EDITOR – I read Robyn Visagie’s letter about the Hillcrest Library with utter disbelief.
I have been using this library regularly for the last 15 years and have never once experienced anything like she describes. There is always a good atmosphere there, quiet during the week, busy and vibey on Saturdays. It’s great to see the whole community making use of it. There are spaces for everyone, a beautifully-laid out children’s section, a study area, newspaper browsing desks, armchairs for magazine readers, interesting displays and selections of the latest and most popular books.
The staff have always been polite, helpful and friendly. I often ask for a specific book, which they will look up for me on the computer and then take me to the shelf. In fact, one book I was looking for was at the time being read by one of the staff and she went into the back office, got the book and let me take it out while she was still in the middle of it. The shelves are immaculate and the books beautifully-covered, except for one which my bulldog puppy chewed. I apologised and paid a small fine. No nastiness about it at all.
The doorman is really the nicest young man and I often see him tidying up and fussing around to make sure everything is perfect. I can’t imagine how crestfallen his young face must have looked on reading that letter. As for the guards at the entrance, I think they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
I once saw a miserable old man throwing a tantrum because he was asked to fill in his details. If a car was stolen or broken into, Robyn would probably be the first to complain that there is no security. As for the cost to the taxpayer, they are probably earning salaries Robyn wouldn’t sit all day on an old plastic chair for.
I went to the library today and apologised to them and also phoned the area manager and apologised profusely and promised him I would write to the Highway Mail and put things straight. While I was at the library today, I made a point of asking the people in the library if they had ever had a bad experience there and there was 100 per cent denial, each and every person gave their thumbs-up for the staff and library and one gentleman made a comment that the letter was absolute rubbish. If I was younger, I would stage a #LoveMyHillcrestLibrary protest.
Joanne Steele
Gillitts
