Patron: I need a new receipt for this book.
Me: Sure, do you have your library card?
P: Ugh, I can’t believe this. You guys have to know that the little slips fly out of these books.
Patron begins digging around for their card.
Me: Well, that’s why we can print out new ones!
P: But it such an inconvenience if you’re in a rush!
Patron hands me a library card that does not belong to them and has no items charged on it.
Me: This is not your library card.
P: Oh, this is <friend’s name>. Uhhh…
Patron digs around for their card and cannot find it. Patron hands me their ID instead.
P: It’s terrible you make us go through this.
Me (internally): You are currently holding public property on which we spend time, labor, and money to track and maintain. That book belongs to every single person in the city of Philadelphia, and it is the task of the Free Library to ensure that is it accounted for at all times so it can be freely used by anyone who needs it. By entering here you have agreed to our terms and conditions. Not all library policy is fair and just, but the whole system exists so that you can read your books on entrepreneurship at no cost in a way that can better yourself. At every stage of this interaction, you have sabotaged yourself. You lost the proof of checkout which you were charged with. You organized your belongings such that you had to rifle through a mountain of crap before you could find it. You supplied someone else’s library card, which I regret not confiscating. If you were in such a rush, you might have thought to organize yourself while you were waiting in line. You chose instead to complain. The library is here to serve you, but it is not for you alone. You have no room to complain in this situation of your own design.
Me (externally): haha here’s your receipt have a nice day