Library Service Win

We really didn't do anything special.  It was just the Adult Services staff doing what we always do.  But we made a difference...
Last Tuesday an older woman came to the desk asking to use a public access computer.  She was shaking like a leaf.  And she told us her story. 

The night before she'd gotten a phone call from someone claiming to warn her that her PC was in danger of crashing.  When she went to her PC her cursor was moving seemingly by itself.  The man on the phone said he could "fix" the problems with her computer, but she'd have to pay him.  She pulled the plugs on her computer, hung up the phone, and called the police!! 

And now she was in the library hoping to access her email and online accounts to make sure everything was okay.  She asked if we could recommend someone to help her with her computer, so we gave her the number for the local Geek Squad.  We also recommend Norton Anti-Virus.  Then I logged her onto a computer.  And when she was too nervous to log into her email account, I helped her get there, too.  When she opened her email and everything was still there, I could see her visibly relax.  Later one of my co-workers helped her with something else, and then I was with her again helping her print some documents. Every time we worked with her she told us her story again.

So that's it.  We did our jobs and we listened.

Yesterday, when I got to work there was a gift bag addressed to me on the counter.  It was from our patron.  A thank you note to me and the rest of the staff (my name was the only one she remembered) and a delicious box of cookies, to let us know she appreciated our efforts.

What a great feeling.