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This article was downloaded by: [UOV University of Oviedo]On: 17 October 2014, At: 04:48Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH,UK
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Gypsies, Tramps and RageSharon W. Bullard aa Walter Clinton Jackson Library , University ofNorth Carolina , UNCG, PO Box 26175, Greensboro,NC, 27402-6175, USAPublished online: 22 Oct 2008.
To cite this article: Sharon W. Bullard (2002) Gypsies, Tramps and Rage, TheReference Librarian, 36:75-76, 245-252, DOI: 10.1300/J120v36n75_22
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J120v36n75_22
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Gypsies, Tramps and Rage:
Coping with Difficult Patrons
Sharon W. Bullard
SUMMARY. This paper proposes that encounters with problem patronsand reader rage will continue to increase. In order for the library and itsstaff to survive they must adhere to some basic ideas including acknowl-edging that a problem exists, creating a code of conduct, hiring and train-ing staff for the task, and providing them ways to deal with the problemsand the stress. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth DocumentDelivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <[email protected]> Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com> 2002 by The Haworth Press,Inc. All rights reserved.]
KEYWORDS. Difficult, problem patrons, clientele conduct, staff com-munication, empowerment, flexibility, authorities
INTRODUCTION
Today’s libraries no longer resemble the quiet solitudes of yesteryear.They are filled with the interaction of users and the noise of copy ma-chines, printers and computers. Patrons use cellular phones, pagers andcomputers with little regard to others. Even the sound of personalized lis-
Sharon W. Bullard is Administrative Services/Personnel Librarian, Walter ClintonJackson Library, University of North Carolina, UNCG, PO Box 26175, Greensboro,NC 27402-6175 (E-mail: [email protected]).
[Haworth co-indexing entry note]: “Gypsies, Tramps and Rage: Coping with Difficult Patrons.” Bullard,
Sharon W. Co-published simultaneously in The Reference Librarian (The Haworth Information Press, an im-
print of The Haworth Press, Inc.) No. 75/76, 2002, pp. 245-252; and: Helping the Difficult Library Patron:
New Approaches to Examining and Resolving a Long-Standing and Ongoing Problem (ed: Kwasi Sarkodie-
Mensah) The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc., 2002, pp. 245-252. Single or
multiple copies of this article are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service
[1-800-HAWORTH, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address: [email protected]].
2002 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 245
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tening devices can often be heard. And today’s libraries have become ahaven for the homeless, the young, the substance abuser, the sexual devi-ant, the elderly, the criminal-minded and the mentally disturbed.
With the change in clientele and their increased use of libraries, be-havior of library patrons has become the subject of many books, articlesand workshops today, leading one to believe problem behavior is a newphenomenon for libraries. In fact, the problem behavior of patrons datesback to the early beginnings of libraries. Otherwise, why were bookschained to the desks in medieval times; why are curses found againstthose who “stealth a book”; and, why were there library rules publishedin the 1700s barring snoring?
The growing emphasis on the problem patron today is due to the in-creased number of incidences of undesirable behavior and the intensityof reader’s rage. People seeking shelter from the streets often createcomplaints ranging from their body odor to their talking to no visibleparty. Latch key children produce a special problem for libraries as thesafety of the child and the library’s responsibility for providing thatsafety become an issue. Teens gathering after school often intimidateother users due to their robust activity. Patrons are content to wait inlong lines for lunch knowing if they do not have a credit card, they mustpay cash. However when they come to the library they demand instantgratification at the reference desk and special treatment when they haveno valid identification.
Angry patrons still create the greatest problems for staff and these en-counters are growing in number. In short, the social ills of America’ssociety have moved into the library, and the staff, especially those infrontline positions, are subjected to the disruptive and problem behav-iors on a daily basis.
Library staffs operate on the basic assumption that they are to provideservice to those seeking assistance, information or knowledge. There isalso the idea that “no one has the right to interfere with anyone else’s rightto use the library.”1 Add the American concepts of “the customer is al-ways right” and “everyone is innocent until proven guilty” and one be-gins to see how the changes in patron behavior patterns in today’slibraries are having a negative and draining effect on the library staff.
SURVIVAL
In order for library staff to survive and overcome the conflictsabounding in the libraries of today, some very basic ideas must be rec-
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ognized and adhered to, which will enable employees to dance with theproblems rather than fight with them.
Acknowledgement
First, there must be an acknowledgement that there is a problem, notjust problem patrons. The acknowledgement has to be accepted not onlyby the staff at the front desks but by all library employees, especially li-brary administrations and their governing bodies. Too often the behav-ior of a patron is singled out and efforts are made to modify the behaviorof that particular patron or patron group, rather than addressing theproblem and its cause. Use the recurring problems to review and evalu-ate the problems caused, whether it is anger over policies or the libraryhaving become a refuge for undesirables. Looking at user complaintsoffers an opportunity to evaluate operations from another perspectiveand offers a chance to solicit input from the complainer on how to re-solve the problem. In evaluating a policy and possible solutions, keepthe administration informed and involved. Be cautioned that a numberof complaints received about a particular policy or procedure does notpreclude that the problem lies with the practice. Resolving the situationmay be as simple as making sure the patrons are aware of a policy orprocedure or that they understand the reason for a practice.
Code of Conduct
The library should have a formal written code of conduct, which de-fines and identifies those behaviors that are unacceptable in the library.The code should be well written and well publicized. Post the librarycode of conduct on the library’s web site as well as in highly visible lo-cations throughout the building. Any handouts given during orientationor registration for a library card should include the code of conduct.Handouts, which include the code, should be available for users to pickup as they browse through other handouts provided by the library. Per-sonnel providing library security should be able to supply a copy of thecode to misbehaving persons, as they are being reprimanded or escortedout of the building. Staff should be provided with recommended sanc-tions and recommended guidelines for enforcement. The code of con-duct should be applied fairly and equitably to all patrons.
Staffing
Staff that work directly with the public must have a combination ofskills and talents that should be sought during the recruitment process.
Providing Solutions to the Problem 247
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Included in these abilities are the need for excellent interpersonal andcommunication skills, the proficiency to make quick and accurate judg-ments, the willingness to assume authority and, most important, thepossession of common sense. During the interview process questionsshould be asked, including hypothetical situations that probe an inter-viewee’s abilities, skills and talents.
Training
Staff training is an ongoing process, beginning on the new employ-ees’ first day and ending as they leave on their final day. Staff should betrained to enable them to respond to questions, to handle situations andto cope with negative feelings. Training exercises are not only done informal workshops, but in informal settings. Utilize a mentoring pro-gram by pairing newer employees with more experienced staff mem-bers. If at all possible, provide a place for staff to share ideas andsituations informally as well as allow time during regularly scheduledstaff meetings for problem situations to be reviewed and discussed.
Communication
The importance of good communication skills cannot be over em-phasized. A person is not listening if he or she is formulating a responseto be given as soon as the other person quits talking. Staff should betrained in active listening, which acknowledges that the other personowns the problem and reflects back to the person what one thinks theyare hearing. There are several techniques of active listening. Para-phrasing is one of them. When talking with a person, use his or hername. Nothing is more beautiful to someone than hearing one’s ownname spoken by another. Use phrases, such as “I understand your feel-ings,” or, “I can appreciate your being upset,” but use them with sincer-ity.
When handling problem situations, staff should be aware of bodylanguage. “It has been suggested that only 10 percent of what is heard isactually what is being said and 30 percent of what is heard are formedby impressions composed from body language and tone of voice.”2
Folded arms, hand on hips, pointing fingers or speaking faster andlouder indicate hostility.
In some instances, it becomes clear that additional dialog will not re-solve the issue being discussed. In these cases, acknowledge that underthe circumstances, resolution is not possible. Make such a statement to
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the patron, or be prepared to refer the patron to someone else, such as aco-worker or a supervisor. When two different people make the samestatement using different words, the concept may become clearer. It isalso known that when a person hears the same response from two differ-ence sources, he/she is more willing to accept the validity of the re-sponse. Some people do not respond to being told what to do by afemale, members of certain ethnic groups or someone they perceive asnot being in charge. If one is able to make that determination whileworking with the upset patron, make a shift to a staff member who fitsthe perceived “person in charge.”
Post Trauma
The biggest problem with handling angry patrons is the psychologicaleffect they have on the staff members’ emotions. In spite of staff beingtrained not to internalize verbal abuse, it is often humanly impossiblenot to do so. “Consumer research shows that 90 percent of discontentedcustomers never return and tell 9 friends about their unhappiness. Theyalso remember the problem 23.5 months later, whereas the satisfiedcustomer remembers for 18 months.”3 These figures may also be re-versed and applied to the staff who remember encounters with angryand/or abusive patrons for almost two years. Immediately after an en-counter with an angry patron a staff member requires a minimum of onehour to adequately recover emotionally and be able to continue his orher job effectively. Staff must have time to recover from emotional en-counters.
One way for supervisors to help is to require a written report detail-ing each incident. These reports may be kept as computer files withinthe department and may serve as a log. Providing an index by name,date, time and type of incident, will enable easy access and may beused to show behavior patterns, the times problems most often occurand what types of situations the library is experiencing. By writingabout an incident the staff member is able to vent his/her feelings aswell as provide written documentation in the event the patron’s behav-ior becomes so inappropriate as to require referral to authorities. An-other method is for the supervisor and employee to discuss the situationbehind the scenes. It is also helpful to have a “venting center” wherestaff can blow off steam as well as have a sympathetic ear from fellowemployees.
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Common Sense
Just as policy and procedure manuals are not enough to guide staffthrough problem situations, time spent in staff training cannot over-come the lack of common sense. The most important asset for librarystaff is common sense and the ability to apply it in any situation. The useof common sense can defuse a situation before it becomes hostile or em-barrassing.
Empowerment
Library staff empowerment is vital to allow staff to handle situationsas they arise. “Empowerment is an employee who can do whatever hehas to do on the spot to take care of a customer to that customer’s satis-faction, not to the company’s satisfaction.”4 Managers must learn totrust their employees to do the right thing in any situation. In the begin-ning, hire good personnel by asking questions that explore a candidate’scommunication skills and their ability to make quick and accurate judg-ments during the recruitment process. Proceed to train employees to dotheir best in difficult situations and finally, trust them to make the rightdecision. Employees who are trusted respond to that trust. They aremore committed to their work and are happier employees with highermorale.
Administration
Do not refer everyday problems to the administration, but do seektheir support. Too often when a single patron complains to an adminis-trator, solutions are formulated without first seeking input from the staffand the results decrease staff morale. Impress on the administration thatthey must support staff who are serving on the front lines.
Administration must be flexible as well as allow staff flexibility indealing with situations. There is an unwritten rule that when dealingwith the disgruntled the more options available, the better the chance ofturning an incident into a win-win situation. Procedures should provideflexibility at all levels.
Self-Help
Wherever possible, allow patrons to do the work themselves. Whenshowing them how to search, let them use the computer and move the
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mouse. Provide self-tutorials for heavily used databases and self-guidedtours of the building and its collections. Allow patrons to place theirown interlibrary loan requests, check out and renew their own materials,and see their own accounts. Businesses such as service stations, banks,supermarkets and even airlines have been empowering users for years.Just as staff feels more comfortable with self-empowerment, users mayalso wish to have control and be able to do things for themselves.
Outside Resources
In libraries of yesterday, each institution worked alone and resolvedits own problems the best way possible. Today there is an incrediblewealth of knowledge available by contacting colleagues through list-servs or e-mail. Utilizing sources such as LIBREF-L, CIRCPLUS andSAFETY-L will provide access to hundreds of years of experience aswell as offering one assurances that incidents involving difficult pa-trons are wide spread and are not unique to any one library.
Local Authorities
When a difficult patron’s behavior goes beyond that which can behandled or abided by the staff, it is time to seek additional professionalhelp. Intervention by outside authorities may include the library secu-rity, the office overseeing student conduct or local school authorities orthe police department. Develop a positive working relationship withthese offices. When notifying them of problems, have the facts outlinedand available. Be reasonable when asking for their help and know whatkind of help they will be able to provide. Contact offices of student con-duct and request access to their policies and regulations governing stu-dent behavior. When working with these agencies be able to offersuggestions as to what regulations have been abused. Know what thepolice consider a “criminal action” and refrain from calling them intosituations they cannot assist in resolving.
CONCLUSION
Given the history of the disruptive patron and the increasing numberof encounters with enraged users, dealing with problem patrons willcontinue to require more and more staff time. In order for library staff todo their job, which is to deliver services in the area of information to all
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people, they must be equipped to cope with resolving problems. Welltrained staff with common sense, good communication skills, the powerto take care of a user’s problems and the support of the administrationare destined to produce better results and cause staff to feel good aboutthemselves, their job and their accomplishments. Complaints should beused as an invitation to review policies and procedures in an effort toimprove service and minimize encounters with enraged readers. It willtake time and effort, but eventually the staff will be enabled to dancewith the problem patrons.
REFERENCES
1. Turner, Ann M. It Comes with the Territory: Handling Problem Situations in Li-braries. Jefferson, North Carolina and London: McFarland & Co., Inc. 1993, 4.
2. Ibid. 48.3. Rhea, Joyce Rubin. “Anger in the Library: Defusing Angry Patrons at the Refer-
ence Desk (and Elsewhere).” The Reference Librarian 31 1990, 49.4. Tschohl, John. “Empowerment: the key to customer service.” Nation’s Restau-
rant News. 31:31, 40. In Sarkodie-Mensah, Kwasi. “The Difficult Patron Situation: AWindow of Opportunity to Improve Library Service.” Catholic Library World. March2000, 159-167.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bangs, Patricia. “When Bad Things Happen in Good Libraries: Staff Tools for the ’90sand Beyond. Public Libraries 37:3, My/Je 1998, 196-199.
Canal, Bruce A. “Libraries Attract More than Readers: Investing in Library Safety. In-diana Libraries 7:1, 1998, 15-17.
McNeil, Beth and Denise J. Johnson. Patron Behavior in Libraries: A Handbook ofPositive Approaches to Negative Situations. Chicago: American Library Associa-tion, 1996.
Rhea, Joyce Rubin. “Anger in the Library: Defusing Angry Patrons at the ReferenceDesk (and Elsewhere).” The Reference Librarian 31, 1990.
Rhea, Joyce, Rubin. “Defusing the Angry Patron” Library Mosaics 11:3, My/Je 2000,14-15.
Sarkodie-Mensah, Kwasi. “The Difficult Patron Situation: A Window of Opportunityto Improve Library Service.” Catholic Library World. March 2000, 159-167.
Shuman, Bruce. Library Security and Safety Handbook: Prevention, Policies and Pro-cedures. Chicago: American Library Association, 1999.
Turner, Anne M. It Comes with the Territory: Handling Problem Situations in Li-braries. Jefferson, North Carolina and London: McFarland & Co., Inc.1993.
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