What you have told us
Here you can search through numerous patron comments and the corresponding AADL replies. Search by the type of comment, in general by what the comment is regarding, or by a particular issue.
We care about what you have to say, and do our best to address each and every concern.
Please let us know how we're doing by submitting a comment or suggestion.
Filter Patron Comments
Type: complaint
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: This message is to register a complaint about the fact that AADL hasn’t opened up at all since the lockdown. Most other places have come up with safe ways to have people come in but yet our libraries cannot have people in to browse the shelves? I know I can request something but sometimes you have to see something to know you want to check it out. We pay a lot of tax dollars to this library system and it’s time to reopen, please!
AADL Reply: Hi there, thanks for contacting us. Stay tuned for an announcement our our reopening plans by the end of the month. In the meantime, we also have a service where you tell us roughly what you want, and our staff fill a bag of stuff you'll like. Get started at http://aadl.org/shelfservice . Thanks for your patience, and thanks for using your library! -eli Eli Neiburger Deputy Director Ann Arbor District Library
Date Received: 2021-05-21
Type: general suggestion
Regarding: other
Patron Comment: Please open the libraries. At the very least as a short term transition open the libraries at 9am for pickup of books. This has been 14 mos... It is inconvenient to fit schedules around 12-8. Are you fully staffed with librarians?
AADL Reply: Hello, It is good to hear from you and to know that you are well. We are talking with the Library Board at this coming Monday's Board meeting about reopening the AADL in July. A date and a plan for reopening will be made public after the meeting on Monday evening. Thank you for being so patient as we all have worked through this difficult and sad time. Sincerely, Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2021-05-20
Type: other
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Dear A2 Library, I keep hoping that you will be opening for in person service sometime soon but it seems that the wait has been very long. I fully agree with utilizing all safety protocols going forward but wonder if there’s anyway that you could speed the reopening of the library – – it is an essential service to so many of us and while I appreciate the curbside pick up it would be really helpful to be able to come in on a limited basis and select items. Other essential services have been either open throughout the pandemic crisis or able to open more recently with excellent safety protocols and I’m hoping that we can see our library open soon also . I understand that this is a complex issue on very many levels – – my sister is a librarian in the Chicago area. Thank you so much for taking this message, M
AADL Reply: Hello M, Thank you very much for your comment about our re-opening plans. We are discussing re-opening in July at tomorrow evening's Board meeting held via zoom at aadl.org at 7:00 PM. We will announce the date for re-opening after this meeting. We miss having you and the whole of the community using the full services of the AADL, and look forward to seeing you soon in the Library. Sincerely, Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2021-05-17
Type: compliment
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: I am so excited about the digital magazine option! It took me a little while to understand how to navigate the pages. I chose to read the new issue of Birds and Blooms, and learned lots of new tips for feeding hummingbirds. The AADL is always impressive and has worked hard to keep us reading and watching during the pandemic. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
AADL Reply: We are pleased that you found and used the digital magazine service. We also appreciate your kind words and will make sure the staff sees your note. Take good care. Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2021-05-16
Type: other
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Hello, thank you very much for your great sevice! Contacless pick up service really helps me alot to get through my telework over a year. By the way, thank you for bringing a new digital magazine service! I have tried to see how it works. I just "borrowed" one magazine. It says "borrow for 14 days". How can I return it online if I don't need this magazine any longer? I have tried to find "my shelf" but cannot find it. I also tried to click all icons on the platform, but it does not "return" the e-magazine. It may disappear automatically when it comes to due, but I don't want to get fined or give other readers for chances to read. Please advise me where I can find "return" E-magazine in the Libby interface. Thank you very much.
AADL Reply: Hi there, thanks for asking about this! No worries here; there are no fines or fees possible on overdrive / libby checkouts, and the digital magazines are unlimited use so nobody else is waiting for your access to end. If you're done with a magazine, it just can sit on your shelf until the end of the 14 days when it will disappear. Libby doesn't offer a return option for magazines because it isn't needed. Sorry for the confusion, but thank you for being considerate of other borrowers and checking, and thanks for using your library! -eli
Date Received: 2021-05-16
Type: complaint
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Respectfully I do not understand why the libraries are not fully open by now. If masks and six feet were required it would be consistent with every other establishment in town. How is the library special in this regard? Many of us are not interested in a virtual library. Thank you for your time
AADL Reply: Thank you for your patience! It has been a long 14 months. Recent changes to rules regarding masks and social distancing will allow the public library to reopen in the near future. We will be talking about our reopening plan and timeline at our May 24th Board meeting. Information will be posted to aadl.org after that meeting. Sincerely, Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2021-05-13
Type: other
Regarding: other
Patron Comment: When I suggested staff working nights, I meant hours 8pm to 8am. It work very well for staff to pull books. This would clearly make patrons very happy. I find that I don't get requests over time, then I get a lump at once. Then I go through my list and freeze all firsts on the list. Then I unfreeze, and run out of books to read until the next lump arrives. This could be a lot smoother. I would love to come in and pull books at night.
AADL Reply: Thank you for your suggestion. We won't be asking staff to come in and work a night shift, but I appreciate your willingness to do that work. Hopefully, as we move toward being fully open again, your experience receiving materials on hold will smooth out for you. Take good care. Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2021-05-11
Type: general suggestion
Regarding: other
Patron Comment: When do you plan to reopen to the public, if grocery stores and book stores can resume operations why can’t you. I realize the concern for employees and patrons is of the utmost importance but it’s time to resume operations even if precautionary measures ( masks etc ) are needed to insure safety. It’s time to get instep with the community.
AADL Reply: The information about the AADL reopening plan is here: https://aadl.org/node/573712 . Information at the bottom of the page will take you to the AADL Board meeting videos where the plan is discussed. Thanks for using the Library, and we are all hoping for better days and Library reopening soon. Sincerely, Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2021-05-10
Type: other
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Hello, Now that schools are back in-person and COVID vaccination rates are solid in the county, when will the library considering opening for browsing? If there is an update posted somewhere, please let me know where I can find it. Thank you!
AADL Reply: Hello Ms. Booker, The information about the AADL reopening plan is here: https://aadl.org/node/573712 . Information at the bottom of the page will take you to the AADL Board meeting videos where the plan is discussed. Thanks for using the Library, and we are all hoping for better days and Library reopening soon. Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2021-05-09
Type: suggest a title
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: You don’t have the full series of the Hamish Macbeth books by M C Beaton. This is. Very basic series by a Best selling author who began this series in the 1980s until her very recent death. Please request/get the new book soon to come out, Death of a Lover. And please get the books you’re missing. It’s a shame you aren’t carrying these books. Frankly, it’s a disservice. These books are popular and easily readable. There were 33 novels. This is the author of the Agatha Raisin novels that is also a hit on those novels as well. It’s a popular tv series. As for the Hamish Macbeth Novels, which usually begin with “death if a....,” you have a few ebooks or edrive. Those those are absolutely worthless. And frankly, you must be kidding. Older people are dealing with issues that many have yet to know, particularly those living alone and low income. I pay exceedingly high taxes representing half my income. I have the internet—the kind for poor people. I don’t have cable. I’m not unusual. Certainly you can get copies of these books. I’m not sure who the Ann Arbor library caters to, but it overlooks poor, older people, and older people in general. Just how many new foreign language films do we need? You also failed to update your your books on current antique publications that are put out yearly and you usually get. And as for why you don’t subscribe to hoopla or Kanopy is a massive shame. I believe every surrounding library does. Allow me to more explicit. My property taxes are more than half my income. I don’t get cable. You may strive to a particular population to maintain your A rating but it little to do with those without and are older. I have no idea who you’re catering to other than families with young children , but you’re insensitive in not meeting the needs of the elderly. Many don’t have computers or internet. It’s them who rely upon you. By god you ought to have a tech around available to educate. Obviously, this library is insensitive to the poor elderly just trying to get by. You try being 71, have no family in Michigan, trying to downsize, lost of all friends. You’re a resource for us. Do you not know this. The Hamish Macbeth novels you’re missing are: Death of a Hussy Death of a snob Death of a prankster Death of a glutton (greedy woman) Death of. Traveling Man Death of a Nag Death of a Macho Knock, knock, your Death. Please order them. They are read, if offered. It’s my one pleasure that allows me to transcend this difficult life. Btw, I’m a past special librarian. I’ve read all the important authors who I credit with making me a better person. I also collect certain first editions that I must now sell. I’m burned out. These novels allow me transcend a difficult life. There’s nothing disturbing in them. They’re well written by a highly prolific author. It’s just unbelievable when you can’t match libraries in smaller, poorer communities. I’m tired. Also please order the latest trash and treasure mystery novel by Barbara Allen due to be published this year. You can quote me but the library should be a friend to those alone.
AADL Reply: Hello, I am sorry that you are so disappointed in the AADL's services to older members of the community, and we take your concerns to heart. We do realize the difficulties of managing resources and the importance of the library's collection to those without connectivity and with limited financial resources. I hope that the information below gives you some reassurance. Due to loss and damage of items, it's not uncommon for long series, such as the 33-book Hamish MacBeth series to have gaps in the run - we try to maintain the first several books in the series so people can discover and determine if they enjoy it, and then if they encounter gaps in titles we own, we rely on MelCat, the statewide interloan service, to access titles we may not own. We will take a look at our Hamish MacBeth holdings and see where we should fill in or what titles might be due for replacement copies - you're right that it remains a popular series. Here are some of the latest antiques and collectibles guides in our collection, if there are specific titles or topics you are interested in, please let us know: Kovels Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide 2021 - https://aadl.org/catalog/record/10497791 Antiques Handbook and Price Guide 2020-2021 - https://aadl.org/catalog/record/10453202 We continue to review Hoopla and Kanopy as options for streaming video - unfortunately, they continue to offer only pay-per-view options to public libraries. This means the library pays for an item each time a user watches any portion of the item, which in turn requires the library to place limitations on how much or how often a user can access the content that we've already licensed. These kinds of limitations don't meet our service goals and so we have pursued streaming options that allow unlimited access. We are finalizing access details now and in the next few months, we will begin offering new streaming video collections that significantly increase our current streaming options. As for the latest Barbara Allan Trash 'n' Treasure mystery - her website lists her latest release as Antiques Fire Sale, which we own and can be reserved here: https://aadl.org/catalog/record/10473810. We will continue to add new titles in this series as they are published. Thank you for letting us know your concerns and your situation. We do care, and will continue our work to do more for you and others in your situation. Please don't hesitate to call me directly if you wish to discuss our library services. 734.327.4263 Regards, Josie Parker Director