Tompkins County Public Library

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Patron Comments December 2014 and January 2015

Comment:  Please get the recording of Leslie Daniels' "Cleaning Nabokov's House."  There are two in the system but none here.
Response:  Isn't Leslie Daniels wonderful?  She is a gracious friend of the Library, and we love her work.  Both of the sound recordings in the Finger Lakes Library System are currently available to borrow through inter-library loan.  Access the catalog online or contact our Circulation Desk for more information.

Comment:  We need more permaculture books, such as "Edible Forest Gardens" by Jacke and "Integrated Forest Gardening" by Weiseman.
Response:  Permaculture is gaining momentum throughout the country and here in Ithaca. Fortunately, peer libraries within the Finger Lakes Library System have purchased copies of both of these titles to help aid your research. Visit our online catalog or stop by one of our service desks to request a copy through inter-library loan.

Comment:  Stop monitoring adult internet.
Response:  Thank you so much for sharing your feedback about our public internet stations.  One of the best things about public libraries is our commitment to patron privacy, the other best thing is our commitment to the public itself.  From time to time, our staff members may observe a patron viewing material on one of our computers that might not be appropriate for all members of our public and ask that it not be viewed. Please know that we support your ability to view any websites you choose, but we have an obligation to ensure that materials being looked at in a space as diverse as ours is suitable for unintended viewers.

Comment:  Coat hook?  Why not?
Response:  Thanks for braving the elements to visit TCPL. Bundle up this winter, and feel free to hang your coat on the rack outside of our BorgWarner Community Room.

Comment:  I tried to find a reference person yesterday, but there was no one at the desk. No one at Circulation or the security guard could help me find someone.  It is highly inconvenient to run around looking for someone.  Someone should always be there.
Reponse:  We're sorry to hear that you were inconvenienced in this way.  Our Reference Desks are fully staffed during regular library hours,  because we know how important these services are.  The staff member was likely helping another patron locate an item, which can sometimes take a bit longer than we had planned.  In the future, please know that the team at our Youth Services Reference Desk would be happy to answer your questions.

Comment:  I would love to listen to "The Wise Man's Fear" and "The Name of the Wind" on audiobook.  
Response:  Unfortunately, we couldn't locate "The Wise Man's Fear" in our catalog, but we are excited to announce that you can now borrow an audio recording of "The Name of the Wind" through our free OverDrive Digital Download Service.  Contact our Reference Desk to find out more about OverDrive.

Comment:  When there are two or more clerks checking out books, why not designate (by a sign) one of them to handle problems or time-consuming customer issues.  Long lines with every clerk handing five or ten-minute customerissues while everyone else waits to check out items or pick up a hold makes no sense.  This has always been a problem here.
Response:  We're sorry to hear that you have experienced this problem at TCPL.  Our Access and Circulation Services team are always reviewing practices and policies to ensure that our patrons receive the best possible customer service.  Your suggestion has been shared for their review.

Comment:  Patron asked for an inter-library loan and then cancelled it online the same day.  It looked like it went away, but she just discovered it is being held for her by accident.  She feels that this is a problem that should be fixed with the system.  It shouldn't look like it can be cancelled online when it can't.
Response:  Thank you for bringing this to our attention.  We will forward your feedback to the team responsible for maintaining our online catalog software for review.

Comment:  Could you have the key for {mart} carts at the security station rather than at check out where you have to wait in line.  The guard at Security could take license and give the key.
Response:  Thank you for such a thoughtful suggestion.  Our Access and Circulation Department team is always looking for ways to make the patron experience more efficient and enjoyable.  Your suggestion has been sent to the department for review.

Comment:  January is long, cold and dark.  It's the perfect month to come to the library on Sunday afternoon.
Response:  We couldn't agree more, and while we would love to be open each and every Sunday, unfortunately, available funding limits our ability to do so.  Since we are only able to be open on select Sundays, we carefully review attendance figures and trends to pick the times when we are most heavily used.  We are always hopeful that additional funding will become available, so that we can continue to provide our patrons with the access they need and deserve.  In the meantime, please mark February 1 on your calendar, as it is our first open Sunday of 2015.