People thoughts.

[kippurbird]

This is something I've come to the realization of over the past week. Much like TV, books and the radio, if someone sees something on the computer they believe it to be true even if reality shows that it's not. My big example of this is from a conversation I have a lot while manning the front desk

Comments

[ansela_jonla]

I've encountered the 'computer says it's there but it's not on the shelf' problem at uni before. Then, lo and behold, as I was walking back to the lift I happened to spot it. It was on the 'books that have been returned and need to be stuck back on the shelves' trolley next to the staff lift. I snagged it.

I wouldn't have gone and argued with the staff though. There's no point. I'm sorry you had to get the idiots who think there is.

[mad_troll]

If I may offer a (possible - no idea if it's the cases you have to deal with) explanation, I too sometimes "find" a book on the catalogue only to *not* find it on the shelf and then proceed to have a similar conversation with the librarian.
To me* the lack of a physical copy of the book where the physical copy is supposed to be can have several explanation - some of them allowing for the *chance* to find the physical copy - but since at least for a half they are insulting/implying a crime/requesting special privileges I usually go with the "But the computer says so" line and hope the librarian gets my *wink**wink**eyebrow-dance* the right way...

*Did my civil service in a library. Did my Practice credits in a library. Did my high-school summer-job in a library. I...er...like libraries.

[kippurbird]

This is the conversation after the 'allowing the chance to find the physical copy' conversation.

[mad_troll]

Oh. I lack the appropriate "FAIL!" icon to express my feelings. >_<

Are those people able to read a book and understand what's going on? I...wonder.

[swankivy]

OMG. That used to happen to me at the bookstore all the time. People would be like "Well does your computer say you have it??" What they don't seem to understand is that if the book was stolen or misplaced hopelessly, the computer is still going to say it's there, and as much as I wish I did, I don't have a magical way to find books if they are not where they are supposed to be. I guess they think that if the computer says it's there it will also say where it is, regardless of whether someone has moved it. I remember having to repeatedly tell a couple people that we do not have homing devices on the books which allow us to press a button and make the book start beeping.

[kippurbird]

Obviously you're doing it wrong if you don't have the Recall Book power.