Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Spell Check, Please!


When someone applies for a library card, they fill out an online application. After finishing this, which is normally 3 or 4 minutes, they come to me to get their card. Asking for their ID, I look them up by their name.

Sometimes we cannot find them in the computer. We need to try alternate ways to find them. When we do, we confirm all of their information. About 50% of the time, we need to modify what they filled in. Some people forgot their birthday date, others put themselves in as the wrong gender. The most however, is the patron spelled their name wrong. Oh, you may think it is just a slip of a keystroke. I am here to tell you it is not. According to his license, we should be looking for John Weizenbaugh. However, an extended time later I hear “Oh I am sorry, I think I put in Jack". Looking for the new information and finding nothing, I have to ask "Sir, what name did you put in the computer over there about 5 minutes ago?" When you get a response of "Um, I am not sure", your poker face comes into play. I do my library magic, I find him in the computer. His name in the computer "Jackie Keilbaug". How, you may ask, do we know it's him? We do this by verifying everything on his ID and compare it to the computer. I then modify his application with what is true.
 
Many times the easiest of transactions, are the most difficult.
 
 

1 comment:

  1. LOL! Sounds like someone was planning on borrowing and then not returning. Isn't it amazing how they think no one will notice that the name they put on their application isn't the same one on their ID?

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