LISNews – News For Librarians

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

re the angry OCD lady at Peninsula Library Palos Verdes

its usually a good atmosphere BUT -- there are just a FEW obsessive compulsive regulars who ALWAYS sit at the same computer & IF for some reason you happen to sit at "their computer" they become VISIBLY UPSET not just that they can't sit at "THEIR COMPUTER" (which is NOT theirs, but for ANY patron) but they actually become ANGRY at the person sitting at "their computer". It happened to me once-- a female regular actually started muttering negative things about me because I happened to sit at "her computer" . This was around 12 noon-- NOT opening time. She really believed everybody in the world who visits the library should KNOW that this is "her spot " ?  This was BEFORE I realized that she had OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) -- . but the library should NOT be enabling this sort of addictive repetitive behavior especially because it leads to this IRRATIONAL SENSE of ENTITLEMENT to one particular  public computer at a public library. People who enter into the "public spaces" KNOW or should know that we have to be accomodating of one another. This OCD lady is treating it like a private space-- as if she has some PERSONAL RIGHT to sit at the same computer just because she's been coming there for a while now. (honestly, i've been coming here much longer. I remember when she arrived. There's such a negative vibe emanating from her-- which is another strange thing=- people come "up" here to get away from the angry city vibe. But she brings it with her. If she like the angry city vibe, why come to PV library? There's plenty of city libraries to choose from- that have security guards and lots of rules & limits on computer time etc). That would seem to be more to  her  liking. But it's as if she LIKES to make  an angry statement by coming here. Some damn chip on her shoulder. The second she comes in now-- I LEAVE as quick as possible. It feels like an evil presence. Sad. I used to love coming here.