I've been inspired by a recent article we've been passing around in Youth Services to write about a "word issue" that has been bothering me lately. The article is called "Transforming Our Image Through Words That Work: Perception is Everything" by Valerie J. Gross and it can be found in the recent October 2009 Public Libraries periodical. In her article, Gross makes a compelling argument about the power of language and why libraries should do everything to make sure the language they use in their programs and services reflect educational value to the community. Citizens and politicians alike would be quick to get rid of something they consider to be an unnecessary luxury, but would be very averse to being seen as ones responsible for cutting education. She writes: "Transforming our image by aligning all that we do with education requires that we modify the manner in which we speak about ourselves." The way we speak about ourselves and the people we serve is crucial in forming a public image of who we are as a library.

However, I've noticed a recent disconnect within the some of the literature in the field of information science and among some professionals when using a certain word to address patrons. The word I find to have connotations contrary to the mission of making the library sound like a place for education is:

Customer

These are some things that come to my mind when I think of the word "customer":

• Someone paying for a product from a for-profit organization



• Someone who goes to a fast food chain



• Someone being sold something they may or may not actually need
  

These are some of the connotations I perceive from the word "patron":

• Someone attending a cultural event




• Someone visiting an educational institution such as a library or museum




• Someone who supports an important organization that adds to the value of the community

When I tell others who are not in my profession that I serve "patrons," they will think of libraries, arts and culture, and of not-for-profit organizations providing a fundamental service to society and to the community. When I tell others who are not in my profession that I serve "customers," they will have the impression that I work in a retail store or fast food chain.

Patrons go to the library; customers go to Wal-Mart.

If I were a citizen considering on whether or not I should support the library with my taxpayer dollars, and it is up to me to vote for or against funding for my library, am I more likely to support and organization which serves the needs of patrons, or an organization which meets the demands of customers? I would definitely be more inclined to support the former with my money, not the latter.

You may ask "why?"

First, I would consider how the organization sees me. Here is the first definition listed under the term "patron" on Merriam Webster Online:

1 a : a person chosen, named, or honored as a special guardian, protector, or supporter

Sounds pretty noble doesn't it? If I am a "patron" to a library, I am a supporter by default, a protector even, at least according to this prestigious dictionary.

Here is the first definition listed for the word "customer" in the same dictionary:

1 : one that purchases a commodity or service

I don't know about you, but the word that is more impressive to me is not the one that indicates someone is "purchasing" something. "Customer" also has the connotation that people are coming in and paying for something, which is not what they are actually doing at all! They are visiting and utilizing an establishment which they support already through their patronage of tax dollars. We don't charge a single cent to anyone seeking to check something out from the library.

As information professionals, it is our duty to make our collections and information services accessible to anyone, without setting up potential barriers between patrons and the information they are trying to access. When we use language within our library that addresses patrons as "customers" we are implying that they are coming in and purchasing something. This may deter some people from using the library because they think that it costs to use it or some of its services, because they will think of the library as more of a business.

This leads me to another very important point, that I believe will affect library funding in the future. Let's say I'm Joe-Citizen and I'm considering supporting an organization that serves "patrons." When I hear the word "patron"I think of supporting an organization which strives to enrich the lives of the community by adding educational or cultural value to it. However, when I think of supporting an organization that serves "customers," I feel as though I am giving a bailout to a failing business.

I think we all know how popular bailouts for failing businesses are among the citizenry.

After working in retail myself, the word "customer" has the strong connotation of a person who I need to sell something that they don't necessarily need. Patrons are very perceptive. If they see that we think of them as merely a "customer" when they come here to borrow a DVD, how different are we really then from Blockbuster? Except for a less expensive way to rent a movie? And if patrons see this, if they see us as an entertainment center to fulfill their consumer (connotation taken from the word "customer") needs, when the economy gets bad and city budgets get tight, they will see the library as an unnecessary luxury. Cutting funding would not be far out of the question. But if they see us as an educational organization that serves the information and recreational needs of patrons, they will see us as something more, and will be more inclined to financially support the library.

Words are a powerful thing, and if libraries are using language that elevates who they are and what they do, they can take comfort in the fact that they will have supportive communities for years to come.