Reference Desk how may I NOT help you.
A patron called the reference line in need of assistance. She was very demanding, uncooperative and insulting to me and my students. (Faculty member) My student answered the phone and passed the call to me due to the rude behavior. The patron initially sounded a little confused but became hostile.
She called several times, with each call insisting that I was incompetent, talked too much and didn't know anything about working in a library, etc. hanging up on me each time before I could answer a question. What was confusing about being told I talked too much (and her each time as nearly as one can say “shut up” to another with out actually saying those words) was that I could hardly respond. She demanded that I give her my name and number and proceeded to tell me that I did not know how to do my job and must obviously have no experience in library services. (Oh, yeah 10 years, just not enough experience.)
As I tried to keep asking her what she needed, because she had in fact asked multiple questions which I assumed she had wanted answered such as: Are you a librarian? How long have you worked here? Is there a librarian on duty there? For how long? Who is it? What are your hours? Who can I talk to? Can I come there and talk to one today?
Because her string of questions hardly ceased I was unable to determine her problem. I wanted to find out the reason for the call before referring her to another and she was unwilling to provide me with any information. I was unclear if she wanted to have a private consultation, if someone was working on research for her or if she had a problem finding information. Typically when I begin a conversation with a patron asking for reference assistance I like to determine the topic/problem. I ask what they need help with. Then I ask other questions as needed to determine how to resolve their inquiry weather it being finding a solution or forwarding the patron to a specifically skilled librarian. I have discovered that some patrons, usually faculty/staff are very particular with whom they speak. I suppose instead of trying to answer any of her questions I should have forwarded her to the librarian she knows. That I see was my mistake.
The faculty-lady's condescending nature was unacceptable. None of her remarks to me were taken too personal, I am irritated. I realize there are difficult people in this world and not everyone can remain calm. That does not excuse the behavior nor does it make me feel confident that this would not happen again to the student staff. After this incident the two students on staff inquired on how to handle being verbally abused. I don't have a perfect answer to this, other than try as best you can to assist the person without falling victim to copying the temperament of the patron. I told them to remain calm, cool and in control of their emotions, and not under any circumstance become angry. And if the interaction were to become out of control then to contact a supervisor.
I am interested in knowing how situations such as this are dealt with and what you expect the student staff to do in these circumstances. Anyone else have these problems?
She called several times, with each call insisting that I was incompetent, talked too much and didn't know anything about working in a library, etc. hanging up on me each time before I could answer a question. What was confusing about being told I talked too much (and her each time as nearly as one can say “shut up” to another with out actually saying those words) was that I could hardly respond. She demanded that I give her my name and number and proceeded to tell me that I did not know how to do my job and must obviously have no experience in library services. (Oh, yeah 10 years, just not enough experience.)
As I tried to keep asking her what she needed, because she had in fact asked multiple questions which I assumed she had wanted answered such as: Are you a librarian? How long have you worked here? Is there a librarian on duty there? For how long? Who is it? What are your hours? Who can I talk to? Can I come there and talk to one today?
Because her string of questions hardly ceased I was unable to determine her problem. I wanted to find out the reason for the call before referring her to another and she was unwilling to provide me with any information. I was unclear if she wanted to have a private consultation, if someone was working on research for her or if she had a problem finding information. Typically when I begin a conversation with a patron asking for reference assistance I like to determine the topic/problem. I ask what they need help with. Then I ask other questions as needed to determine how to resolve their inquiry weather it being finding a solution or forwarding the patron to a specifically skilled librarian. I have discovered that some patrons, usually faculty/staff are very particular with whom they speak. I suppose instead of trying to answer any of her questions I should have forwarded her to the librarian she knows. That I see was my mistake.
The faculty-lady's condescending nature was unacceptable. None of her remarks to me were taken too personal, I am irritated. I realize there are difficult people in this world and not everyone can remain calm. That does not excuse the behavior nor does it make me feel confident that this would not happen again to the student staff. After this incident the two students on staff inquired on how to handle being verbally abused. I don't have a perfect answer to this, other than try as best you can to assist the person without falling victim to copying the temperament of the patron. I told them to remain calm, cool and in control of their emotions, and not under any circumstance become angry. And if the interaction were to become out of control then to contact a supervisor.
I am interested in knowing how situations such as this are dealt with and what you expect the student staff to do in these circumstances. Anyone else have these problems?
posted by Wild Librarian | 6:01 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home