Illiterates want the Internet

I'm just not a good enough librarian. Recently I had a patron come in who wanted to use the Internet. We use a pass code system so I asked him if he had one. He said he did and then proceeded to rummage through his wallet. And rummage, and rummage, and then began to explain that he was retarded. Which is fine, I'm not in the habit of making judgments. Finally he digs out his library card.

I explain that's not what he needs, but not to worry I can get him on. So I log him into a computer. Great! Everyone is happy, or so I thought. But pretty soon he's back at the desk because he can't get to Craig's list. O.k. dokey, I go over to his computer and type in the address and get him to the site. I go back to my other work and customers. Yep, pretty soon he's back because he wants the Oregon part. O.k., I go back, show him where it is and take him through the link. Everything is great, I go back to the desk. A time passes and then he's once again back up, this time because he can't read it! Now he admits that he is illiterate. Sigh, not knowing how to use the Internet is one thing, not being able to read isn't something we can fix in five minutes.

Some libraries might have the resources to sit and be their eyes and do all the mouse clicking for someone until they've done whatever they want to do, but we don't. We can help, coach, instruct, resolve, but in the end they have to do it themselves. So I can't just ignore everything and everyone else and spend all my time with one patron.

Plus here's the real kicker, the guy's breath reeks of alcohol. If you are already retarded it would behoove one not to cloud what mental faculties you have with alcohol. Not to mention you might drive people away with your breath!

So then he then wants to know if someone can teach him to read. (As I'm wondering if he thinks we can do so instantly...), I tell him about the literacy council and give him their phone number. Then it dawns on me that if he can't read he might not be able to read numbers. I ask him if he has a friend who can call for him. He allows as that would work. (In case you wondered we have a policy of not allowing patrons to use our phones, and we only make calls for them to procure them rides home). I'm just as glad since I didn't relish trying to translate a conversation between me, him, and the literacy coordinator.

He finally goes away and I get back to my other work and patrons feeling somewhat dissatisfied with the whole exchange. Some part of me thinks I could be more helpful, while another part admits that would deprive my other work and patrons. The third part is just tired of people coming to the library after drinking. Lastly, while I can teach Internet skills, the being able to read part is non-negotiable. Besides is it so much to ask that our patrons be sober!!!!

I had to laugh though when my desk partner said that he probably only wants to learn to read and use Craigs list in order to find women. Heh! That doesn't bother me one bit though. Whatever it takes to motivate one to learn to read and use the Internet!

WTF!

We were all trouping into work the other day only to discover some patrons trying to force the doors open. They were convinced we should be open. Umm no! We didn't forget to open the doors. When told what time we would be opening one of them tried to argue with us. Apparently they couldn't comprehend we didn't have the same schedule every day.

All they had to do was read our hours posted prominently on the right side of the doors. Of course they had to know which day of the week it was and to be able to read. You'd think only people who could read would even want to go to a library but apparently not.

One of our volunteers said those people had been pounding on the door for some time. Dumb!

A bus load of helpless

You know its going to be a rough day at the reference desk when a coworker hands you a note that says "a bus load of helpless just arrived." Sigh. Sure enough it was a long afternoon of poor communication, helplessness, ignorance, and having our ears talked off.

Parade of dolts

It's a bad sign when the librarian on the reference desk comes around the corner to my office and vents. Today's vent? "It's a parade of dolts!! Just you wait until you're out there! You'll see!"

So if I wasn't dreading my reference shift before... it would be nice to at least start my desk shift with a good attitude.

As it happens, my poor coworker seemed to get ALL the worst customers today. I had quite a pleasant desk shift myself. Made a nice change.

Library work destroys faith

Sigh. It has been a long, strange week, with way too many strange people. A coworker and I agree that if you work long enough at a public library reference desk, it will eventually erode your faith in humanity.

What's my password?

Along the same lines as my last post. Every once in a while we get a patron who will ask us what their password is, and they honestly believe we will know.

We can usually show them how to tell their service/site to send them their password if they have forgotten it. Only to find out they don't have an email account (or a secondary email account if it's an email site they are trying to get back into). When it turns out they can't answer their own security question we give up on them. Often we tell them rather bluntly that they are screwed.

What's really annoying is some patrons will still persist in thinking we know what their password is. They can't seem to distinguish between the library and the Internet as being separate. We often end up saying; "I don't work for [insert name of web site here], we do not have access to their system. You need to contact them."

Sometimes I wonder if they suck on the lead pencils.

Tell me my i.d.

I know some of our patrons are clueless but how clueless is horrifically obvious sometimes.

Patron - "What's my i.d. for my online bank account?"

It got worse. Turned out she had never signed up for an online account before and needed to do that first! Then it turned out she didn't have an email account, which is a requirement for setting up an online account. "Can't I just make one up?"

You can probably insert both my mental and actual responses here.

She just wanted to set up a checking account and she had absolutely no clue how to fill out an online form. Here's the kicker - the bank in question is within four blocks of the library!

Oh, to be able to tell them to type in the following; c l u e l e s s