NFR: My Mom is Sad, she rec'd a call from the library. All volunteers were "fired"

B

barb_b

Well-known member
Mom has been volunteering for a number of years, and very much apart of her routine. She was told that their services are not allowed because of check-in /place holds....

They said they were concerned that if someone put on hold or checked out a book, that the volunteers would know what is on their mind. ie, if someone checked out a book on divorce or gambling, etc....

Mom is so unhappy. I know this is not FRC; but i know alot of you volunteer /spend time at the library.

Any thoughts???

 
Jus t another example of how stupidly we are becoming oversensitized.

surely some form of signed "contract" would prevent any sharing of confidences! Good Grief

 
What a silly mess. Privacy concerns get stricter in the library, while...

...in other areas of our lives (oh, I don't know... maybe our computer usage?) our privacy gets eroded daily.

Our library has self-checkout. You don't even need to see a person unless you want to, or if you have a problem that needs human attention.

Michael

 
Oh - that is so sad/terrible. Please tell your mom I feel her sadness

I'm on the board of directors at our library and run the monthly bookclub and the library is just such a core part of my life too.

I hope she finds another area of calling (volunteering)where she is needed and feels what she does matters.

 
I third that... whenever possible we should not simply accept stupidity... this is beyond ridiculous

 
Considering that libraries are so underfunded I'm surprised they would let valuable resources go.

 
That's crazy! What about the paid workers... don't they have access to that info too? Geesh.

I hope she finds another place to volunteer that appreciates her time and generosity.

Our library Friends group is a fund-raising effort, so we never have access to the records of other people, but it sounds like your mother's operates differently.

 
OK, my career with the city I live in was to develop a volunteer program, where volunteers would

start out working the the police department, then, if successful, be used throughout the city. In ten years, I had over 100 volunteers, (50 of them in the police department alone) working in all sorts of sensitive areas. Yes, they were volunteers, however they knew their bounds, knew not to talk about anything related to their work (if sensitive) and we expected them to be our unpaid staff assistants with many of the same rules applying to them as for paid staff.

I also worked as a volunteer coordinator for a large local hospital. Volunteers were instructed never to talk about patients or discuss who was in the hospital and for what.

I suspect that the situation with your library developed because someone wanted a book with information that may have been "questionable" to a library volunteer and he/she decided to talk about it and the information spread around. This is sad because that person should have been called into the volunteer coordinator's office for a reprimand and further training. To dismiss the entire unpaid staff is ludicrous and unfair.

As for your mom, there are so many places where a dedicated lady like herself would be welcome with open arms, immediately. Have her check the local hospitals, school libraries, local chamber of commerce or visitor centers.

 
Thank you for letting me vent. I appreciate that you agree that this is silly; to fire volunteers!

 
Just read this. It's crazy, but I actually ran into this exact scenario:

I have issues and I like to read so I borrow books to read about my issues. I have NEVER worried about the librarians seeing the types of books I check out. It's a PUBLIC library....if I want privacy, I'll order from Amazon and have the books delivered in a brown box.

However, a new acquaintance who also happens to be a librarian transferred to my local tiny library. Not a volunteer, remember...a full-time librarian. And from that point on, she commented on EACH and EVERY book I checked out. I read humor and baking books and mysteries, but also books on eating disorders, marital conflicts, obesity and self-esteem issues. Honestly, I know I'm a mess, but I don't care to debate the topic while standing in a checkout line with other patrons.

Since "conflict avoidance" is ANOTHER of my issues, I never told her. I just stopped using the library in person and had Larry pick up my books. Fortunately, she only lasted a year and I've got my library back again.

But I would have never asked to have her fired based on the perception that she was airing my private issues outloud. Again, it's a PUBLIC library. My rights to privacy end at the door.

 
I respectfully disagree with you Marilyn. The volunteers should be trained to respect the privacy

those using the library and the books they check out. Does a grocery clerk note that you have bought Kotex and make comment on your time of the month? NO! As a well trained volunteer, her only job is to check out your books, file them or whatever her/his position directs. They have no business making comments of what you choose to read. Unless of course, it is the latest best seller, and perhaps she would like to mention how much she enjoyed it, as well.

A public library does not mean that you give up all your privacy rights, it simply means that the public has access to the books, computers and information within the building.

 
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