So, are the people who use libraries "patrons" or "customers" or, for that matter, "users"? Consultant Joan Frye Williams, speaking yesterday at an American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference session in Anaheim, said there's a better option. "I did the obvious thing; I talked to a bunch of civilians," she reported at a breakout session on the future of libraries sponsored by the ALA Washington Office."I didn’t give them a false choice, I said, if I needed a word to respectfully describe [library users], what should that word be?"

The answer she got was "members." There were audible "hmms" from the audience. Williams continued: "You get the card, the privilege, With that word, you get community. Our words are transaction words. They understand they are in relation to us.."

And, she added, "The opposite of a member is not 'non-member,' it’s 'guest.' Write it down."

See Helene Blowers' blog from January for some discussion about the appropriate term; she likes the word "community" but suggests there really isn't a good singular form of the word. One commenter did suggest "member" but not everyone agreed. And here's a podcast from Williams and George Needham on the subject.

(Check the LJ 2008 ALA Annual Conference page for more live coverage.)