“member” vs “customer”

I love this idea of making library users into library members:

“Sometimes the switch from using “customer” to using something warmer is too ridiculous to swallow. I will never, no matter how many times I am referred to as one, feel like a “guest” at Target. But I think it possible that a customer who hasn’t visited the library in a while might question why we “still” need libraries, and a member who hasn’t visited the library in a while might argue for why we do.”

–Shelf Check, 1/17/11