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Archiver > APG > 2004-10 > 1098923887


From: Gordon Remington <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Unwritten rules for the FHL
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 17:38:13 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <4127018.1098915392380.JavaMail.root@ernie.psp.pas.earthlink.net>


Rick,

The five films rule was relaxed a few years ago. The five books rule still applies.

As for noise, yes, there are some loud missionaries, but a tour of duty for a missionary is 18 months (unless they re-up) and since they are basically volunteers, a lot of us learn to ignore them.


The most noise from missionaries seems to be on the second floor. This is where people need a lot of help with the computers and in that area, it can be deafening.

The new third floor - all books - is remarkably quieter. Since most of the people using the books have advanced beyond census and Ellis Island, the need for vocal "advice" seems to be less. There are computers there too, but people using them are generally quieter.

My solution to the noise level was to buy some commercial "gun mufflers." They look like headphones and people either assume that I am listening to music or just plain weird and leave me alone - which suits me.

The thing I object to is the "selective enforcement" of the rules. Recognizable professionals are held to a higher standard. The missionaries and staff can walk by a "new" patron chattering away on a cell phone at the computer and not say a word, but if Gordon Remington listens to his messages or bank balance and is not even talking into to the phone, there's hell to pay. "New patrons" are cut more slack that regular users.

The same is true for food and drink. I once observed a missionary helping a patron at the computers who was sipping from his "Big Gulp." When I complained to a staff person at the desk, I was told it was okay because the patron didn't "know the rules" - i.e. was "ignorant of the law." Last time I looked, that was no excuse.

The problem is that the young people who put the books and films away are supposed to be the ones who remind the patrons of the rules, but most don't want to be "disrespectful" of their "elders" - even if that person is wolfing down shredded lettuce with one hand and sucking on a soda with the other - I have seen this! They won't be proactive and it takes a patron complaint to motivate them.

As Chad said, we try to keep our noses clean and not rock the boat. Yeah, it's annoying and unfair, but that's life.

Sorry to go off like this - nerves!

Gordon Remington



wrote:
Regarding other rules, there is the common sense "no food or drink" which I see violated all the time.

No more than 5 books/microfilms at one time. I've never seen this one enforced, employees walking by patrons with 20 or 30 books piled up around them.

No more than 5 photocopies when others are waiting. Luckily, there is one person in the microfilm copy room that will say something to a patron when they are going over 5 copies when people are waiting. Most others don't.

As for noise, conversations don't bother me, as long as they aren't shouting. The only conversations that approach that are a couple missionaries that must be losing their hearing. Every time they help a new person set up a microfilm and show them how to use the machine, they are shouting loud enough to be heard from 100 yards away.

I guess everyone has different ideas of annoying noise. I don't like complete quiet when I am trying to work. At home when writing a report, I will have the TV on, even if I'm not paying attention to it. I guess I hear conversations as "white background noise." My pet peeves of noises that annoy me:
Ringing phones (The conversations after they finally answer don't bother me.)
People who don't turn the sound on their laptop off. Every now and then there will be somebody who as they are working, cause their computer to "ding" about 30 seconds.
People who have their headphones so loud, that I can hear it.

Rick Saunders
http://genealogypro.com/fsaunders.html





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