Tompkins County Public Library

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Patron Comments July 2009

Comment: You are a gem! There is nothing like this library’s prime service.
Response: Thank you.

Comment: Complaint that a person, who forgets their password, cannot access their account and therefore cannot place a hold online. The online help feature is not helpful.
Response: The next upgrade of our online catalog, Polaris, will allow patrons to retrieve forgotten passwords. This upgrade is due to be loaded in July.

Comment: Sculptures outside are beautiful
Response: Thank you. We are pleased to be a part of this city wide exhibit.

Comment: Patron complained that we do not have the June 12th Value Line large cap available.
Response: The highest priority is placed on checking-in and shelving the most current Value Line. On occasion this publication is delayed in the mail.

Comment: Library is the best thing about Ithaca and that’s saying a lot.
Response: Thank you.

Comment: Can you please fill in some of the holes in the Manga series? I am sure lots of people would appreciate it.
Response: Your request has been submitted to the selector.

Comment: Thanks so much for helping my daughter find Spanish books, CDs and teaching her how to use Internet sites linked through your website. I never would have found all of these things without the librarian’s help.
Response: You are welcome. We are very pleased to be able to help.

Comment: Patron confused by arrangement of language books, kits and CDs.
Response: This can be confusing with the various formats. The world language collection houses materials written in a language while items for learning a language are located in the regular collection. Please ask the Reference Librarians for help. They are happy to work with you.

Comment: Patron would like internet terminals changed to allow more privacy. She suggested using larger dividers. She has noticed other patrons watching patrons at the computers making them feel uncomfortable.
Response: We try to provide privacy for our patrons through the use of carrels for the computers and by making available privacy screens upon request. Your concerns will, also, be passed on the Adult Services Department.

Comment: $5 donation for our “wizardry” – after finding an essay for the patron.
Response: Thank you.

Comment: I would never have found the local history material without the help of a librarian.
Response: Thank you for your note. We are happy to help.

Comment: It would be beneficial to separate the series on DVD from other movies to make it easier to locate the beginning, middle and end of a series.
Response: We consider the DVDs to be a browsing collection and all materials are rough sorted by first letter of the title. Often series have a similar appearance and are easily recognizable.

Comment: The Bookdrop was almost full on Sunday.
Response: Thank you for your concern. Staff came in on Friday and Sunday over the long Independence Day weekend to empty the bookdrop. They should have been alright by mid morning.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Patron Comments June 2009

Comment: Patron loves the library and wishes that there was a drive through book drop. She has an infant and cannot easily return books. So she comes to the library less frequently.
Response: Unfortunately there is no place where we can locate a drive through book drop. We have reinstated the short term parking directly in front of the library to allow for quick access to the bookdrops. Also, you may also drop off TCPL items at the public libraries in Groton, Newfield, Dryden, Trumansburg, Lansing and any other library which is in the Finger Lakes Library System.

Comment: Cornell student will not be able to graduate unless he can find a place to print from a 3 year old drive. Reference staff suggested Kinko’s. He was very appreciative, but it turns out they cannot open it either. He will have to contact the professor who gave it to him.
Response: Thank you for the good effort.

Comment: Patron wondered about the occasion that featured Jewish culture on a book display table. Would there be a Palestinian book display also?Response: Will refer your suggestion to Adult Services Librarians.

Comment: I am sure books get left on tables all the time, but maybe the pages could let them stay longer and focus on reshelving the carts. I left books and audio on a table while checking the shelving carts and they were picked up while I was searching. I lost all the items I spent an hour finding. Very sad reader
Response: The pages circulate hourly to pick up items left on the tables. You could leave a note on your books if you need to leave the table so that they are not removed. If it happens again, please inform the reference librarians and they can retrieve the items for you.

Comment: I think Internet access for parents would be helpful in the Youth area. I (and others) don’t want to leave our children to get on the Internet. Our children grow restless while waiting for us to use the Internet in the adult section.
Response: We agree that this would be a benefit and an idea that warrants further investigation.

Comment: A few weeks ago I had borrowed some children’s books and from two of them the barcode was removed, what do I need to do about that?
Response: Please inform the circulation clerks when you return the books so that they can identify which copies of the books are checked out to you. This will greatly assist the clerks in checking them in for you.

Comment: Outside flower boxes are lovely.
Response: Thank you. They were provided by a project run by Cooperative Extension called the Community Beautification Program.

Comment: One less rent-a-cop means one more janitor which, in turn, means clean public rest rooms and preservation of the public’s assets.
Response: Both our security guards and our cleaners are just as frustrated and unhappy about this ongoing vandalism as you are. We are well aware of the problem and hope to have resolved shortly. The security guards are invaluable to us and we cannot operate the library without their assistance. With 35,000 people using the library every month, it is extremely important that we have a safe and secure environment for both the users and the staff. Your low opinion of them is not matched by anyone on the library staff , nor by the Ithaca Police Department, who works closely with them.

Comment: Patron thinks all movies should be renewable. Doesn’t make sense to have VHS renewable, but not DVDs. Confusing and inconvenient when you live out of town.
Response: Due to supply and demand, we adjust our borrowing policies accordingly. The demand for videos is small in comparison to the DVDs, which tend to be the newer movies, thus, the difference in the loan periods.

Comment: Like the logo and motto
Response: Thank you.

Comment: Tuesday storyhour should be at 10:30 instead of 11:00. Better time for youngsters. The later time is too close to lunch and kids get fussy.
Response: Toddler story time will resume in September. Your suggestion has been referred to Youth Services for implementation for the Fall program.

Comment: Patron signing up for the Internet tutoring said Jennifer is “amazing” and helped her overcome her fear of computers.
Response: Thank you.

Comment: Patron says wireless signal is weak. 3:20 PM
Response: The wireless service is due to be updated this month. Also, where you are sitting may affect the signal. Sitting in an area closer to the hub will give a stronger result.

Comment: There should be a rule that persons reading the newspapers and magazines do not take them out of the area where they are shelved.
Response: People are free to use these resources wherever they are comfortable, and while we would prefer that they return them to the proper place, if they don’t, our pages (on their once an hour sweep of the library) will return them to their proper place.