Tompkins County Public Library

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Patron Comments - September 2006

Comment: Raise borrowing limits
Response: The current limit is 20 items per user, which we believe is realistic, given the high demand for popular items

Comment: Increase the loan period for DVDs with multiple discs and up to 10 hours of viewing—it’s too hard to watch all in one week
Response: You do have the option of keeping the item past its due date. We offer a two day grace period. If you kept if for another week, it would cost you $1.25

Comment: Why do you cover the name of the book with the bar code?
Response: The placement of the bar code is standardized so that the self check machines can easily locate it.

Comment: I appreciate getting books on hold and think that the 50 cents charge should be increased for this service
Response: Thank you, we will consider

Comment: Please allow CDs to be renewed
Response: These can be renewed.

Comment: Too cold in the building
Response: The air conditioning unit has been serviced and adjusted several times during the past month; we apologize for the cold temperatures

Comment: Please add the Dvorak keyboard layout as an option on the existing language bar on the Internet computers
Response: Please contact me directly (jsteiner@tcpl.org) so we can obtain more information.

Comment: I am so appreciative of the dedication and support I experienced a the reference desk and several times at the check out are—the staff in each case went out of their way to assist me
Response: Thank you for your comment

Comment: More bike racks in front of the library
Response: TCAT is promising to work with us to add bike racks for their riders

Comment: What happened to Not New But Worth A View?
Response: We moved this section to a more prominent place along the Avenue of the Friends. It is on the shelving which previously held DVDs

Comment: A patron would like a thank you from the Friends because she has donated 500 “next to new” books to the booksale.
Response: We will contact the Friends and request that this be done.

Comment: Why are the books on the lower shelves in Youth Services shelved downwards? The logical alphabetical order is also gone
Response: We will soon be moving all books except the juvenile non-fiction to their correct upright position. If they are out of order, we apologize, but this is just one example of the impact of being short staffed. Volunteer help is always appreciated!

Comment: Even though I have just returned my DVDs, the self check machine blocks me from checking out new ones because there is a delay in checking these items in. Waiting in line so that the block can be waived today is too time consuming. Can you remove the blocks?
Response: We understand your frustration. Due to chronic short staffing, we are often days behind in checking items in—and we have far too few clerks working at the Circulation Desk. However, if we were to remove the automatic block on accounts which control how many items you can check out at one time, there would be no limit to how many items you could check out at once. Our staff can override the block but it does require you to stand in line. We are sorry that there does not seem to be a satisfactory solution to this problem.