The Sacramento County Library Rant

Here is my story. I will leave it to you to decide if I am being overly cranky or unreasonable.

Two years ago, I tried to use my library card. I don't use it much. Just sometimes, to check out a book or maybe an audiobook. Well, it turns out if you do not use it once a year, you get "removed from the system". Okay. The thing is, you cannot be added back to the system in any way without going to the library and speaking to the (cranky) librarians.

I was informed by the "helpful" woman librarian at the Fair Oaks branch that my card was inactive. She said I should apply for a new one, then took mine and threw it away for me. Okay again.

Fast forward two years. Keeping in mind what the helpful librarian told me, I went in to get a new card.

Librarian:Oh no, wait, you are trying to get a NEW card! You can't have a new card. You HAVE a card.

Me: No I don't, you guys told me it was no good and took it away from me.

Librarian: Sorry, but that could not have happened. (You must be lying, you shifty-eyed patron.) You will have to pay a lost card fee of $5 and get a replacement.

Me: That hardly seems fair, you guys took it from me.

Librarian: We don't do that.

Me: Clearly you do, but it is only $5 and I will consider it a charitable donation (although you are not making me feel charitable).

Librarian then gives me new card after taking my $.

End result: I have a new card. However, I cannot use my new card. The PIN for the old card (which is just lost BTW not confiscated which could never happen) does not match the new card.

Tech support's phone number at the library rings for > 100 times without being answered.

So now I have to face the Librarian again.