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.
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Filter Patron Comments
Type: complaint
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: As an Ann Arbor taxpayer, I am very disturbed by the fact that the Ann Arbor libary would allow use of the Library Multipurpose room by a hate group. Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends (JWPF) has announced that they will be holding a forum in the Multipurpose room on March 15. Though these people have a right to free speech, for three years they have been harrassing worshippers at Ann Arbor's Beth Israel Congregation by holding offensive, anti-semetic protests condemning Beth Israel Members and calling them Nazi's for support of the people of Israel. I ask if the Klu Klux Klan wanted to use the Multipurpose room would it be allowed. I find it distasteful that the Library is allowing such and warn you that there may be a large protest at the library the evening of March 15 in opposition to JWPF.
AADL Reply: The Library does not respond to anonymous comments. The rules regulating room rentals can be found at: http://www.aadl.org/services/publicspace/roomrental Thank you. Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2007-02-07
Type: complaint
Regarding: noise
Patron Comment: It's been twice in a roll that happend to me. When I tried to avoid the noise and hid to the library to study, there were people just can't stop talking loudly without any concern of other patrons. We go to the library to focus and study. Even in the group area, people should talk quietly so other people can study efficiently. I'm not aware of a AADL wide policy on this, but it would really help to put some sign in the entrance and the reading areas, to remind people to keep quiet all the time. And there should be certain rules how and who should handle the noisy and irresponsible ones. Maybe one of the librarians should be a police to reinforce the policy instead of a randon action by the your customers. Thank you for keeping the library a good learning environment. PATRON RESPONSE TO LIBRARY REPLY: Thank you for the response. What I am hoping for, and other patrons would agree, is to have an eye-catching post with "Quiet Area", which should not cost too much for each library. I went to my library today trying to read today, and the reading area was like a cafe, people talking loudly without any concern. It makes me hesitate to go again since I can't risk losing my precious time, not to mention the emotion disturbance by the few rule breakers.
AADL Reply: Thank you for contacting us about your recent visits to the library and the noise that you encountered. I am sorry to hear that your visits were disrupted by the poor behavior of others. The library's Rules of Behavior are available at every library location in paper form as well as on our website at http://www.aadl.org/aboutus/policies/behavior. Rule #12 bans sustained noise louder than the general noise level of the area. If you find your visits to any of our locations disrupted because of sustained noise, please do not take action yourself; in some instances this escalates bad behavior. Instead, please see any library staff member and let them know so that we may address it appropriately. All of our staff are responsible for enforcing our Rules, and if you see any of them being disobeyed, please do not hesitate to let us know so that we may deal with it appropriately. Thank you for taking the time to contact us. LIBRARY REPLY TO 2ND PATRON COMMENT: Thank you for your additional suggestion. In the meantime, please ask staff to intervene if you find your visits to any of our locations to be disrupted by other people violating our Rules of Behavior. We do our best, but cannot be everywhere at once, and would prefer that you let us know so that we can deal with the situation appropriately rather than have it ruin your visit.
Date Received: 2007-02-07
Type: compliment
Regarding: website
Patron Comment: I enjoyed your page. Keep up the good work!
AADL Reply: Thanks very much! We appreciate the feedback. Eli Neiburger AADL Tech Manager
Date Received: 2007-02-06
Type: catalog problem
Regarding: catalog/searching
Patron Comment: some notes on the catalog redesign (for John and/or Eli) - the title info is too far down the page - better to put the recommendations below the search results, not above them. otherwise you have to scroll down just to get information about the title you were looking for. if there was a way to sort the holdings results so that if you were in the library it would show your branch's holdings at the top of the list, that would help a lot for searches within the library. (or highlight in-library or preferred library holdings information). "email this page" should be surfaced to the top, not 6 clicks down - that would help sharing quite a bit. ditto if you ever did "blog this page". thanks Ed
AADL Reply: Hey, Ed, thanks for your feedback. As you may have noticed, we already moved the recommendations down below most of the info to keep the holdings list above the fold. Sorting the holdings list by location would be very cool. Unfortunately, results are still coming out of the black box, and it don't do that. I imagine at some point we'll start maintaing our own indexes and delivering our own results, but for now, that feature can't be done. For 'email this page', where exactly are you talking about? Do you mean the whole book cart / export / email mess? That's all in black box as you can imagine; you know when you see those poorly-styled pages that you've entered uncharted territory. =) Thanks again for your feedback, see you around! Eli
Date Received: 2007-02-06
Type: web site feedback
Regarding: other
Patron Comment: It would be nice if when I look at the website that I would have the choice to go to the catalog page and not automatically put on the page when I am using the computers at the library.
AADL Reply: Thanks for contacting us. As you might imagine, it's not supposed to do that! The problem has been hard to track down, but we've been working on it this week and hope to have it resolved soon. Thanks for your patience, and please let us know if you have any further questions. Eli Neiburger AADL Tech Manager
Date Received: 2007-02-06
Type: web site feedback
Regarding: catalog/searching
Patron Comment: i just wanted to let you know that if you ever change the way we order books or search for books. might want to look at mich lib as something to consider. example it has a simple page that i think older people could use with out ease. has a easy way to look and get books. has the sort on the order page. and once you set the sort it stays until you change it. i think.
AADL Reply: Thanks for contacting us with your suggestions. We will keep them in mind as we continue to improve the catalog. Thanks again for your feedback, and thanks for using the library. Eli Neiburger AADL Tech Manager
Date Received: 2007-02-06
Type: complaint
Regarding: security
Patron Comment: Security officer Wright unlawfully solicited private, personal confidential information regarding a young man who was in juvenile custody. This info was done very publically and violates several laws regarding info on juveniles in State custody/care. His need for this info was not in the line of duty/or information he is entitled to under any Michigan Court Law or court rule. This blatent disrespect for the juvenile client (who is NEVER even in this area) rights and privacy issues related to him. His solicitation of a library patron to get this info was done knowingly and with malicious intent, as it was a very callous conversation. Security officer Wright endangered not only the rights of the juvenile court ward, but also puts the job of the one he solicited this info from in jeopardy. If this issue is not fully resolved via termination, we will hold the Library and Mr. Wright liable on all levels. Please call ASAP, as this time sensitive, full legal action will commence in 7 days. M. Valentino.
AADL Reply: There are no employees with the last name of "Wright" at AADL. Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2007-02-06
Type: other
Regarding: youth
Patron Comment: My kids REALLY LOVE the MAGNETS. Whenever we come to the library, they choose to play with them over the computers! This last time, they were not available. They were getting old and breaking away, but it is definitely a good investment to replace them. Thank you.
AADL Reply: Thank you for your compliments regarding the toys and puzzles at the Malletts Creek branch. From time to time, our children's librarian there will remove old, damaged, and broken items to replace them with new ones. While I cannot speak to your specific concern about the magnets, I hope that you will enjoy whatever new toys the children's librarian places there next. Thank you for taking the time to contact us.
Date Received: 2007-02-06
Type: complaint
Regarding: security
Patron Comment: Today, 1-22-07 about 4:00p.m. the Internet area, the upstairs women's bathroom, the downstairs women's bathroom, the area outside the downstairs women's bathroom and the entrance way were filled with riotous teenagers. Some kids were throwing each other up against the glass at the entrance.
AADL Reply: Thank your for contacting the Library. I have made our Security staff aware of you concerns. Anytime you are in the library and observe inappropriate behavior, please contact staff at one the public desks immediately to report the problem. You may also call the Library's main phone number 327-4200, press zero for the operator and ask for Security. Security staff are on duty all hours the Library is open and will respond immediately. Tim Minick Manager, Facilities
Date Received: 2007-02-06
Type: complaint
Regarding: other
Patron Comment: There were two people using vulgar words.
AADL Reply: Thank you for contacting us regarding patrons in the library using vulgar words. Our staff will address threatening speech or loud speech that creates a disturbance to others in the library. If your visits to any of our locations are disturbed by loud voices or harassing behavior, please let any of our staff know and we will enforce our Rules of Behavior, which are available at every public desk as well as on our website at http://www.aadl.org/aboutus/policies/behavior. The key is that we need to know that the behavior is disturbing to you; please do not hesitate to tell us. Thank you for taking the time to contact us.