Service Quality Improvement Council

Staffing Issues Group
Minutes, October 19, 1999

Present: Sandy Peterson (chair), Charlie Greenberg (recording),Emily Horning, Maureen Heher, Cesar Rodriguez

I. News:

The Staffing Group has been asked to review extreme weather staffing policies.

The Public Services Manual binder has not been located. Inquiries with likely departments will continue to be made. Relevant content will be distributed when the binder is located.

II. Topic: Problem Patron Issues

The Group agreed to discuss the establishment of goals.

The group identified Problem Patron issues:

• Behavioral criteria

• Users with no privileges; alerting security to their presence.

• A "historical" record of problems in ORBIS

• Language barriers; lack of English fluency

• Medical problems (e.g. seizures)

• Obscene/abusive calls

• Problematic persistence (will not accept an answer)

• Users accompanied by animals

• Users carrying firearms

• Cell phone and beeper usage

• Personal belongings left unattended

• Problems between users, either related or unrelated to library services or collections.

Procedure and response were also identified as policy topics.

Emily mentioned that Connecticut has a "good samaritan law" that states that there is no obligation to help in a distress or problem situation.

The Group agreed that it was necessary to review the committee charge to see if there was an implicit or explicit mandate to create an updated public services manual, given the systematic receipt of requests that would/could naturally fall in such a document.

Cesar suggested that a state university library would be a likely source of an updated public services manual or procedures on dealing with problem patrons.

Sandy performed a quick review of the charge and stated that there seemed to be a basis for considering the formulation or updating of a policy and procedures manual for public services.

The Group agreed to meet again on November 2nd at 3:00, prior to the new staff reception.

Recorded by Charles J. Greenberg, charles.greenberg@yale.edu