Yes, I'm a Bitch, pt.3

Not twenty minutes after the whole television debacle in my previous post, Cedric decided to create policy and deny a student service. I didn't find out about it until I had to deal with the fallout.

I was working at my desk when I heard some raised voices from the circ desk. I looked but neither Cedric or the other student asst called for me. Library X is loud usually so raised voices isn't unusual. I stayed at my desk. Cedric came back to retrieve a book. Through the bookcase, he told me that he'd refused to check a laptop out of a student because she had a drippy ice cream cone.

"Um okay, but that's not how we do things."

"Yeah, but I thought she'd mess up the laptop."

"Well, I can't undo what you said, but we've never refused to check something out to someone because of food or drink."

"She brought a friend back to check the laptop out for her."

Sounded fine to me as long as the friend knew she was responsible for the laptop while it was checked out to her.

Cedric went back to the front, and I heard more raised voices. I finally got up to see what the hell was going on. A couple of the girl's friends were talking at Cedric. One guy was being especially confrontational. He was goading Cedric, calling him son and then switching to sir. Stupid shit like that. Cedric was arguing with him, upholding his decision instead of apologizing for his mistake.

"Look, have some common sense," Cedric told the group.

I come up to break up the confrontation. "Cedric, that's condescending. You shouldn't say that." Now I have told students to have some common sense, but that was when they were doing Kung-Fu on the vending machines. Eating ice cream and checking out a laptop is not that unbelievable. Food is allowed in Library X. The laptops are in high demand. Waiting to finish your ice cream could be difference between getting a laptop and not getting a laptop.

The male friend of the student is still hassling Cedric, and Cedric is responding in kind. They were barely keeping it civil. I told them both to drop it, to just let it go. As a parting shot, the male student said, "Yeah, it's not because we're black or anything, is it?" I could've rolled my eyes at this. Most of the students in the group are regulars at Library X. They've dealt with me and know that isn't condoned. Cedric was being a prick, not a racist.

"No, it's because your friend was eating a drippy ice cream," Cedric shot back. See? Prick. I told Cedric to just cool it. He went into the back. I helped cover the desk.

Cedric finally came back to the front. I motioned for him to stand back with me. "Tell me what exactly happened."

"This student comes up to check out a laptop, but she has the drippy ice cream cone. I figure she's going to mess up the laptop and told her to finish the ice cream before I'll check it out to her."

"But we don't do that. We don't have a policy about not checking laptops out if you have food."

"I was trying to protect the laptop."

"But it isn't your call to make."

"I think I did right."

"Cedric, I just told you that isn't how we do business. It isn't our policy. You did wrong."

"But--"

"Cedric, who's your boss?"

I'm ashamed to say that I took delight in the deer caught in headlights expression that crossed his face. "Y-you are."

"Then why aren't you listening to me? Why are you arguing with me?"

"I felt responsible for the safety of the laptop."

"Well, you're not. When the student checks it out, they're responsible for it. It's clearly stated on the laptop."

"Okay, but I'm going to ask the Science Library about it."

"Why? They don't have any bearing on us."

"Just for my peace of mind to see if my instincts are right."

"Cedric, I just told you your instincts were WRONG."

"See, you're always saying no to me just because it's me."

WHAT. THE. HELL???

"Cedric, have I not explained myself to you? You weren't supposed to put up the television, and you weren't supposed to deny someone service on a whim."

"Yeah, but you didn't back me up!"

"Because you were wrong. I'm not going to back you up on something you did in error. You should've apologized to the student and let her check out the laptop."

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"Am I laughing? No, I'm serious. When you make a mistake, you've got to fess up to it."

"I don't have to take some eighteen year old kid talking to me like that."

Nice subject change, Cedric. No, let's not deal with your mistake.

"He was being rude, but you weren't being much better."

"Why didn't you come up when I first spoke to you?"

"Because I didn't know I had to."

"I told you when I was getting a book."

"You told me what you did. You didn't ask me to come up to speak to the students."

Cedric seemed to finally accept that he wasn't going to browbeat me into submission about this, but he couldn't let it end there. "I still think I did right."

"That's fine. Just don't ever do it ever again."

And there you have it. I am a bitch boss because I won't let student assistants make up rules when it suits them. I am just so UNFAIR! And I seem to just say no arbitrarily to student assistants.

Yes, I'm a Bitch, Pt. 2

OH, THE TRAGEDY! THE INJUSTICE! THE EVIL, VILE, UNFAIR BITCH BOSS!

She won't let the work studies have a television at the desk to watch the big basketball game! Ack, for shame, Vampire Librarian! FOR SHAME!

Never mind that University Z wasn't even in the big game. So why the hell should I care? Actually, I wouldn't care even if they were.

There are only two times during the week that Library X is empty of full-time staff. They are Friday and Saturday nights. I am in charge of hiring graduate students to cover those nights and close the building. I think the semblance of power has gone absolutely to their heads.

Last Saturday, Cedric, one of my work studies (as in I sign his time sheet) decided to set up a television at the circ desk, and turned it to the basketball game. Not really anything I could do about that. I am off on Saturdays. And if Cedric had put it back Saturday night, we wouldn't have this post.

When I came into work on Sunday, the television was still set up at the circulation desk. The day staffer for Sunday told me that he didn't know where it'd come from, but he'd left it alone. We sometimes do set up a television to a particular channel for various things. The last time we did was for President Ford's funeral.

I decided to let the television be for the time being. Nobody was paying attention to it, and I still thought maybe a staff person had set it up for a valid reason, and I would have an email telling me why.

Cedric came on shift shortly afterward and told me, "Oh, the television is still set up. Cool. I put it there on Saturday."

I quirked an eyebrow at him. "You set up the television?"

"Yeah, I wanted to watch a basketball game. It wasn't that busy."

"Well, you're not supposed to do that, and the television isn't going to stay."

He tried to backtrack. "Well, it also helped with the community members and drunk students who came in on Saturday night. They would zone out in front of it."

I quirked my other eyebrow, but didn't call him on this unlikely benefit seeing how the television was very squarely pointed at the circulation desk. I tried to do some work while Cedric and another work study manned the circulation desk. After a little while, I noticed a lot of students around the circulation desk.

I went to the front to better see what the situation was. All of the students were staring at the television. One jokingly asked if he could come behind the desk for a better view. The students were practically three rows deep watching this television.

Seeing the desk swamped with all these sports fans, I decided something needed to be done to clear up all the congestion at the desk. During a commercial break, I moved the television to point out to the floor. I announced to the gathered students they could move some chairs around so they could all watch more comfortably. Cedric instantly complained, "Don't move the television, there's only two minutes left in the game."

"It's a commercial break, and I want to free up the circulation desk."

"At least slant it this way."

"No."

"But you don't get it-" and he looked anguished.

"If you want to watch it so bad, go ahead." (I know, I can't believe I said it either. You can't even tell how mad I am by this whole affair.)

I hung out at the desk, helping students, and the game was eventually over. Cedric decided to complain to me again that he was the one who put the television up so why did I move it.

"First of all, don't tell me to not to do something. Second of all, you're on the job, and your job description does not include watching TV. And third, nobody can get to the desk to check in or out stuff with all these people blocking it."

He wouldn't let it drop.

"It really did help with the drunks and the community members."

I took a deep calming breath. "Drunk students are not allowed in Library X. You can tell them to leave and call UPD if they became unruly."

"Well it's hard to tell that they're drunk when they come in and go straight to the bathrooms."

"That's fine. As long as they aren't bothering other students, they can come in and use the restrooms."

"Yeah, but then they sort of hang around and talk loudly. With the TV, they went glassy eyed and stayed quiet."

"Okay, but you saw what happened tonight. We don't have a television set up here because in the past, students clumped up and blocked traffic. You should have seen the crowds when we had a television for the world cup. A television near the circulation desk hinders circulation activities. That's why we don't want one here."

(Quick factoid: Cedric also works at another university library.)

"Yeah, but the Science Library has televisions set up sometimes at various desks, and it doesn't seem to bother anything there."

Okay, that was it. The arguement was over because there shouldn't be an arguement. I pointed at the television. "Go put the television back wherever you found it and don't ever set it up again."

"But--"

"NOW."

(And this isn't even the end of the brouhaha with Cedric that night. That will come in part 3.)

Yes, I'm a Bitch pt.1

I'm going to get a bunch of T-shirts made up with, "Yes, I'm a Bitch, do as I say, and don't argue with me," because I've been wasting far too much time arguing with work studies. (They already think the first part anyway.) They insist on arguing with me even when I tell them that something isn't library policy, state law, or in the honor code.

It started with breaks. Work studies were insisting that I was required to give them breaks when they work four or more hours. I told them no, state law requires me to give you an unpaid meal break if you work six hours. It was even posted where we keep their timesheets. No, they insisted, I must give them a break if over four. I found the state labor law and University Z policy detailing breaks. Guess who was right? Guess who wouldn't believe/listen to me when I told them?

I finally sent out this email to all the students for whom I am the direct supervisor. I sign these guys' timesheets. I'm their BOSS. Somehow that doesn't seem to faze them.

Hi Ref. Assistants,

There have been issues in the recent past concerning breaks. University Z requires supervisors to give student workers an unpaid meal break if the student works six or more hours at a time. That is the only break we are REQUIRED to give you.

Supervisors are allowed, at their discretion, to allow students to take short "on the clock" breaks if they work four or more hours. This is not a guaranteed break. And will not always be allowed.

As reference assistants, a higher level of responsibility is expected of you. A couple of you work when there is no staff in the building. At those times, you are the person in charge. You should not be taking breaks. I also expect you to be responsible when I am away taking my meal break or am otherwise engaged. Breaks at such times are not allowed.

Times when breaks are not allowed:

1.When there is only one student working the desk (that would be you).

2.When there are two students but no staff available. The could mean no staff is currently on shift or the only staff person is otherwise engaged, such as the only staff person is helping students find books, clearing printer jams, patrolling the building, on the phone, or away from the desk for whatever reason. Taking a break is not allowed.

3.When things are hectic. You cannot just drop everything and leave when there is high demand.

If you wish/need to take a break, you must inform a staff a person at least a half hour in advance (an hour is preferable), and there is no guarantee that you will be able to take a short 10-15 minute break when the time comes, especially during any of the instances listed above.

Breaks cannot be stored. You can't take a half hour break because you didn't take a break yesterday. You cannot leave fifteen minutes early because you didn't take a break. You can't come in fifteen minutes late and claim that was your break. You cannot be paid for time that you were late or left early.

This does not include brief bathroom breaks, trips to the vending machines, or other types of short trips away from the desk which take usually less than five minutes. Please be responsible when taking these types of breaks as well.

Alerting me or your coworker when you need to step away from the desk for any reason is a good general rule.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,

The Vampire Librarian

Instantly after the email, I had complaints. One said, "I substituted for someone for three hours in the morning and then came back to work five hours in the evening. I think I should be given a meal break."

Well did you ask for a break? Did you give me any warning? Did I know you'd worked three hours in the morning? No to all of them. (And I don't really care that you picked up a sub-shift. Nobody twisted your arm to do that.) You just decided that it would be great to go heat up a Hot Pocket when there was no other work studies on shift, and it was busy. Just saying bye as you go to the back is not appropiate.

Another tried to argue that if she's the only work study at the desk, then she's doing twice the work so shouldn't she get a break? Uh, no. If you're the only student on shift, that means there's only you and me, and I'm not letting you out of my sight. (And no, you don't get paid double!)

Did you not read the email? Did I not make myself clear?

I think I was rather lenient with them, but they seem to think I am the ultimate in unfair bosses. Well tough. Do as I say (or rather do as I email) and don't give me lip. I don't have to rehire you. I don't have to do anything. You, on the other hand, do. You have to do what I freaking tell you. Don't argue with me.

Yes, as you can tell from the title there are going to be more parts to this. I hope you all are up for some venting.

You are free to tell me that I am a bitch. That I'm being rather unfair. That I should be nicer to the work studies. Please, go ahead. I've heard it a gazillion times already. And I get a perverse pleasure from comments. No matter what they say.