Dear Donna Corbeil- Director of Library Services,
I'd like to inform you about the negative experience I had at Berkeley Public Library. On Saturday, February 28th 2009 at 3pm, I approached a member of the staff to ask for her help on how and where to use a quick computer. This person, a woman with brunette hair past her shoulders working on the third floor, was rude and curt with me. Worst of all she gave me incorrect information insisting I make a reservation even though I found 'express' computers on the 2nd floor, no reservation required!
Aside from giving misinformation her body language and tone were very uncivil. She rolled her eyes and held her hand out for my library card with disdain. I was particularly offended when she asked me for my four digit code to make the computer reservation. I told her I didn’t know what it was since it had been a while since I had been there. She said, "the last four of your number”. My original assumption was my social security number. However, after many attempts at determining the code, she finally looked up my account. She asked for my telephone number and said, “You said you didn’t know the last four of you number”. I told her that I did not know what she meant when she asked for “the last four”. Her overall tone was condescending.
When I called your facility around 5pm, the same evening, to discuss her behavior and unhelpfulness, the supervisor on duty, Mr. Clemens was reluctant to give me his name. After I told him what had happened, he told me verbatim, “I will get her side of the story and tell my supervisor”. He was very dismissive of my concerns, which led me to believe that nothing would be done about this.
Every person I dealt with was rude and disobliging, except the librarian on the second floor (short brown hair, glasses, early forties) who showed me where the express computers were. Since none of the staff wear name tags, I am only able to provide you with descriptions and times.
The library is a valuable resource and, while I realize everyone has a bad day now and then, I'd hate to think that my experience is typical at Berkeley Public Library. I would also hope that in the future if concerns are addressed to a management position that they would be handled appropriately. While I can certainly empathize in the difficulties of face to face customer service there is little excuse for upper management being blatantly dismissive. I hope this letter does not follow in the same suit. Thank you in advance for your time.
Concerned,
Boomer
I'd like to inform you about the negative experience I had at Berkeley Public Library. On Saturday, February 28th 2009 at 3pm, I approached a member of the staff to ask for her help on how and where to use a quick computer. This person, a woman with brunette hair past her shoulders working on the third floor, was rude and curt with me. Worst of all she gave me incorrect information insisting I make a reservation even though I found 'express' computers on the 2nd floor, no reservation required!
Aside from giving misinformation her body language and tone were very uncivil. She rolled her eyes and held her hand out for my library card with disdain. I was particularly offended when she asked me for my four digit code to make the computer reservation. I told her I didn’t know what it was since it had been a while since I had been there. She said, "the last four of your number”. My original assumption was my social security number. However, after many attempts at determining the code, she finally looked up my account. She asked for my telephone number and said, “You said you didn’t know the last four of you number”. I told her that I did not know what she meant when she asked for “the last four”. Her overall tone was condescending.
When I called your facility around 5pm, the same evening, to discuss her behavior and unhelpfulness, the supervisor on duty, Mr. Clemens was reluctant to give me his name. After I told him what had happened, he told me verbatim, “I will get her side of the story and tell my supervisor”. He was very dismissive of my concerns, which led me to believe that nothing would be done about this.
Every person I dealt with was rude and disobliging, except the librarian on the second floor (short brown hair, glasses, early forties) who showed me where the express computers were. Since none of the staff wear name tags, I am only able to provide you with descriptions and times.
The library is a valuable resource and, while I realize everyone has a bad day now and then, I'd hate to think that my experience is typical at Berkeley Public Library. I would also hope that in the future if concerns are addressed to a management position that they would be handled appropriately. While I can certainly empathize in the difficulties of face to face customer service there is little excuse for upper management being blatantly dismissive. I hope this letter does not follow in the same suit. Thank you in advance for your time.
Concerned,
Boomer
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