Patron Comments - October and November 2006

Comment: Limits on the number of DVDs you can check out is too restrictive.
Response: We wish it weren’t necessary to be so restrictive, but the fact is that the DVDs are in high demand, but in short supply.

Comment: Complaint about the art in front of the library (see below for a detailed response).
Response: Self check out machines rarely work About 30% of our checks out occur at the self-check out computers. We are replacing two of them this week, and we hope that they will increase your chances of success.

Comment: My family loves your staff and the article in the paper was unfair.
Response: Thank you!

Comment: Compliment about the organization of the music CDs.
Response: Thank you!

Comment: I don’t like the policy of no renewals for new books.
Response: We wish it weren’t necessary to be so restrictive, but the fact is that we have a high demand for new books, but they are in short supply. Perhaps in the future when our funding is more robust, we could consider changing this policy.

Comment: Buy more DVDs for the African American population.
Response: We currently have 54 DVDs which have the subject heading African-American. Please ask a Reference Librarian to show you how to obtain a list of these titles. We welcome suggestions of specific titles.

Comment: Please consider numbering the Pokeman in series order
Response: Will refer to our Technical Services Department

Comment: Loan period on instructional videos should be changed to a longer period.
Response: The library has established two loan periods: one week for high demand items and three weeks for other items. For consistency and ease of remembering, all of our videos are checked out for one week. If you need to keep it longer, don’t forget that there is a two day grace period.

Comment: Someone is removing poster from the community bulletin board before the actual event.
Response: Unfortunately, this is not something we can easily monitor or control. We will ask Security Services to keep an eye on it.

Comment: Publicize the fact that the library closes 10 minutes before the stated closing time—or change your schedule.
Response: Due to the fact that the library is often fully occupied, we have to start moving people toward the check-out line and out the front doors 15-20 minutes before closing time. Our security guard sweeps through the library as does our professional staff. At some point we cannot allow any more people into the library since it is counterproductive to our goal of closing the building on time. The circulation desk remains open until the actual closing.

Comment: Couldn’t the checked in carts be roughly sorted by Dewey categories.
Response: We would ultimately like to eliminate the backlog, which is caused by insufficient staff. In order to accomplish what you suggest, we would need more staff! The carts are organized by return date, and if you know the title of the item you are looking for, the reference librarians can suggest which cart it might be on.

Comment: Why doesn’t the library cooperate with Ithaca College on its New Student Reading Project?
Response: We hope that someday this could happen.

Comment: I would like to use the public lockers but they need keys.
Response: We are working on a plan that would solve the problem of users taking the keys and not returning them.

Comment: Could you provide a drop off location for donations to the Friends of the Library?
Response: Unfortunately, we don’t have the space to accept donations, but we do encourage everyone to drop items off at the Friends Booksale site where they are properly sorted and stored. The library is offered the first choice of all donations throughout the year.

Comment: Concern that security services is aware of my personal background and are persecuting and laughing at me.
Response: I am sorry that you feel this way, but you may be mistaken. I will talk with our Security Services to ensure that you receive the respect that you are entitled to.

Comment: I live in Schuyler County and was told that I could not get a library card
Response: Because Schuyler County residents pay no taxes to support our library, we ask that you support our library with a fee-based library card. The cost is $25 per year.

Comment: Thank you so much for teaching my class about websites and databases—they were really impressed with the better quality of information that they can now access
Response: You are welcome!

Comment: Thank you for opening on Columbus Day
Response: You are welcome!