[Sca-librarians] Library Assistant fired over book

[Sally Burnell]

There are a couple of very humorous books out about library life and
unsavory patrons. I read one called "Free For All: Oddballs, Geeks
and Gangstas in the Public Library" that had me falling off my chair
laughing at the all too familiar world of working in an urban library
setting. We get all types, but oh, do we ever get some really unsavory
people who just make you cringe to see them. We get verbally abusive
patrons, unbearably smelly patrons, demanding patrons who can simply never
be satisfied no matter how hard you work to please them, serial thieves
who check out and never return materials.....you name it, we've got
it. 

I see nothing wrong with exposing how libraries have
changed over the years, from being the quiet intellectual haven of books
to the place where more and more of the detritus of society seems to
find itself and the library staff has to deal with a far more stressful
environment coping with them and their behaviors. The "street
people" seem to have taken over libraries and those who really want
to use it for research and intellectual pursuits have fled in favor of
other venues to avoid the bizarre street people who hang out at libraries
and cause trouble for patrons and staff. 

So to write a
fictional "memoir" of life at just such a library strikes me as
just telling the truth. And as for the library management, my advice to
them is that if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen! 

THLady Saradwen Ariandalen
mka Sally Burnell
25
years working as a library assistant
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