Unprofessional and unpleasant

A while back, a seemed empathetic nice employee did not cancel the library card for deceased person upon my request. Considering how much legal papers were required and how emotional this was to me, I invited him to take the time to complete the cancellation before I leave. Later, I discovered that he did not cancel the card. What?!

Yesterday, I went to borrow some books as a resident in a different part of Lower Mainland. I inquired by phoning first, then, proceeded accordingly. Soon, found out the info were not all accurate.

Then, I witness an ESL senior client upset stating she was mistreated. She repeated something like: "It is unacceptable to pay another $15 to print the same thing!" at the information desk. Then, a middle age lady with her ID inside her shirt approached and pulled out her some cash and handed over to client. Also said: someone will give you more money. Then, the male worker at the info desk, walked away and came back with a 5-dollor bill and gave to the client. The client did not say much, left.

At the time, I thought: what a peacemaker, who hand out cash to cover another employee's mistake.

I was so wrong! Soon I experienced her treatment first hand!

I was very happy to see that she was available after I got a new library card. I told her that I just got a Vancouver library card and I live xx city, and I'd appreciate some help to find some books. She turned her monitor over and asked if I knew how to use the Catalog. I told her that I knew how and did that at my home computer. She then said that since you were here, she would help me anyhow. Her tone was short and unpleasant to begin with and by the time I told her the name of the 3rd book, she asked me to do it myself on a different computer. I pleaded that for a first timer, some guidance to this huge library to locate the books would be nice, plus I only parked for 1 hour (over the phone, I was told half hour would be fine). By then, I learned from her the floor we were at was 2nd floor and there were a non-fiction section goes by author names and one book would be at 6th floor. It sounded very complicated. She sent me away anyway, because "there is customer arrived, waiting." Just one person waiting. I am not very good in writing. I probably not describing well how rude and impatient she was to me.

I then searched the info from a different computer. Lucky, by then, the other lady at the same counter was free. I went to her and asked her with the inform I wrote down, how to use them to locate the books.

Without knowing how the system works at this majestic library, I did not write down enough information to locate the books. She told me that I need to get more information, like name of author, fiction or non-fiction. I asked whether there were still services to show new clients how to navigate this building/system that are different than any other library I ever went. She kindly agreed and it took her a bit time to find the books. She said even she did not always know which sections were. It is a huge library. She also very kindly told me that she'd find someone on 6th floor to help me.

I do not know what made that ID hiding employee so unprofessional. I would like to know if I were a white person, especially a white male, would she be more professional and pleasant. If she were not, would she got away.

I spoke to the manager at the help from the nice employee works at 6th floor. The manager seemed and sounded very empathetic. I requested her to get back to me afterward. Nothing to report for that.

I am glad that these are just unpleasant experiences without much consequences. However, I feel like it is needed to be made known.