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: AADL, My family and I feel very lucky that we have the AADL open to check out books. It was a rough spring when the library was closed. The new system is a good one but only having the books accessible for 24 hours once you know the book is available is difficult. Can you please explain why there are so many limitations on picking up books. Do you not have capacity to allow books to be on hold for pick u for more than 24 hours. Can you please explain your process and if you have plans to open up the library in the near future. I know that gyms and the YMCA are open. Please advise. Thank you.
AADL Reply: Dear J, Thank you very much for your message to AADL. We are glad to know that our services helped you and your family during the lockdown period. You will be glad to know that an item that has been placed in the vestibule for pickup will be there two days. It is there the day you choose for pick up, and one day more if it is not picked up on the specified date. The one day grace period has been in place since we began vestibule pickups. Also, when you are notified that an item is available you have a week to schedule the pickup. We have tried to make it as convenient as possible. We are following the Governor's SafeStart Plan. Our region is in Stage 4. When we move to Stage 5, the AADL will open up for more services, but we will not be open regular, normal hours for months. Take good care, and I am glad that you are taking advantage of library services. Josie
Date Received: 2020-10-18
Type: compliment
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Wanted to send a huge thank you to the library and all its staff. You are doing an amazing job in difficult circumstances. Please know how deeply you are all appreciated. You are making all this "stay at homeness" and "avoid the rest of humanity" nonsense bearable. Please let your staff know that there is no way to overestimate the value of what they are doing for our community. THANK YOU!
AADL Reply: A, Thank you for taking the time to write to us, and we very much appreciate your kind words and support. We are all very glad to hear it! Take good care. Josie
Date Received: 2020-10-16
Type: request and renewals
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Hello: I heard about a simulation browsing service, where you pull together a few books on a specific topic. Is this something that is actually happening or just a rumor ;-)? Thank you!
AADL Reply: Thank you for the question. It sounds like you're talking about our Shelf Service service. And yes, it's real :) If you fill out a short survey, our staff will select a bag of materials that you may pick up. You may find the form here: https://aadl.org/shelfservice. I hope this helps! Best, Sherlonya Turner Associate Director, Public Experience and Desk Service
Date Received: 2020-10-14
Type: general suggestion
Regarding: other
Patron Comment: I just found this video by Duke libraries, it seems right in AADL's alley and ability! Love the video, loveAADL, and hope to see your upcoming fall music hit! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1iGEM9NMFM&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=DukeUnivLibraries
AADL Reply: Thank you, A. The Duke video is great, and yes, stay tuned for AADL's effort:) Josie
Date Received: 2020-10-13
Type: other
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: The MDHHS has instituted its Covid-19 orders now that Gov Whitmer’s executive orders were struck down. For libraries, it states 50% occupancy is allowed. What does this mean for AADL’s plans?
AADL Reply: Hello J, MI DHHS is working closely with the Governor's office, and we are still using the SafeStart Plan as our guide for services. While libraries are able to have the public in the buildings under the new guidelines, the AADL will maintain our current service until our region is moved to Stage 5 as determined by MI DHHS and the Washtenaw County Health Department. If there is something in particular that we can help you with, we are happy to do it. I appreciate how much it will mean to us all when we can once again just come and enjoy a leisurely visit in the Library. Thank you for asking, and take good care. Josie Parker 734.327.4263
Date Received: 2020-10-13
Type: other
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Good morning, I usually spend some time each week looking at your postings and suggestions culture wise etc. Just finished watching the Dr. Dre, sins. I am wondering if this should be available to all or if it should maybe have some sort of parental guidance notice on it. I am not one for restrictions or Banning anything. But maybe this is something you should look at and think of a policy that could be instituted. I think some in our community may find this particular piece questionable for their children to view. Because of the language and themes.
AADL Reply: Hello there, thanks for following the links from the newsletter to Pulp, our arts & culture site. We don't really have any evidence that kids are reading these emails or following these links, but it's certainly possible. Thanks to your suggestion we will start adding a disclaimer to Pulp posts containing explicit or mature content when we feature them in the AADL Newsletter. Thanks very much for your feedback, and thanks for using your library! -eli
Date Received: 2020-10-12
Type: compliment
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Dear library staff, I just want to say what a wonderful job AADL is doing in providing services to our community during the pandemic. Contactless pickup was well thought out and is such a help. I like the idea of simulating something like browsing by providing a curated bag of books off the shelf, based on the individual's suggested interests. (Right now I have enough books coming in from old and new holds, but I will certainly give this a try at some point!) New services like access to the New York Times online, being able to print and pick up a document, and being able to book a "room" for Zoom meetings will greatly benefit many in the community, and may also encourage more people to get a library card. Thanks for all you are doing, as an organization and individuals. Stay well and keep up the excellent work.
AADL Reply: Hello R, Thank you so much for writing to us, and for your kind words about our services. We appreciate knowing that what we are doing is working to reach people in the community in good ways during such a difficult time. You made our day! Take good care. Josie
Date Received: 2020-10-12
Type: complaint
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: Hello, I love that the AADL always has many copies of the newest books for children and teens, but I think attention also needs to be paid to making sure they have more of the books that kids are checking out as well. I will often find six copies on the shelf of a newly published picture book, but meanwhile my 12 year old can't check out the full series of Brotherband Chronicles because the library doesn't have a single copy of Book 4 in the series. For Brotherband Chronicles Book 2 they only have one copy even though 7 people are waiting to check it out. I realize that Brotherband Chronicles is not the best children's literature that the AADL can offer, but if it's what kids want to check out I think it's to the library's detriment if they don't make enough copies available that kids actually can. Any book that gets kids excited about reading is a good book, right? I sent a request for Brotherband Chronicles Book 4 using the Suggest a Title link too, but I just wanted to make a broader case for making sure the library has on their shelves the books that kids are requesting. Again, as a parent I love the selection of new and exciting books for children but I'd like my older kids, who have their own ideas of what they want to read, to find what they are looking for at the library too. Thank you very much.
AADL Reply: Hi and thanks for reaching out! First off, here's a link to book 4 of the Brotherband series in our catalog: https://aadl.org/catalog/record/10012276. I'm sorry you weren't able to find it before. Next, thanks for sending a title suggestion email when you thought the title was missing from our holdings - that is very helpful. Those emails go directly to the selector for that area. We have an internal system as well, called Collection Alerts, for when staff notice a book is damaged and it's our last copy, or that a single copy is carrying a lot of holds because it's the last copy standing in a popular book series. Basically, many eyes are welcome in helping us maintain availability of backlist titles in our collection! We also run reports to help identify titles for which we no longer have active copies. As you note, it's one thing to start out with an adequate number of copies for a title, but as soon as they are out there in the world, they run the risk of being lost, damaged, or just used to pieces. Over time, the number of copies does decrease, and kids books - especially kids series books - are very susceptible to that. So while we do try to keep up on backlist, but we also know there will sometimes be gaps or long wait times, when a title goes out of print or lacks enough demand for replacement. In that case, MeLCat is a great resource as well. Thanks for your time and the title suggestion, and thanks for using your library! Sara AADL
Date Received: 2020-10-11
Type: compliment
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: I just wanted to say thanks-- you all are AWESOME. We just picked up three Shelf Service orders for our kids and they were delighted to open those paper bags (so much fun and so surprising); they're all reading right now. We've appreciated all you've done during this pandemic to think of new ways of what a "pandemic library" (that sounds like a terrible thing taken literally) is. We enjoyed AADL TV (go, fightin' narwhals! and that sock puppet warehouse commercial cracked us up) and the Bummer Game, were happy when the contactless pick up began and now this Shelf Service will keep us in books. Thank you again! Stephanie
AADL Reply: Dear Stephanie, Thank you for the lovely and kind note. The mental picture of three children tearing into AADL Shelf Service bags made me laugh. Thank you for that, too. I hope that you all have a lovely day, and take good care. Josie
Date Received: 2020-09-28
Type: other
Regarding: - NONE SELECTED -
Patron Comment: When will the libraries be opening? We need and want the libraries to be open just like schools, gyms, etc. all being opened. Social distancing, masks, etc. all being understood but we need the libraries getting back into society.
AADL Reply: Hello Mr. G, Thank you so much for reaching out to us. We aren't sure when we will be open for browsing and computer use, but we are open now for pickup of library materials at all of our locations. If you would like something from the collection, you can get it now. Please let me know if there is something specific that you need that we are not providing online or through our vestibule/locker pickup service. Sincerely, Josie Parker Director 734.327.4263 or josie@aadl.org