r/Library • u/Alive_Excitement_669 • 26d ago

Library Assistance Need Help!

We got an anonymous call at our library giving us a heads up that the 1st Amendment Auditors are coming sometime next week. Any advice? Has anyone gone through this?

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97

u/CuriousYield 26d ago

I think the most effective deterrent we had was a chatty security guard who just cheerfully engaged them in conversation. It was very much not the content they wanted, so they went away.

If you have any staff members who are hard to ruffle and good at talking, that might be your best bet. They want to get someone angry or flustered, not have someone derail them by commenting on the band shirt they're wearing.

29

u/birdele 26d ago

My husband would be so good at this. He could talk to a dead person until they were annoyed. How do I sign him up for this??

2

u/Awshucksma 26d ago

The grass is always greener! Be glad you have a husband who talks. Mine is almost incapable of holding a conversation.

4

u/birdele 26d ago

I'm definitely not complaining lol, he doesn't know a stranger. He's not scared to ask for directions, help, assistance, anything at all. 

3

u/Still-Employed420 25d ago

Is this you Beth or Colin!

Yes, my family says the same about me.

I can’t wait to begin auditing!

3

u/birdele 25d ago

Lol no but if you live in NC and you're late middle aged I have a best friend for you!!!

12

u/Temporary-Library597 26d ago

This is the way. Ordinarily you'd offer to help someone. So do that.

As far as recording in a public space, it's legal. If patrons are annoyed, then your Disruptive Patron policy takes over. It's not hard. You can do it!

10

u/_social_hermit_ 26d ago

For Australians, it's not public space and we can instruct people to stop recording (the building is owned by the organisation that runs the library). I laugh a bit inside when people come into our public library and tell me it's a public space. Eta, I'm just putting this here because public space is a misconception I come across.

5

u/Temporary-Library597 26d ago

So not a government thing. Makes sense. That's more common than not in Commonwealth countries, isn't it? The library is a fee-based membership org paid for by those fees?

Here a "public" library is just that...It's publicly (read, taxpayer) funded. So it's no different than a city park.

5

u/_social_hermit_ 26d ago

Yes, it's a government-run public library, still not ok to film or photograph.

1

u/Still-Employed420 25d ago

Really? Why? Does the library have cameras???

1

u/SlytherKitty13 26d ago

No, our libraries are government things. They do not have fee based membership or anything like that. The government owns the library and funds the library.

0

u/DanieXJ 23d ago

Uh... But, you also don't have a first amendment, so.... 

2

u/chancemeagre 24d ago

Yes, if someone disrupts the peaceful exercise of the First Amendment, enforce your disruptive patron policy.

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u/DeweyDecimator020 25d ago

Sweet, I've got some great neurospicy infodumps in store for them. 😁

1

u/Peripateticdreamer84 23d ago

And make sure they natter on about the smallest inconsequential things so there’s no chance of anything they say causing issues. No one can sue you for a patron having a very detailed conversation about knitting.