UCD Library Bald Power-tripping Librarian

griffdaddy

Chinafoot wrote: »

The only ones doing their fellow students a disservice are the ones using laptop cables in an area that they shouldn't be. I saw a stand-up row between two fellas in the library because one of the lads had his laptop plugged in across walkway and another guy was walking out quickly, caught the cable and dragged the laptop to the ground. The guy who owned the laptop started roaring at the second guy, called him every name under the sun and told him he'd be paying for a new laptop for him. This kind of crap causes trouble for the college. Yeah, yeah, we can all fob it off and say that the guy should have looked where he was going, but the fact of the matter is, the cable shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Yeah, that's a great story and all but it doesn't really reflect on how the library would be held responsible for this particular problem. I never see him telling people to move their bags in or retract their feet, or regard passers-by with due diligence. He (or the rules) specifically target this instance of obstacle, when, in actual fact, it's probably the most common occurring obstacle in the library and therefore the one students should be most alert to. If i trip someone up by accident cause my feet are sticking out, should librocop intervene and discipline me?

Pride Fighter

Library regulations in full

1: Admittance

More detailed information on admittance procedures is available in the Library's access policy document.

* 1.1: The following may be admitted to the Library:
o Registered Students
o Members of Staff.
o Members of the Governing Body.
o Graduates of the National University of Ireland who have taken their degree through University College Dublin. A fee may be payable.
o Others having genuine scholarly needs which can be met without detriment to the students and staff of the College. A fee may be payable.
* 1.2 Readers must be in possession of and, where appropriate, must use a valid admission, borrower or Identity card to gain access to and egress from the Library. Readers will be required to produce and or surrender this card if required to do so by a member of Library Staff



2: Consultation and Borrowing

* 2.1: The following may consult and borrow books:
o Registered Students.
o Members of Staff.
o Registered external borrowers.
* 2.2: The following may consult books:
o Visitors.
o Members of the Alumni Association.
o Admission card holders.
* Certain categories of books may only be consulted by readers with borrowing rights.
* 2.3: Borrowers are responsible for the safe keeping of books until they have been returned and the loan records cancelled.
* 2.4: Admission, borrower and identity card are non-transferable.
* 2.5: Fines are charged for overdue items.
* 2.6: Items which are recalled must be returned within three working days of the receipt of the recall notice.
* 2.7: Borrowers must return all books to the Library before leaving the College, or spending a substantial period away from College or from their registered address. Books may not be taken abroad.
* 2.8: Borrowing privileges may be withdrawn on infringement of borrowing regulations
* 2.9: The period of loan of items in demand may be reduced at the discretion of the Librarian.
* 2.10: Books in immediate demand may be reserved for consultation within the Library at the discretion of the Librarian.
* 2.11: The number of books issued to any borrower may be limited at the discretion of the Librarian.
* 2.12: Certain categories of books may be subject to special regulations limiting their use or loan.
* 2.13: These deposited in the Library are, subject to the author's consent, available for photocopying or loan to other academic Libraries on condition that they are used in the borrowing Library only. The author of a thesis may withhold permission for access for up to three years after presentation.
* 2.14: The Library may be closed from time to time for a general inspection. All books must be returned at these times.
* 2.15: Information from any borrower's record will not be disclosed to unauthorised persons.
* 2.16: The use of books obtained through the interLibrary loans system is subject to the conditions imposed by the lending Library.


3: Conduct

The Student Code which governs student activity also applies in the Library. The code is published in the Student Information Handbook.

* 3.1: Places may not be reserved in the reading rooms. Any place left unattended for longer than thirty minutes may be cleared by Library staff for use by another reader. The Library shall not be responsible for any property left unattended.
* 3.2: Readers must not write on, mark or otherwise deface or destroy any books, materials, equipment or furnishings of the Library.
* 3.3 The consumption of food or drink ( with the exception of bottled water) is not permitted nor may food or drink be left on desks or shelves.
* 3.4.1 The use of mobile phones in the Library is permitted on condition that phones are set to silent. The taking or making of voice calls on mobile phones is strictly prohibited
3.4.2 The use of portable media players in the Library is not permitted.
* 3.5: Bags may be allowed into the Library at the discretion of Library staff, and may be searched at any time.
* 3.6: With the exception of registered guide dogs, animals may not be brought into the Library.
* 3.7: Silence must be observed as far as possible in all parts of the Library.
* 3.8: Smoking in the Library is not permitted.
* 3.9: The use of power plugs located on the ceiling is not permitted



4: Disciplinary Measures

In accordance with paragraph 6.13 of the Student Code for University College Dublin, published in the Student Information Handbook, students are required to familiarise themselves with the Library Regulations in their entirety. Breaches of the Library Regulations by registered students of the College are breaches of discipline under the Student Code. Such breaches may be reported to the Librarian or Deputy Librarian, who may, depending on the seriousness of the allegation, refer the matter to the Registrar.

* 4.1: Breaches of these regulations will result in disciplinary measure.
* 4.2: The Librarian may, for good cause, suspend any person from use of the Library.
* 4.3: Food and drink brought into the Library will be confiscated.
* 4.4: Readers contravening the non-smoking regulations will be reported to the Registrar.
* 4.5: Readers who cause unnecessary noise and disturbance will be required to leave the Library. Such behaviour constitutes a breach of paragraph 6.3 of the Student Code. Students who refuse to leave the Library will be reported to the Registrar.
* 4.6: A reader damaging or losing a book belonging to the Library shall replace it by another copy of the same edition in good condition, or pay a sum of money to enable the Library to purchase a replacement copy, new or second hand or in facsimile. This sum shall include a surcharge to cover administrative costs incurred by the Library in ordering and processing a replacement copy.
* 4.7: The unauthorised removal of books or equipment from the Library is a serious offence. The removal, or attempted removal, of any Library book from the Library without first completing the approved loan procedure may result in the institution of disciplinary proceedings.
* 4.8: Students who fail to return borrowed items on completion of their course of study will be invoiced for the replacement cost of the items, and may be suspended from further use of the Library.
* 4.9: Students who fail to pay fines or other payments due to the Library will be reported to the Registrar, who may initiate disciplinary action under the Student Code published in the Student Information Handbook.
* 4.10: Readers using power plugs located on the ceiling will be fined €20.

33% God

griffdaddy wrote: »

He's a bit of a tit if your laptop cable is extended slightly in a walking space though. Cheers librocop, you really saved the day there by making me disconnect my plug, who knows whether or not someone was about to run by holding a knife in each hand and trip up.

I really really hope someone trips over your laptop and knock it to the floor.

Mr.Nice Guy

This thread got very bitter very fast.

I can understand why people think the guy is a dick. I actually believe he tries to cultivate just that kind of persona. He doesn't want people thinking he's one of the lads and that you can just have a doss about the place when he's around. I've had him act like a dick towards me but I didn't let it get to me because like I say I think it's mainly a front.

I'm sure he's a lot nicer away from his job but at the end of the day respect is a two-way street. There's no use biting the head off people on this thread for thinking poorly of the guy. Let's face it he's hardly presenting himself as sweetness and sunshine is he?

The_Minister

griffdaddy wrote: »

He's a bit of a tit if your laptop cable is extended slightly in a walking space though. Cheers librocop, you really saved the day there by making me disconnect my plug, who knows whether or not someone was about to run by holding a knife in each hand and trip up.

:rolleyes:
If someone slips and falls, and gets a desk corner in the eye, I suppose thats their fault.:rolleyes:
There is a place for personal responsibility, but there's no need to leave deathtraps around the place.

The_Minister

Domo230 wrote: »

Librocop, so the w***** who kicked me and my mate out of the library for having a 5 second conversation with them has a name. Literally only said hi and asked him what books he was taking out when librocop desides to show up all high and mighty and show us the exit.

Sorry, but I call shenanigans.
I've had long, long conversations on the stairs, and at the desks. If he doesn't recognise you as a troublemaker, he tells you to shut it, glares at you, and moves on.

alan4cult

33% God wrote: »

I really really hope someone trips over your laptop and knock it to the floor.

Unless you own a MacBook, because Apple have already thought of that happening and developed the Magnetic adaptor.

griffdaddy

33% God wrote: »

I really really hope someone trips over your laptop and knock it to the floor.

Why? you don't know who I am or what I look like so any ironically comedic or just deserts value would be unavailable to you, even if you were by chance present. I hope you have a good education and don't forever wish for objects to move into other objects and fall over

griffdaddy

The_Minister wrote: »

:rolleyes:
If someone slips and falls, and gets a desk corner in the eye, I suppose thats their fault.:rolleyes:
There is a place for personal responsibility, but there's no need to leave deathtraps around the place.

Silly me, I'd forgotten about all those laptop related eye gouging incidents that appeared in the Tribune and Observer over the years :rolleyes:. Are you actually calling this a 'death trap'? No wonder people in Ireland are treated like 5 year olds by the government and society in general, if they feel they need protection for a line of desks that clearly have people operating on laptops at them.

ianthefox

Yeah, none of you librocop lovers defended him for being a twat to me ¬_¬

Shazbot

ianthefox wrote: »

Yeah, none of you librocop lovers defended him for being a twat to me ¬_¬

Ok then.... When you left the library and the alarm went off he asked you to come back. When you walked towards the entrance he might have thought you were walking towards the tunnel to the arts building. That's fair enough for him to raise his voice and call you back if he thinks you have something to set of the alarm.

So I walked back through and the alarm didn't go off. At this point there was a queue of people waiting behind me, and in front of all of them he says "Now, that wasn't so hard was it?" in a completely c**tish way.

Could have been meant in a way to ease the situation. You could have taken it the wrong way.

I said something like "Don't talk to me like that when I haven't done anything wrong" before leaving for fear that I'd kick him in the throat.

Yea, I'm sure you're so badass you would have kicked the crap out of him right there and then.:rolleyes:
How about explaining calmy that it was a simple misunderstanding or a faulty alarm? No no, you have to be the tough guy and get obnoxious. That always works right?

The fact is he makes the library a better place to study. I don't use the main library any more but when I did i was always thankful to see him patrolling the floors to keep the noise levels down.

princess-sprkle

the library is full of awful, annoying people. But librocop, his attitude over the slightest things makes me hate him. almost more than i hate the annoying people!

Tom65

griffdaddy wrote: »

Actually, this is something the SU could fix very very easily, an electrician could do it in a day, all you'd have to do is run one power supply under the carpet or flooring and then have a central outlet or individual outlet at each cluster of desks or desk respectively. That's the way they did it in my Erasmus uni.

Yeah. In the library here (in Stockholm), there just have a multi plug under every desk (the wire is bolted to the desk so it doesn't run along the ground). I really don't think it's a massive issue to fix. Maybe the library people don't want more laptops there.

Breezer

There's a bald guy in the library who enforces rules?! :eek:

He he, freshers crack me up (and before any freshers get high and mighty, I'm sure I cracked many people up a few years ago wandering around with my head stuck in a map of the campus :P).

Anyway, Librocop rocks. Not only does he provide much entertainment value outside the library, he makes my occasional trips to the main library a lot more pleasant. I've only ever had one run in with him, in the first few weeks of first year, and in fairness there were about 10 of us being pretty loud. All he said was, "Are you first year students? Ok then: you are not allowed to talk here. Please turn around to your own desks and be quiet."

Oh is the "Librocop is watching you" graffiti still there in the gents toilets on the fourth floor? Or did that go the way of Pat Patterson?

ianthefox

Cheers Shazbot, I feel much better now.

Redrover1999

IMO "librocop" is the one that should have been conciliatory and explained that it was a mistake, not ianthefox.

He should know what those alarms are like, it's ALWAYS happening!

Stepherunie

I've never had a run in with libocop in my 4 and a half years here. Actually i've only had good experiences of him helping people out when stuff falls.

People act like idiots in the library - they seem to think it's a social gathering place rather than a place to study - hell last year I don't know how many times I had to tell the really annoying med students who used sit near me to shut up because they were all watching youtube videos and giggling while i was trying to study for my finals. I wish we had Main Library Librocop in our library. He'd be awesome.

My favourite memory was when this girl sitting in front of me had quite obviously lost something pretty important and was frantically going through her bag, her phone was clearly on and on top of all her books and libocop didn't give out like they'd usual do, he just stopped, flicked it under a page so that it wasn't visible and walked on.



On the wiring thing the actual cost of doing that is insanely high so is probably in there long term plan rather than being done straight away.

When they redid the eng shop two years ago the cost of putting in an extra socket and just running it down from wires above was 1,000e.

vote4pedro

Chinafoot wrote: »

You know what, it's about having respect for things that aren't yours. What if one of these "stupid" people tripped over your laptop cable and knocked your coffee over the books. Who pays for that? If they're on your card, you do.

There are signs everywhere that say no food ro drink in the library. They're there for a reason. You might think you know better but I'm going to go with the people who make the rules based on years of experience. But sure they're all just dickheads out to make life more difficult for you, right?

I am really amazed by the complete....dweebiness of some posts in this thread.
I'm not in kindergarten, I don't need a lecture in respect for things that aren't mine. I am perfectly able of using a book, brining it home, using food or liquids around it and returning it safely. It's not that hard, students don't have problems with it. For the love of God we are grown ups in a university library, we can be trusted with bringing books home for gods sake.

The signs for no food or drink are quite right in being there, to stop some knobs having a picnic with a smelly takeaway curry from the restaurant. If you are saying Librocop is right in throwing someone out for sipping on a bottle of water, or eating a chocolate bar you are a complete and utter dweeb. Lets try and use some common sense, eh?

"But...but what about people who dont wash their hands before they use library books. They're not yours and its not fair to see ink stains all over important manuscripts"

vote4pedro

Stepherunie wrote: »

My favourite memory was when this girl sitting in front of me had quite obviously lost something pretty important and was frantically going through her bag, her phone was clearly on and on top of all her books and libocop didn't give out like they'd usual do, he just stopped, flicked it under a page so that it wasn't visible and walked on.

Wow, what a complete legend.

Or, and I'm just throwing this out there, he could have just walked by and said or done nothing if it was so obvious the girls phone being out was completely innocuous.

Come on now, what did hiding her phone do for anyone other than inflate his already grand delusions of self importance?

Stepherunie

Simple phones aren't meant to be out.

Leaving it on her desk would be like saying it's fine to have mobiles on and in the library. Putting it under something gives the message, look you shouldn't have it but I can see there's a reason for it being out so I'll just move it and you'll get the message.


Having been driven demented by phones constantly buzzing on desks i much prefer him taking the stance and making the point they shouldn't be out.

vote4pedro

Stepherunie wrote: »

Simple phones aren't meant to be out.

Leaving it on her desk would be like saying it's fine to have mobiles on and in the library. Putting it under something gives the message, look you shouldn't have it but I can see there's a reason for it being out so I'll just move it and you'll get the message.

Oh for the love of God, come on. Are you actually serious? You really need to send out that message? He's not working a beat in west-side Baltimore. Walking past her phone clearly out in a moment of panic would be using his common sense. Instead he wants to increase his sense of self-importance and play up to the belfield obsessed nerds who are desperate to make him in to some sort of real life meme.

Do you get upset by people sipping on a bottle of water in lecture theatres, despite signs up saying not to bring food and drink in? Its the first step to anarchy on campus. ZOMG.

Stepherunie

Nope, not at all, in fact water is allowed in all lecture theatres, and indeed in the library.

I'm not some anally retentive snot faced person. I just like to be able to study in peace in the library instead of having to hear the constant buzzing of phones and people talking.

Nichololas

I heard Librocop is taking over the post-8pm Dublin Bus UCD route. He's going to load everyone into a cart and pull it by hand.

griffdaddy

Stepherunie wrote: »

Simple phones aren't meant to be out.

Leaving it on her desk would be like saying it's fine to have mobiles on and in the library. Putting it under something gives the message, look you shouldn't have it but I can see there's a reason for it being out so I'll just move it and you'll get the message.


Having been driven demented by phones constantly buzzing on desks i much prefer him taking the stance and making the point they shouldn't be out.

Phones are allowed out, they just have to be on silent. See previously stated rules.

Breezer

Stepherunie wrote: »

I just like to be able to study in peace in the library instead of having to hear the constant buzzing of phones and people talking.

While I agree with you, aren't phones allowed to be on in the library provided they're on silent (and I assume buzzing in pockets rather than on desks) and not being used for voice calls? There were signs to this effect up in the main library last year. But I think the incident you're referring to was from a few years ago, now I think about it.

emeraldstar

Librocop called me "love" once.

vote4pedro

Stepherunie wrote: »

Nope, not at all, in fact water is allowed in all lecture theatres, and indeed in the library.

I'm not some anally retentive snot faced person. I just like to be able to study in peace in the library instead of having to hear the constant buzzing of phones and people talking.

I could swear I've seen no food & drink sings in the theatres I attend?

There isn't a constant buzzing of phones, though phones are allowed to be on silent and so his hiding her phone was a rather stupid attempt to inflate his ego/reputation. People don't talk openly, anyone who tries is quite rightly asked to leave. We don't have people tripping over school bags or cables and being impaled on Law Reports. People aren't dribbling all over ancient maps, or spilling a latté over irreplacable medieval texts. This guy needn't act like he's holding the place together, doing some sort of important role. Instead he, and you, should consider the above and use a little cop on.

There may be people whispering to each other somewhere in the library, a forgotten about mobile phone may indeed bleep out a text message alert, if you can't stand that then study at home/in a vacuum.

Breezer

vote4pedro wrote: »

I could swear I've seen no food & drink sings in the theatres I attend?

I've noticed these too, but no lecturer in their right mind would complain about a student sipping water.

There isn't a constant buzzing of phones, though phones are allowed to be on silent and so his hiding her phone was a rather stupid attempt to inflate his ego/reputation. People don't talk openly, anyone who tries is quite rightly asked to leave.

And who asks them to leave? He does. And if you want to see phones in action, come to the Health Science library, where people frequently take phone calls. Bear in mind that the majority of students in there are on high points courses and/or foreign students paying huge fees. I would not like to see what a much larger library with a much larger range of students in it would be like without a little gentle enforcement of the rules.

We don't have people tripping over school bags or cables and being impaled on Law Reports. People aren't dribbling all over ancient maps, or spilling a latté over irreplacable medieval texts. This guy needn't act like he's holding the place together, doing some sort of important role. Instead he, and you, should consider the above and use a little cop on.

In the past, due to limited library space, lecture halls were used as study rooms coming up to exams. This had to be stopped because students were littering them to a crazy extent. You may well be mature and responsible, but sadly not everyone is.

There may be people whispering to each other somewhere in the library, a forgotten about mobile phone may indeed bleep out a text message alert, if you can't stand that then study at home/in a vacuum.

The problem is that if the enforcement was lifted, this small amount of noise would slowly progress to a lot more noise. And we are paying for the library as a study place, we shouldn't have to go home where there may well be a lot more noise.

vote4pedro

Breezer wrote: »

I've noticed these too, but no lecturer in their right mind would complain about a student sipping water.

Thats exactly my point, and made in response to those saying all rules have to be obeyed 100% of the time.

The problem is that if the enforcement was lifted, this small amount of noise would slowly progress to a lot more noise. And we are paying for the library as a study place, we shouldn't have to go home where there may well be a lot more noise.

I'm not talking about lifting enforcement, I'm talking about him using a little more common sense. Yes you're not allowed coffee in the library. But if its some guy taking the last few swigs of something with no one else around him as he gets back to hitting the books, you don't have to grab it off him. If someone is having a picnic with coffee, a roll, a few donuts etc, then obviously tell them not to eat there.
Similarily you dont have to put an innocent phone under a piece of paper to make yourself feel cool, but by all means kick out the people chatting away on their phone. With thousands of students there will be noise, people clearly whispering about a book or something similar don't need to be warned by some jumped up nobody to shut up. People who are having a full blown discussion about yesterday's match should quite obviously be warned or asked to leave.

Breezer

vote4pedro wrote: »

I'm not talking about lifting enforcement, I'm talking about him using a little more common sense. Yes you're not allowed coffee in the library. But if its some guy taking the last few swigs of something with no one else around him as he gets back to hitting the books, you don't have to grab it off him. If someone is having a picnic with coffee, a roll, a few donuts etc, then obviously tell them not to eat there.
Similarily you dont have to put an innocent phone under a piece of paper to make yourself feel cool, but by all means kick out the people chatting away on their phone. With thousands of students there will be noise, people clearly whispering about a book or something similar don't need to be warned by some jumped up nobody to shut up. People who are having a full blown discussion about yesterday's match should quite obviously be warned or asked to leave.

Someone finishing the last few swigs can do it before they go into the library. I do it all the time. I've never seen coffee being grabbed off someone. Likewise, I've never been asked to leave for whispering about a book. My experience is that he does use common sense.

The phone thing could be viewed as giving her the benefit of the doubt, while still warning that it should be put away afterwards. Nothing to get too upset over.

And he's not a "jumped up nobody," he's an employee who's job it is to enforce the rules of the library. Therefore, he does so, and keeps his job.