I know you been thinking about me

This is what a patron said when he approached me at the reference desk.

I asked him to repeat himself. I gave him a very odd look and said,
UM......NO!
The patron said, "You are looking at me as if I have lost my mind."

That is exactly what I was thinking!

He goes on to say that he is looking for a book that he can't find because we keep moving books on this floor.

The patron told me the title of the book that he was looking for, but because he was trying to sound sexy and whisper, I couldn't quite understand what he was saying. Finally, it dawned on me that dude was trying to flirt. I said, "IF IT IS THE SAME BOOK THAT I HELPED YOU FIND BEFORE, IT IS IN THE SAME PLACE IT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR IT."
Patron: Yeah, it's a three volume set and if you aren't familiar with it, you need to familiarize
yourself with it.

Me: Yeah well, it's right over there were it has been since the books were shifted.

I guess I was supposed to be turned on because this fool comes into the library to read
Universal Seduction.

I have debated with myself in regards to this post

Last week, the staff was in shock due to what occurred the previous Friday. Not one, but two overdoses.

#1 11:00 a.m. outside the building on the stairs surrounding the building. Paramedics weren't
able to revive the idividual.

#2 Found at 6:05 p.m. in the 1st flr Men's Restroom by a custodian. Paramedics were called and
once again, they weren't able to revive the individual.

I had never known it to be so bad around here in one day. Thursday of last week, I received an e-mail from a friend of mine who manages a branch library in a neighboring city. The contents of that e-mail took me back to my days of working as a Children's Librarian in the hood.

She wrote:

Nexgrl, I am so sorry that I haven't called or responded to your e-mail, but it has
been quite hectic around here. The was a major drug bust at one of the houses
across the street. They arrested a lot of men and confiscated a lot of product and
weapons. The police had the streets surrounding the library blocked and we were
not permitted to leave the premisis for quite some time.
(the next paragraph is what did it for me)

That same week, a man attempted to rape an elderly woman inside the library. He
tried to drag her down the stairs into the basement. We heard her screams, called the
police and the library assistant ran after the assailant. He caught him, and held him until
the police arrived.
I was so sad for my friend and what everyone had gone through, especially the elderly
woman. This week, one of my co-workers told me that my friend's brand new Children's
Librarian quit on the spot because she didn't like the way the attempted rape was handled
by staff (Clearly, this is a woman who only took the job working in the hood until something
better came along. She just didn't expect to see violence up close and personal.) Prior to
hiring that woman, my friend had gone about six months working as the only librarian
because no one wanted to take a job working at that branch.

***Update: My friend sent me another e-mail. She wanted to clarify. Her former Children's
Librarian was raised in the same neighborhood as the library is located. She was never
exposed to that type of violence, having only gone to private schools. I went to private
schools also, but I saw all kinds of stuff going to and from school.

Just wrong for no reason

Today has been a succession of patrons approaching me with the wrong information.

1. Patron: Do you have anything on syrian theology

Me: Do you know how to spell syrian (at that point, I didn't know what she was saying.)

Patron: I think that it is s-y-r-i-c.

I did a quick google search to see if I could figure out what she was talking about. I gave
the patron the correct spelling.

Patron: I read about it and I want more information.

Everything that I found was a reference copy only and the patron got ticked with me. I told her
good luck and walked away.

2. Patron: I can't seem to find this book. Can you look in the computer and see if the book is
available.
I conducted a search in the online catalog and no such number is in the system.

Me: Do you know the title of the book?

Patron: NO!

Me: I am only asking because this call number is either not complete, or it is wrong.

Patron: WELL, THIS IS THE NUMBER THAT THE LIBRARIAN DOWNSTAIRS GAVE ME!

Me: Do you know what the subject is?

Patron: Hispanic prison gangs, I am writing a..........(I stopped her and said, "I don't need to
know all of that, I just need the subject that you are looking for.")

I found the correct call number for the book that she wanted. I then walked with her over to the section and pulled the book off the shelf for her.

Patron: I ALREADY HAVE THAT BOOK! I told that librarian that I already have that title.

There were other books with similar subject matter, so I showed her how to look in the index for her subject. She still had the same funky attitude, so I walked away.

There were a few others, but those two stood out. Maybe the fact that they copped an attitude as soon as I showed them their error was the reason they nor I was having any luck.

Sometimes I wish this stuff was make believe

This man approached me at the reference desk. He had headphones on his head, the kind they wore in the 70's, while listening to the stereo. The chord was just drapped around his neck. He said...........WHY DO ALL THE CLOCKS AROUND HERE SAY 1:00 something, isn't it daylight savings or something like that.

My response: Yes

Patron: Shouldn't the clocks reflect 2:00 something?

Me: No, they have the correct time.

Patron: Are you sure, shouldn't they change the clocks.

Me: They obviously changed the clocks.

Patron: While looking at this cellular telephone. Well, I guess my phone must have changed on
it's own.

My co-worker looked at me and burst out laughing. I told her that I can't believe my friends think I make this stuff up?????

Strange is never ending

Yesterday afternoon, I was at the reference desk with my supervisor. I was telling him about an article I was reading online. A patron walks past and tells me to SHUT UP! Just in case I wasn't sure, he looked me dead in my face.

The same patron proceeded to walk around the reference desk. He was eyeing women up and down as he walked.

My supervisor asked me what I wanted to do. I told him that I wanted to see if there was something wrong with the patron. My supervisor went in search of the patron. As the patron rounded the reference desk for the second time, he looked at me and placed his index finger to his lips and said, "Ssshhh." He then went to a table not far from me to sit down.

My supervisor began to question the patron about his actions. The patron began yelling and telling my supervior that maybe he needed to go downstairs and speak with security.

I called security and told them to send someone up so that they could escort the patron out of the building.

I was helping another patron when security arrived. On my way back to the reference desk, I passed the security guard, my supervisor, and the patron talking. Dude had the nerve to say as I was passing that he did not tell me to shut up. I did that 'Linda Blair' turn, with my hands on my hips and said, "YES, YOU DID TELL ME TO SHUT UP!" The security guard peeped my attitude, and told the patron, "Let's go."

That's is only one incident, it was like that all afternoon yesterday.