Annoying the librarian

This past month has seen nearly a half dozen chat sessions where the user asked for help finding naked pictures of women or if there were any sexy librarians around (aren't we all?) What is truly annoying about three of these chats was that the user was sitting at a computer on the main floor of the library within sight of the reference desk. (The service we use allows us to see the IP address of the user, so if the IP address is from our library, we'll know what computer it is.)

Every time I got a chat from the little creep, I immediately sent him (and I'm pretty sure it is a him) a scripted message that tells him that this chat is inappropriate and that he is violating CUNY's computer use policy. By this point, he logs off.

I keep thinking that the next time I get a chat like this (and I am sure the user is chatting from a library PC), I'll try to keep him on the line as long as possible so that I can figure out what computer he's at and let our public safety officers deal with him. This strategy came to mind when I recalled the cliche of TV and film where the criminal calls the police, FBI, victim, etc. while the phone line is tapped; there's always some guy in these movies or shows who, stationed before a bank of electronic equipment and with headphones on, is desperately trying to trace the call and is screaming, "Keep him on the line! I almost have it!"

Were such a strategy to work out for me, I can also picture a public safety officer rushing up to the computer where the user was just sitting and finding an empty seat and a mouse dangling off the edge of table, swinging by its cord and still warm to the touch.