What makes it so hard to understand when you are wrong?

Each day, at least once, sometimes more, I find myself spending anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes explaining to a patron why they are wrong.

They never seem to accept what I am saying and move on. I work in the General Collections and Humanities department. There aren't any business, cooking, computer, electronic, art, music,or government books on this floor. The magazines and newspapers are housed on the fifth floor. There is a whole floor dedicated to the history of this city and Northern California.

The layout on each floor is the same. There are two reference desk, one on each side of the floor. I will give the partons that much. There is an automated voice that announces the floor number whenever the elevator doors open.

This man insisted that I go behind the desk and look for a business reference book that is shelved at the reference desk. I told him many times that the book wasn't at this desk, it's upstairs. After going behind the desk twice, while he watched, he finally asked me once again what the floor number is. I told him for the third time that this is the third floor and the business reference desk is on the fourth floor in the same location. He finally said, "Oh," and walked away. No, "I am sorry for wasting your time." No, "I am sorry, I should have listened to you at least once when you tried to explain that I was on the wrong floor."