NO, NO, NO!

At BUSP we try to answer our patrons' requests in a positive way, but there are times when we just have to reply in the negative. For instance, if a patron needs a book that is checked out by another user, we cannot tell that patron who has the book checked out. Even if the patron making the inquiry has a desperate look in their eyes, and says something like, "But I have to have it for a class assignment that's due tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure I already know who has the book, and they are a friend of mine, and they wouldn't mind sharing it with me..." (We have heard this story before.) It would be nice to help this person and replace their desperate look with a smile, but we cannot. The information they are asking for is considered private, and BY LAW, we simply are unable to give it to them. The best we can do is tell the patron no in a kind way, and explain that it is illegal for us to give them the information they want. Nor can we give it to anyone else. Now if it should happen to be a policeman or an FBI agent, with a badge to prove it, who comes to the desk and asks you who has a book checked out, get your supervisor. (And yes, this has happened at BUSP before also.)