Published on 12, July, 2020
I always use the self service machines when I'm borrowing or returning books. If there is a member of the library staff free at the desk when I use the machines they will tut at me. Is that an unwritten rule of the library? If the librarian is free borrow your books at the desk? Life is so complicated. I find I have to wait till the librarian is busy with another customer before I use the machines or sometimes I just return home bookless and exhausted.
I don't use libraries that often, but as far as I am aware the only rules are, Don't make too much Noise & Return the books in good condition & on time. If the Librarians are being snooty, just ignore them & do whatever suits you best. Possibly they think the machines are slowly doing them out of a job, but the gradual switch to digital media will do that soon enough anyway, so why take it out on the customers.
People are weird, especially the ones that are allegedly normal. As long as I am still being polite, I try to only worry about the opinions of those I care about. If someone had tutted at me, I would probably have asked them if they had a problem, since I see that as being blatently rude.
Random question...
at the self service till when you scan your books does the machine make a noise so as not to breach library rules. I’d like to think that it omits a quiet ekectronic tutting sound..
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/2016/12/bbc-sound-effects-records-early-1970s.html
Records such as 'British Tutting' (1970) allowed the disgruntled listener to listen to a variety of legally sanctioned tuts as a sort of surrogate expression of displeasure.
I just love that kind of humour!
However, given the topic, I'm surprised you didn't mention Inconsolable Weeping In Libraries Vol.1.
There are more here <link>.
On a serious note the library set up has afforded you the choice of accessing staff and non-staffed service access. You chose the latter. I think you made the right choice.