[Michlib-l] payphones

[Meredith Sommers]

Hello,

This morning has been unusually full of requests to use our phone, both to place and receive calls. We allow only very quick, local calls, which sometimes leads to problems - it's a fuzzy and easily ignored policy. ("Can I just call my ride?" . . . and then we're ten minutes into an out-of-state call, tying up one of our lines.)

So I'm wondering: as pay phones have disappeared, how are other libraries handling patrons' needs for phone access? Everyone doesn't have a cell phone, and if I can't let them use ours I'm at a loss as to where to send people. I know the library can't be all things to all people, but this seems like such a small thing that makes a BIG difference in patrons' day. Are there any reliable payphone service providers even operating in Michigan? If you allow patrons to use your phone, how has that worked out? Are there any brilliant ideas out there that I'm missing?

Thank you,
Meredith


---

Meredith Sommers
Manager
Bayliss Public Library
Sault Ste. Marie, MI

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail3.mcls.org/pipermail/michlib-l/attachments/20220823/27fb6cbe/attachment.html>