfire!!! It is heartbreaking....to hear and see what is happing to especially the older community that expected to be able to live on their SSI....
My Mom is facing a similar situation....Now that Dad is gone...she only will be getting his check and not both his and hers...she will only be getting a little over 700 dollars a month and her rent is 600.00 and they cut her food-stamps down from 200 a month to 10.00....That will only leave 100 a month for her to pay for phone, water, elect. etc....and she doesn't want to move. Besides that we haven' been able to find a cheaper place for her...
How do they expect these people to live???
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"Fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out" Romans 12, verse 2
I feel for the couple and for you My Mom is facing a similar situation....Now that Dad is gone...she only will be getting his check and not both his and hers...she will only be getting a little over 700 dollars a month and her rent is 600.00 and they cut her food-stamps down from 200 a month to 10.00....That will only leave 100 a month for her to pay for phone, water, elect. etc....and she doesn't want to move. Besides that we haven' been able to find a cheaper place for her...
How do they expect these people to live???
I don't know; and I don't think anyone really cares. It's an awful situation.
oh yes, you must always satisfy the monkey. 
