Patron Stalkers

This weekend, I worked the reference desk at my other library job in Dearborn. Now, contrary to what others may think, we get some pretty interesting characters that come in there. Usually if someone acts wierd or is causing trouble, we don't write it down, but rather take care of it on the spot. Yesterday, however, I learned how important it is to keep a written record of repeat offenders. So, without further ado, let's begin.

A women, we'll call her Alice, has been coming to our library for many years. She took a particular interest in one of our night supervisors and would consistently talk to her. In the beginning, it was a patron-staff relationship that turned into what seemed was friendship. Then, the patron disappeared for months. I did not miss her, because she was one of those people that asked you a question, you'd answer and then she'd launch into an epic tale of her life, none of which interested me.

In any case, Alice made her return a couple of weeks ago. She came into my office one day and blathered on about how the city she was just in was so much better, but that she couldn't afford living there, among countless other boring details. I just let it roll off my back and she eventually left me alone.

This weekend, she returned to pile on more useless details about her life. She came in and tried to trick me by telling me that she was still a student, because she needed a computer with Microsoft Word. She said, "Oh, my social security number must still be in the system." When she said that, I knew she was full of it, because UM-D hasn't used the SS#'s in a very long time. Regardless, I answered her question and she stood up and turned. I thought, fantastic, she's leaving.

She didn't. Instead, she sat down again and said, "Do you know what happened to me at work?" I sighed and looked away to the computer screen, hoping she'd catch the social sign of "I'm not interested" and "Leave me alone." She didn't and continued to tell me how some "black man" just out of now where called her a racist. I said, wow, that's too bad. She continued to tell me that she quit her job because of it. I cocked my eye and told her, "OK." She was confused that I wasn't going into a big bitchfest and asked me what I would do. I looked her in the eye and said, "I wouldn't have given a shit about what he said." She asked for clarification, in disbelief that I didn't care. I said, "What strangers think doesn't mean anything to me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if their opinion is unwarrented, that's not my problem."

She fumbled around with her words, in complete shock that I didn't care what other people thought and that no, in fact, I wouldn't quit my job for something that petty. She knew that she looked weak in front of me and the kicker was when I said, "Crazy people are everywhere. Try working at Wayne State. You get used to it and you get over it." Rarely during this conversation did I look at her, but I glared right into her eyes at the end of my statement.

Alice didn't know what to do, stood up and blurted, "I'm worth $15 million, I don't need that shit. I'll talk to you later." She stormed out and I was relieved, cause she was getting too comfortable for me and now I made her nice and self-conscious. Hey, if patrons want to ask me personal questions, they need to prepare to get a nice helping of the truth.

Later on, I told the night surpervisor, the one that Alice took a liking to, about my little experience. She told me about how about 3 weeks ago, Alice called the circulation desk and hollered some poor student assistant's ear off, claiming that the night supervisor was "setting off bad vibes." I asked if she had ever reported it to the head of circulation. She said she didn't because it only happened once and she thought nothing of it. I said, "Listen, you have to make sure you get this in writing. If she's calling students and complaining about you, you don't know who else she's calling."

I carried on working. Then I took a break. I talked to another circulation supervisor, on that I always shoot the breeze with. As we were conversating about this crazy Alice character, we heard the voice of a woman behind the door. I opened the door and found the night time supervisor in tears. She was panicking and I could hear why. She had the phone to her ear and I could hear crazy Alice yelling obscenitites at this young lady. Apparently Alice thought that she had looked at her wrong.

We had to file a police report and crazy Alice continued to call and be psychotic on the phone, even while we talked to the officer. She told my buddy, Debbie, that she was worth $51 million (it was only $15 million when I talked to her a half hour before), that she was an important Dearborn resident and that she owned 30% in Ford's stock. Hmmm, so why did she work (and quit) a hotel job and why did she claim it was too expensive to live out west?

The moral of the story is that if there is a patron that is showing signs of obsession or has even the slightest stalking tendencies, you must report it. You don't need to report every wierd thing that goes on at UGL, but certainly make note of events that have patterns. It's for your own protection.