To have caused a fuss in library ??!

[TheRealCarrieBradshaw]

I had to pop to the local library this morning to print some important docs out, as we don't have a printer. They have 6 computers, and then about 12 in their computer training room, although there was a class going on so those ones could not be used.

The 6 were all taken up; some guy looked like he was searching a job site (good on him), some other guy was reading large documents, not sure about 2 others, but then there was a girl (about 24ish) and a lad (probably a little older) sat just scrolling through Facebook, and blatantly daydreaming! There was a queue for the computers and I know some locals who do visit every day to carry out job searches etc.

Anyway, I couldn't help myself, and asked the guy on the desk why it was right for people to have to wait for a computer, for productive purposes, while people are sat wasting their lives on Social Networking, when maybe they should be taking a leaf out of the other guys' book and searching the job sites?

It really gets my back up as I'm a huge believer that you need to work hard in life. I had a chat with the lady on the other desk and she was in total agreement with me that the use of SN sites should be banned from these computers - I have written my complaint to the Council

Before my mother gave me a laptop for my birthday, I used the computers at the local library or the internet cafe.

I started up my own business from library computers. A lot of my business (which I consider to be very important) was conducted over facebook (advertising, communicating with clients etc.).

I also used it for recreation and keeping in touch with my family though . I do you'll find it in you heart to forgive me.

I don't work, nothing to do with being lazy. If I had no internet access I'd quite happily pop to the library to catch up with my online mates.

Hmm, I sat in the library reading a library book at lunchtime today. In doing so, I sat on one of the seats near the newspapers. Is that okay OP or did I inadvertently stop someone reading the paper to find a job?

I suppose my mistake was in assuming that the fact it was a public library meant that as a member of the public, I had just as much right to be there as anyone else. I understand now that this was clearly wrong and public should be redefined as "public as long as you're doing something that OP approves of". Lesson learned and duly ignored

when maybe they should be taking a leaf out of the other guys' book and searching the job sites?

See that comment right there? That has nothing to do with library computers and everything to do with being a judgemental, nosy person, Job searches? How do you know they aren't near PhD completion? How do you know they weren't using social media legitimately and remotely for work? You don't.

seen them wandering around the village

Funny, you so often keep the same hours as the people you call lazy.

Why am I engaging with this utter crap

You've seen them wandering about the village, clearly not working? . What were you doing, wandering about the village at the same time?

Dawn your son is an absolute hero. Nothing short of a legend.

I hate pricks like the stuck-up cow you describe. More than once in my career I have been accused of being some kind of loafer for having time off regularly on weekdays, when in fact the truth is that I've always worked the most anti-social hours known to man, shit loads of them (often 60 or more a week) and get a weekend off less than once a month. People just love to assume.

As for 'not agreeing' with the unemployed using Facebook, well yeah - obviously they should be put in the stocks until they get a job to, and forced to eat nought but a pint of thin gruel per day. Perhaps the odd flogging too? Being on Facebook for a little while tells you NOTHING about that person's efforts to find work.

Intriguing that you're doing a Social Sciences degree through the OU, OP. May I suggest you elaborate on the well constructed, considered points you make in this thread when it comes dissertation time?

Madmammy what makes you say 'old' ?! Quite the opposite actually !!

*You're.

What LA are you in, OP? I bet you can book a pc. Ask.

So what if you're using MN on your own personal comp? You need to work hard in life, so obviously you should be searching the jobsites. Why do your reasons for not being in work need to be taken into account by us when you weren't prepared to give the benefit of the doubt to anyone else?

Maybe a computer is on their list, only funds are prioritised at the mo?

Perhaps you should write another letter to the council complaining that the library stocks frivolous books and works of popular fiction? I'm sure that in these days of squeezed budgets they ought to prioritise quality literature and books targeted at people with important business. I'm damn shocked that you don't think that's more important than reading commercial fiction.

There should be a time limit and/or a booking system for library computers, though. If you'd been arguing that I think you'd have got broad support on MN.

Is anyone else loving the irony of someone styling herself after Carrie Bradshaw complaining about other people being lazy or trivial?! I mean, surely she should call herself TheRealGraceHopper or something?

Ok, I'll put it a slightly different way, although I love the area in which I live, when I refer to 'the village' it is generally a place to go when you don't work - Absolutely fine, go for a nice coffee, bit of shopping etc and no, this couple clearly did not work - Now I was made redundant when I was about 20, the following day I took myself into town and decided I would not come home until I had a job, so went into every recruitment agency possible and was actually working the next day! Personally I couldn't justify sitting there on FB in these circumstances and my boys will be taught the principles of hard work as they grow too

ANd the principles of not paying for your own printer, ink, paper and electricity when you can get it for free at the library?

AnAdventure - Hilarious! I wanted to go straight back into work, but due to the particular benefit my hub got we were told we wouldn't qualify for childcare element and my wage alone wouldn't have covered that, as well as mortgage etc. I hate not working, but have turned my negative into a positive by deciding to use my time now to study

Maybe, like you, the "lazy fuckers" have caring responsibilities?

I assume, unless you're invisible, that this pair have seen you wandering around the village on numerous occasions (the same occasions when you've seen them)? This presumably makes it clear that you don't work, so then it's down to their subjective assessment of whether you "look like a lazy fucker".

Pumpkin - Do you often stalk other users? Bit weird that isn't it?

Carrie you are missing the point. You judged without truly knowing the circumstances. You were frustrated and posted to both council and here in haste. People would probably take it a little easier on you if you held your hands up, said Sorry, I shouldn't have judged, and apologised.
Good for you for finding work quickly, you are obviously reasonably articulate and able to do so. Even if the couple you have seen are not working, perhaps they are less able to find work than you, perhaps they are for any number of reasons less employable than you were. The fact is they were in your way and you judged them, unfairly for it.

AnAdventure - There's a clear difference of somebody being lazy, when they don't take the time to take care of their appearance to somebody who does?

Floggingmolly - Please read the full thread, my reasons are stated

say that again?
Because they looked like they didnt take care of their appearance they must be lazy?

Oh i get it now. You would judge your little head off at my ds1 then. And you would be so wrong its amazing

but dont let the truth get in the way will you?

Given that you can tell at a glance whether someone is in work, whether they are a student, and how they have spent every other minute of their day, I'm not sure you need to be using your time to study. That sounds like the sort of skill that must be highly marketable in its own right; perhaps you could find an opening with ATOS or the Daily Mail?