Anyone else surprised by the amount of drama at libraries?
Like I've been working in libraries for about 8 years now. When I first applied I thought this would be my quiet part time job while I worked on my art degree. Turned out I like libraries and been working ever since.
But I didn't think there'd be so much drama that can happen at a library. Just a few examples from my career:
Having to put up "your on camera" signs in the study cubicles because patrons were getting "very friendly" with each other in there
Patrons throwing tantrums because they didn't want to return the electronic devices they checked out even though they read and signed the technology agreement
At my 2nd library, the middle aged - old women in circ essentially having a high school clique and gossiping while making the young circ staff do all the work
Same middle aged - old women of circ getting upset because I ordered LGBTQ books
At my second library I wanted to put an Ofrenda for dia de los muertos. My supervisor, the children's librarian, and the assistant director had no issues with it and I got their approval. The middle aged - old women of circ found out and had a secret meeting with the director and assistant director to get it cancelled because it was "Satanic." They successfully got it cancelled.
A patron calling the police on a patron because they smelled bad
A patron calling the police on a patron because she was talking too loud and said it was interrupting her presentation in our meeting room.
That same patron who called the police, the presentation she was giving was a course on how to sell real estate. She told us it was about Teens in Crisis. She was also charging ppl $50 to attend her real estate workshop. The meeting room is only for non profits who don't charge ppl anything. We banned her and she made a big stink to the city
The countless times I've had to save female staff from weird male patrons.
Friends President at my current library hates me because she was late to pick up her Christmas gifts
At my first library I was walking with an older coworker when she dropped something. She bent over to pick it up and her dress was just a little too short and her butt was showing. I'd later learn that was her making a pass at me because she found out her husband was cheating and this was her way of getting back at him.
At my first library the library manager didn't like how I sat in chairs. That same manager chewed me out in front of a patron for doing what the circ supervisor told me to do regarding our technology policy
There's just so much more but I was surprised by the drama that goes on in a library behind the scenes.