The Way People Behave

Every day it amazes me.  At least once a day I am exposed to bad behavior.  I know, I'm a children's librarian and kids behave badly once in awhile.  It may come as a shock but it's not just the children's behavior that appalls me.  Fellow librarians will agree, many times it's an adults' behavior we gossip about in the staff room not the kids.  Right this second a parent just walked up and asked if she could go to the New Years program - it's 11:45, the program started at 11:15 and it ends at 12 - I said you're a half an hour late, she says can I still go in,  I tell her no, so she leaves.  The glaring thing about this interaction is the fact that she didn't make a fuss about not being able to go in. 90% of the time the parent pitches a fit and blames us for being mean.  I had to take a big breath before I told her no, and I cringed a little inside because I expected a blow up.  Luckily I escaped without even a singe.

I don't understand people who expect us to be happy to help them when their behavior is so appalling.  There are individuals and families that come in daily that staff roll their eyes at and wander away from the service desks, hoping against hope that they won't need help.  Then there are the families that come in and behave as if the library is an amusement park, where they let their kids run around playing chase up and down the stacks.  Better yet are the parents that disappear into the computer lab and let their 6 yr old hang out in the library by themselves for 90 minutes.  We have policies in place to try to correct their actions but they try to get away with it if possible.  I should not have to parent your child.  I am also not a state paid babysitter. 

Then there is the random exotica that comes with public service.  The most notable example recently was the woman (in her 50's at least) who vomited all over the copier just a week ago Tuesday.  She went to the rest room, then proceeded to get on a computer.  WTF?  Better yet her husband was here and he was too busy to A)help her or B) help us clean up her mess.  She didn't bother to offer to help either nor did she apologize or do anything to indicate that she had done something wrong.  I come to find out later that she's one of our problem patrons.  One who is always rude to staff and expects privileges that no one gets.

Why do people think that this is okay?  My parents would never allow behavior like that.  They definitely never behaved like that.  Is it cultural, is it laziness?  Who knows.  I just felt the need to rant about it for awhile.

Thanks for letting me soapbox.  (Not that you could have stopped me =)
Rach