What you have told us
Here you can search through numerous patron comments and the corresponding AADL replies. Search by the type of comment, in general by what the comment is regarding, or by a particular issue.
We care about what you have to say, and do our best to address each and every concern.
Please let us know how we're doing by submitting a comment or suggestion.
Filter Patron Comments
Type: compliment
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Thanks so much for holding a CSA fair! It was really great for a newbie like me to come in and learn about different options for CSAs in the area. It was much more beneficial to talk to farmers in person to hear about their products and options than it is to peruse tons of websites. I don't know if you've done this type of partnership before, but I hope you continue in the future.
AADL Reply: Hi there, thanks so much for your comment! This was our first year hosting this event, and it was a big hit. We definitely plan to continue it in the future. Thanks again for taking the time to share, and thanks for using your library! -eli
Date Received: 2020-02-11
Type: catalog problem
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: I am very dissatisfied with the smart search function baked into the catalog. It seems to float popular items with misspelled keywords to the top of searches, burying exact matches. This makes it difficult to refine searches and easy to miss items buried in all the noise. Specifically it gives me a lot of trouble trying to search for movies by director. Is using the addl_author field a reliable way to search by director or is there a different author field that director is sometimes put in? It would be nice if there was some way to tweak the search on the back end that made searches prioritize relevance rather than popularity. It seems that the current system is suppressing information, as is the manner of our current technodystopia. Thanks.
AADL Reply: Hi there, thanks for your interest. We're sorry that you've been so dissatisfied with the search. We definitely place a high value on the popularity of a title when ranking search results, and we do include in your results terms that were one letter away from your search term. This helps a lot of patrons find things they weren't otherwise going to find, but it can definitely be a pain when searching for something that is one letter away from something popular. For example, if I might hazard a guess, lots of patrons are looking for the works of Bong Joon Ho this week, and you get lots of unrelated stuff because of how close to other popular words that name is. However, there is a quick fix whenever you run into this problem; just put your search terms in quotes, and you will only get exact matches on your phrase: https://aadl.org/search/catalog/%22bong%20joon%20ho%22 But, this led us to discover that many of our titles he was involved with are cataloged under an alternate romanization of his name, which now that he's been in the news so much, needs to be updated. You can see those here: https://aadl.org/search/catalog/addl_author:%22Pong,%20Chun-ho,%201969-%22 To answer your other question, the director is often, but not always, listed as an additional author. So it's better to search by name without specifying a field, and using quotes to refine the loose matches out, as then you'll get hits no matter where the name appears in the record. I hope this is helpful information; thank you for your patience, and thanks for using your library. -eli
Date Received: 2020-02-05
Type: branch expansion comments
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: I need my library back! I need a fix; can you give us an estimate date that Traverwood might be open by??
AADL Reply: We appreciate your patience! The project is going well, and on schedule. We will announce an opening date as soon as we know it for a certainty. In the meantime, I hope that you are able to use one of the other four AADL locations while you wait for Traverwood to re-open. Josie
Date Received: 2020-02-03
Type: catalog problem
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: I love the AADL. Thank you for your service to the community. One concern I would like to ask the librarians to investigate: at the downtown branch last night I found Vani Hari's dangerously misleading pseudoscience book "Feeding You Lies." This is a problem. The author is a widely discredited Internet personality with no scientific, dietetic, or public health training. I support the library stocking a variety of opinions and views -- but this book seems to fall far below the standards for nonfiction I would hope AADL would expect of its resources. Please reconsider lending this text or re-shelve it in a "conspiracies" or "misinformation" section. Thank you so much for considering my feedback.
AADL Reply: Hello and thank you for getting in touch. The presence of "Feeding You Lies" by Vani Hari in our collection is not a recommendation of its content or author. Its inclusion in our collection is a result of its popularity and demand. As a public library, we try to maintain a popular materials collection that is well balanced and with that, we also understand that our users will use their own critical thinking abilities when approaching any information they access through the library. Here is a link to our Materials Selection policy: https://aadl.org/aboutus/materials However, if you would request that we seriously consider removing this title from the Ann Arbor District Library's collection, the Request for Reconsideration form is attached. This can be returned to any branch or mailed to our director, Josie Parker, at the following address: 343 S. Fifth Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Thank you for this feedback, and thank you for using your library. Sara Wedell Collections Manager | Ann Arbor District Library wedells@aadl.org | (734) 327-4225
Date Received: 2020-02-03
Type: other
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Do you ever consider purchasing Prime video series? Specifically, Bosch since you do carry all or most of M. Connelly’s books
AADL Reply: Hello, Thanks for the question - we do look at Amazon Prime-produced shows, however, it's pretty unusual for them to be released on disc. These are shows produced by and for streaming services and they want their audience to subscribe for access, rather than borrow or even buy outright. This is often the case with shows made specifically for Hulu and Netflix as well, although Netflix has released seasons of some of their bigger, more mainstream hits. If we have the opportunity to add Bosch by Amazon Prime to our circulating TV collection, we certainly will. Thanks for asking and thanks for using your library! Sara AADL
Date Received: 2020-01-26
Type: other
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: I have moved to Howell and will be registering for a library card there. Thank you for your service over these many years. From books to art to events, your work is appreciated.
AADL Reply: Thank you for letting us know, and we are grateful for your kind words. I hope that your move goes smoothly, and I know that you will enjoy the Howell Carnegie Library, too. Sincerely, Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2020-01-23
Type: compliment
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: I have attended the Drag Bingo event twice and wanted to show my support for the event. It was a full house both times and the performer included a positive message. The crowd was laughing, entertained and thoroughly engaged! I'm sorry that more people aren't actively commenting to show their support. The few negative comments left don't paint an accurate picture of how your patrons view your programming. But...the full attendance does!
AADL Reply: Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, and for attending the event. We were impressed, too, to have standing room only on a snowstorm day! We hope you can make it in April when Jadein Black returns for more Drag Bingo. Josie Parker Director
Date Received: 2020-01-22
Type: programs and events
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Hello, Where on the WCC campus is Jose Vargas going to speaking on 1/30/20?
AADL Reply: Thanks for your interest in AADL events and the Washtenaw Reads author event. Jose Antonio Vargas will be speaking at Towsley Auditorium of the Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College. Here is the link to the event information - https://aadl.org/node/397670 Hope this is helpful. Tim Grimes Events Manager Ann Arbor District Library 343 South Fifth Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48104 734-327-4265 grimest@aadl.org
Date Received: 2020-01-20
Type: programs and events
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Hi, I very much enjoyed Toby's woodcarving event and I believe he mentioned there would be another in March, but I'm not finding it on the calendar. Perhaps it is not posted yet? Would you be able to tell me the details for that? I would like to block the time on my calendar so I don't schedule anything that would conflict. Thank you so much! Sincerely, Emily
AADL Reply: Thanks for your interest in AADL events. We are happy that you enjoy the wood labs. In March, there will be a wood lab focusing on carving faces. Here is a link to the event, which will take place on March 12 - https://aadl.org/node/396302 Hope you enjoy it. Tim Grimes Events Manager Ann Arbor District Library 343 South Fifth Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48104 734-327-4265 grimest@aadl.org
Date Received: 2020-01-16
Type: complaint
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: What are you thinking in having a drag queen bingo in the library on a Saturday afternoon when young children are most likely to be present! How are parents and grandparents to explain why a man or men are dressed like women? This is just another place I cannot take my grandchildren. What's wrong with supporting traditional lifestyles and values?
AADL Reply: While I appreciate that you may not approve of all of the events, programs, and services at AADL provided by the tax support of the entire community, I can say that this is a repeat of a well attended event last year, and it will be age appropriate. The Board and Staff of the AADL are representative of our large and diverse community, and have been for many years. The Drag Bingo event will go forward as scheduled. Thank you for sharing your strong feelings on this matter. I do hope that you continue to find value and enjoyment for yourself and your family at the AADL. Sincerely, Josie Parker