Information Overload?

This month the library is closed to the public. We have a huge book sale at the end of the month and are using this closure to get work associated with that done, along with a thorough inventory to discover mistakes and weed out duplicates.

I promise, this isn't a "crazy idea" that I came up with that no other library does. Many, many libraries close for weeks or a month here or there. Especially when you have one staff person (like me!), it's not unheard of.

In addition to the consistent flack I've taken for this decision, I've also encountered a number of questions and reactions that clearly demonstrate that people don't read or follow instructions.

With this closure, we are only closed to the public. I am still here; my volunteers are still working (quite hard I might add) and the closure has absolutely no affect on staff, docents, interns or volunteers. They can continue to come and go as they please. And I've stated this in as many places and as many times as I can think of: three emails to staff, two emails via their wiki to docents, signage inside and outside of the library, voicemail messages, web site notifications and many, many personal conversations.

I post the following to our docents' wiki on July 14 - two and a half weeks before the closure - because I don't want them to freak out over the closed sign:
I post the following on the Friday before the Monday closure TO THE PUBLIC began because already people are freaking out that the library will be closed:

Additionally, these are the signs I posted inside and outside the library:

And this sign on the reference desk inside:

You can click on any of the images above to see them larger. These images are horrible - I took them with my phone - but, you can see underneath the last sign (the one also posted on the door) it says "We are still open to staff, docents, volunteers and council members." I'm not sure how much clearer I can be.

Here are the following questions and comments I got from docents and a few staff people:
1. Wow, you're going on vacation for a whole month? Where are you going?
2. Didn't you just have a vacation? Where are you going now?
3. I can't believe you are closing the library to docents just weeks before a major show opens. That's really not right.
4. I know I'm not supposed to be in here right now, but I really need to get a book.
5. I know you're not allowed to help me because you're officially closed, but I really need help with the copier.

I should also point out that every time we have been closed to the public (for vacation, because I'm sick, whatever), we have never been inaccessible to the staff, docents, volunteers, interns, etc. Never. Not in the seven years I've been at my job.

And, I had one person from the public, read the sign on the door (the red "closed" sign above), read the note above it stating basically the same information with more detail, then come in to the library and read the other "closed" sign on the counter.

I asked him if I could help him and he said "are you closed?" I wanted to say "No, I just put the three closed signs up on accident." (I know, that wouldn't have been nice, so I didn't).

I was talking to a co-worker about all of this and she relayed a similar story to me about her own experience with not reading instructions. She had sent emails to docents alerting them of some important information. She asked one who didn't follow the instructions why that was. The response "Well, you didn't tell me I had to read the email."