Complaint Review: Northwest Regional Library System - Panama City Florida

Feb. 21, 2007

Dear Chairman Nelson and Commissioners:

As you can see from the below I am both annoyed and concerned with the Bay County Library.

I have complained previously about this new computer set up and with the bad service I received during todays visit I decided to not only post on the web consumer complaint site www.badbusinessbureau.com my feelings but also forward a copy of my complaint to each of you.

For the reasons below I hope that this new 'register to use' system will be replaced. It was a waste of money to install this and I hope that your commission will see that it is now taken off-line and we can go back to the old 'low tech' system which won't have patrons standing by waiting to use computers when they are clearly available and unused and won't set us up for any person or agency to snoop into our accessing web sites on line or reading our electronic mail.

Thank you for your time in looking at this complaint.

B. Harris

PC Fla 32402

The text below is from my posted complaint on www.badbusinessbureau.com

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Feb. 21, 2007

Northwest Regional Library System

Hdq. Bay County Public Library

25 West Government Street

Panama City, FL 32402

Tel: (850) 872-7500

Fax: (850) 872-7507

This is the main library, they have recently upgraded the computer system here. My complaint is in 2 parts both about having to 'register' to use the computers.

1) The old system to use the computers was 'low tech', it involved color coded & numbered cards, if the cards were in the holders at the reference section then a computer was available and you signed out on a sheet for that computer and used it. If no cards were in the holders then you signed a sheet and waited until a computer was available. Very low tech, it required pencil and paper. Cost per year = about zip.

A month ago the computer set up changed with new hardware. Now you need are confronted with a machine that reads your library card number, you select whether you want 30 or 60 min (different computer areas) and it gives you a reservation number for a certain computer and a pin number. The 'reservation' may be for right then or for some time in the future.

Today I selected the 60 min computer option in the 'Lab', I could see that 2 of the about 14 stations were empty. I got a reservation for 10 min. on a computer already being used. Meanwhile 2 computers sit idle.

I complained about this nonsense and got only boiler plate. This 'new - upgraded' system costing probably thousands of tax dollars only keeps people waiting. Why do I, or any library patron have to stand around for 10 minutes, or an hour etc., waiting for our 'reservation' to come up when computers are available for immediate use? I left after telling the desk people what I thought of this new system. Presumably my 60 minute reservation, which I did not show up for, kept one computer idle for 60 minutes for absolutely no purpose.

People make reservations and get annoyed, like I did and leave, or they reserve and get busy elsewhere doing things or they use 20 minutes of 60 and leave and these computers sit idle while the timers run down and other people stand around who want to use the computers!

This is absolutely FOOLISH and I complained about it in writing in the suggestion box right after they were installed. Nothing has happened.

It is a major waste of patrons time and a boondoggle for taxpayers who had to fund this stupid system. The old pencil and paper system worked find. It wasn't fancy but you got to the computers if one was available. Today was my 4th complaint about this, 2 in writing.

2nd Issue

As you saw from above, previously you did not need to provide any card or log in to use the computers. Now you do.

I object to having my library card scanned to 'register' for computer usage on a certain machine. I see absolutely no valid reason for the library to require this step. Why should anyone need to provide their ID (ie: library card number, which leads to your name/address etc) for computer usage? To check out books, sure, I absolutely understand that.

But why is the library sticking their nose into who is using which computer and probably more importantly: what usage is made of this information? What if I (or you or anyone), emailed my Congressman, Senator or the President and told him/her in blunt terms that he/she was a moron and should not be in office. Will the black helicopters decend on the Bay County Regional Library with Homeland Security asking who used computer 12 at 10 a.m. on Jan 19th?

I asked about this at the desk two weeks ago and was told that the information would only be given out if a subpeona was used. More nonsense from this library! They should NOT be retaining this information to start with. With this system in place 'someone' (ie: obviously the Govt) can see who used what computer, when and then find what sites were accessed and who knows, maybe even pull up emails that were sent.

It is simple if no registration was required then the info would not be recorded and no one with or without a subpeona could snoop into patrons computer usage.

SUMMARY:

This new registration system is"

1) Unduly cumbersome- not user friendly,

2) Replaced a system that worked just fine,

3) Cost a Hell of a lot more than the pencils and paper it replaced,

4) Actually restricts patrons from using computers with this registration requirement when computers are actually available,

5) Apparantly records patrons actual use of computers for no valid purpose,

6) Is probably storing usage/patron information which may be vunerable to government snooping

For all the above reasons this 'new' system should be removed, shut down, scrapped, done away with, etc.

It was a dumb idea, it isn't working, it is vunerable to abuse of the stored data and it needs to be changed.

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Fax: (850) 872-7507

Feb 15, 2007

Dear Chairman Nelson and Commissioners:

You may recall that on Jan. 21st I emailed you about my complaints regarding the new computer system, having to register for service and the needless waits to use computers even while they were available and unused. I will attach a copy of that email at the end of this email FYI.

Today I was at the main library for the first time since 1/21/07 and when attempting to check out a book I was told that my account had been 'blocked' and I could not take out said book. Neither the Director Vickery (who it seems placed the block) or the assistant Dannfoker were available.

From the notes made by 'someone' in their computer system (no name attached to the text) it had to do with my complaints at the check out desk 1/21 about having to wait for my 'appointment time' to arrive to use a computer despite computers sitting idle and unused.

I would point out as follows:

1) I am a local taxpayer,

2) a US Citizen

3) born in Florida

4) educated at both Chipola College and Florida Atlantic Univ

5) and pretty darn pissed off right now!

Just who dose this library Director think he is blocking my usage of a library that my tax dollars helped pay for!

As mentioned in my first email to you 3 weeks ago, I complained 4 times (2 times in person 2 times in writing) about the new setup and got nowhere and then I wrote to the Commissioners about the matter.

Perhaps the library Director thinks that the 1st Amendment to the Constitution has no effect at his library and he can without any notice just block a taxpayers use of 'his' library.

I would like you folks to take some immediate action on this and:

1) see that I get an immediate apology,

2) any 'block' is immediately removed,

3) any computer or system entry regarding me be totally erased,

4) make it clear in no uncertain terms that the library Director and staff are NEVER to block a patrons usage of this publically funded library.

Sincerely yours,

B. Harris

Panama City, Fla 32401

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B H

Panama City, Florida
U.S.A.