And yes, another library chapter....

Bird brought into branch...again
Kimberly brought her bird (large cockatoo on a leash) into the branch & was asked to remove the bird; took bird and tied it up to a stool in the entryway; after another conversation patron took the bird outside. This customer has a history of bringing her bird into the branch.



Additional Information:
3/12/14, Alyssa: I heard Ms. S's bird chirping and looked outside. Our stool was moved outside of the building and the bird was attached to the stool, with a woman standing with the bird. I called Annapolis and spoke to Cindy. Cindy directed me to two points on our AACPL Regulations: #11 Animals may not be tied...on library grounds or in the building and #9 Library furnishings and materials are not to be rearranged or disarranged by patrons without permission of Branch Manager or designee. When I went back out front, the bird was gone and our stool was still outside the building. I will email branch staff with this information in case a similar incident occurs in the future.

I just spoke with Sheila (Circulation) about this. Sheila adds that Ms. S.asked another customer to watch her bird outside while she was in the library.

Coulda been worse...coulda been an alligator.

Inflated Condoms in Lobby & Computer Lab

At about 8:30 PM on Wednesday, March 19, Crystal asked me to come to the lobby. A condom that was inflated and tied like a balloon was lying by the security gate. I disposed of it and Ivan reported finding another in the middle row of the computer lab while closing the branch, which he disposed of.

I reviewed the video footage Thursday morning and observed a young, fair skinned male, probably about 15 years old, playing with two inflated condoms and then tossing them on the floor in the foyer as he left the building between 19:14:35 and 19:15:11 on the recording. He was wearing a gray Redskins hoodie with a second red hoodie underneath, a black knit cap, and baggy blue jeans. Jenny had seen the young man in the branch earlier in the evening and recognized him as one of the young men asked to leave for the day for using a whoopee cushion in February 2013. We do not know his name. A picture captured from the security footage is attached.

Those crazy kids!


I could have reported on a shooting victim coming to the library for medical assistance, but that seemed so pedestrian....

Ms Shellhammer, her bird, and her language

At 4:30 on March 15, 2014 staff heard a chirp outside. A moment later Ms S. entered the lobby. I met her in the lobby with a copy of the Regulations Governing the Use of the AACPL Grounds by Patrons. I asked Ms S. to step back outside with me.

We went outside where I pointed out that she had moved library property from the lobby to outside the entry (a stool) and that her bird was tied up to a Grocery cart. I attempted to engage Ms S. in a conversation pointing out that the Regulations state that animals may not be tied up or left unattended on library grounds and that library furnishings could not be rearranged by patrons without permission.

Ms S. was not responsive to my comments until replying, "You have got to be kidding me! You are such an ass!" then she marched away taking her bird with her. I returned to the branch and started a banning letter.

The system was unresponsive and I was unable to load a banning letter before Ms S. returned to the branch.

I approached her taking Elaine with me and pointed out that if Ms S. spoke to a staff member using abusive language again we would ban her from the library system. Ms S. refused to speak to me. I continued to explain that this was her only warning when she asked for my name. I wrote my name down on a piece of paper and again offered her a copy of the Regulations which she refused. She then said, "Have you been reading for a long time? I'll bet you have been reading for a long time but you won't be for much longer".

I responded that I found the comment threatening and reminded her of my previous warning. She responded, "Oh you find that comment threatening?" She repeated the comment two more times. She seemed surprised that I found the comment threatening. She then finished her transactions and left the building.

Moses

Last Friday, an era ended in the Adams household. Moses the Persian, who would have been 19 years old in May, left the building. We had hoped he would simply die quietly in the middle of the night, but in his true stubborn self, he lived on. His quality of life was minimal-he had a favorite towel he slept on in the basement, only rising to get some food. If he could find it. His eyesight was almost gone, probably due to cataracts. He walked like a drunken sailor-arthritis. He only used his littler box to pee, unless he left the basement to visit Andrew and pee on his clothes on the floor.

I would say there was a great deal of sadness, simply because he has been part of the family for so long. He was a beautiful animal, but pretty packages may not mean pretty things. He was a mean son of a bitch. Visitors were entranced by his beauty and would pet him, only to have him turn on you without notice. We all remember the fear of walking down the hall to the bathroom, Moses sitting quietly, waiting, until you walked past and we took a swipe at your legs. We had to declaw him. Which took care of that issue, not the biting issue.

Interestingly, the only person he never attacked was Alan. Perhaps because Alan never has to torture him by taking him to the vet. Which was always an ordeal, for us and the vet. He was red tagged at the office..a warning to the staff that they were dealing with a mean animal.

Nonetheless, there were moments of love from Moses-as long as he could lay right on top of you.And in his early years, he was playful and spry. Rest in Peace Moses...go kick some ass in kitty heaven.

Christopher

Today marks my brother Chris' 53rd birthday had he lived beyond the age of 33. He was a tour de force-someone who embraced life and skated on the edge. He spent his life looking for new adventures, which took him to Puerto Rico where he helped open a Chart House there. In my early years of dating Alan, we took a trip down there to experience life on an island that he so embraced. It is a life with no rules and carefree attitudes-everything is accomplished manana (tomorrow). Life is one big party. This is where Chris met his wife Terri, who's family lived there from the states to publish a magazine and avoid some stateside taxes. It's hard not to fall in love with Chris. He had an incredible wit, a keen sense of street smarts, and a loving heart.
We spent our week eating great food, drinking copious amount of alcohol (we were actually thrown out of the Bacardi factory, which is difficult to accomplish), and visiting the rain forest and beaches. We stayed in Chris' typical San Juan home, where everything is stone and marble. Housecleaning, which didn't happen often, required us to step outside while his room mates hosed the house down with water. When we finally extracted ourselves from the island life, we barely made the flight with enormous hangovers and alot of great memories.
Chris was a force to be reckoned with-he lived life largely. My brother's shared a memorable story of Chris challenging an ex-military guy to a foot race, where he showed up that morning in a bathrobe, smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer. Barefoot. Chris won that race and was awarded with the man's combat boots, which he promptly put on to accessorize his ensemble.
I see his lust for life in my son. He has the same humor, yet a little more subdued in his pursuits of a good time. Which I am grateful for. They both have an incredible talent for writing, which Chris utilized as a restaurant reviewer. We miss you every day and that void will never be filled. But oh how fortunate we were to have you in our lives for that short time!!