Last Friday

I arrived 10 minutes late to open the branch. The Library Tech was still out sick. I had been downtown in meetings at the main library. Who do you ask, would keep me in meetings, knowing that I had to arrive at my branch in time to park my car and open the library on time, GUESS?? I hope you got it right. It was my DISTRICT MANAGER. That's not the worst of it. The library page who was supposed to be there at 1pm, was no where to be found. She arrived after me. Instead of going upstairs to the library, she stopped in the lobby and called anther DISTRICT MANAGER to inform her that I was late. I had opened the libary and was on the telephone speaking with the Library Tech. She was giving me a report on her condition. I asked her where the page's contact information was, because she was late. I pulled her library record and called the number listed. The number was her cell. She said, "Oh you're already in the library?" The patrons who were in the lobby when I arrived, came upstairs with her. One of the patrons said, "Oh, I saw you when you arrived!" As he said that, I was on the telephone with the secretary at the district office. I informed her that I was in the library when the page called them, and it was open. An hour later, my District Manager called and said, "So, what time did you really arrive?" I told her that I arrive at 1:10pm, and the page arrived after me. Instead of coming upstairs, she decided to go by the word of the YMCA staff and call the district office. I now know that I must watch out for that page also, because why do you have the telephone number of a district manager who isn't your district manager, stored in your cell?

Too Good To Be True

My first week in my new position went well. The second week reminded me why I was hesitant to have the same person as my manager again. ****Key Point to this senario: The Library Tech is the backbone to any branch library or any library department*** My schedule has me working the first two days of my work week at another branch library. My first day of the week at my branch library is Thursday. On Thursdays, I work at my branch from 9am-12:30pm. I open the branch alone at 10am. The Library Tech arrives at 10:30am. This past Thursday, 10:30am came and went. Finally, at 11:30am, I called the Tech at home. She informed me that she had been home sick since Monday afternoon. She said that she left work Monday afternoon and went to the emergency room. She also tells me that the District Manager is supposed to cover for her. This means that the District Manager will be at the branch by 12:30pm, when I was scheduled to leave. After speaking with the Tech, I called the District Manager and left a message. By 12noon, I still hadn't heard from the District Manager, so I sent her an email, because she may not have been in the office. I called the other branch where I was scheduled to be at 2:00pm. I told them the situation, and they said not to worry, just get there whenever. I hadn't heard anything by 1pm, when the Page arrived. 2 minutes after 1, the District Manager calls, "Oh, I didnt go to work today, my daughter is sick. You should have called the office for coverage." The part-time adult librarian was scheduled to arrive at 2:30pm, so I told the the district manager that I would stay until she arrived. The other librarian arrived early, so I left. At 5:30pm, I received a call from the district office; the timecards were due. The Library Tech normally handles this, but she had been out sick all week. I asked if I could turn them in on Friday to Payroll, becuase that was the actual deadline. At 6pm(when my day is over,) I caught the bus back to my branch. When I arrived, the pt.Adult Librarian informed me that the district manager was down the hall at the Friends Of The Library meeting. She told them to tell me that she was available to help with the timesheets, if I needed it(she didn't do the timesheets when I worked with her, she didn't know how.) 30 minutes later, I finished the timesheets and went down the hall to meet the Friends Of The Library group. I wasn't able to print the timesheets. The District Manager told me not to worry about it, since I emailled them to her, she would print them out, sign them and turn them in to payroll. I had something for her though. I not only emailed them to her, I emailled them to all of the payroll clerks that need copies. I didn't want her to try and take credit for my overtime. I was able to print out a timesheet for the pages, but the program wasn't working for one person. I had to pencil in the correct information. The District Manager didn't turn in the timesheets on Friday morning. Friday afternoon, after our meeting, she asked me to make the same manual changes that I did the day before.

I forgot to add

I start the new gig on Saturday 11/26. Yep, right after Thanksgiving and the mandatory days off. Instead of Sunday-Thursday, I will now work Tuesday - Saturday. I told my hair dresser this past Friday and he said, "You can't go through the holidays with those roots!" He colored my hair and told me that I could send him the money.

It's Official

I signed the papers this past Tuesday, I was fingerprinted on Thursday. My first day at the old branch as the manager is this Saturday. 6 months probation, no vacation, or my probation period will be extended. I found out after all the paperwork was signed that I will only work at my branch part of the week. The other days of the week, I will float to wherever I'm needed(Oh JOY.) The Sunday staff gave me a going away party this afternoon. No food, just desserts. My co-worker(librarian) told them that I like chocolate, so there was a chocolate sheet cake, mini red velvet bundt cakes, candy, a mango cake, chocolate chip cookies. I had made them Cinnamon Rolls, not knowing that they would have all of that. I began clearing my desk. I've been at the same location for 5 years. I found stuff that I don't even remember bringing to work. I've only tackled three drawers, I have two more drawers, then the shelves. Each time I find another stack, I think to myself, "And they say my cubicle is bare, if they only knew."

I've been meaning to mention this for about 2 weeks now

One afternoon, a patron came to the reference desk and asked me where the scrap paper is. I proceeded to show him the 3x5 pieces and pointed to the bin where the 8x11 pieces are. Before I could state why I was pointing toward the other end of the desk, he began to yell. "I DON'T WANT SMALL PIECES OF PAPER. I NEED BIG PIECES OF PAPER." I explained to him that if he had let me finish explaining where the paper is located, he would have seen the larger pieces of paper. He went to get some paper, but he first had to choose each piece of paper based on the amount of print on the opposite side. As he was doing this, another patron squeesed pass him because he was blocking a walkway. This guy began yelling, " YOU TOUCHED ME, YOU WERE TOO CLOSE! YOOOOUUUU TOUCHED MEEEE, YOOOUUU TOUCHED MEEEE!" Yet another patron yells from one of the computers, "DUDE, YOU NEED TO CHILL AND TAKE A PILL WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!" The floor supervisor picked up the telephone to call security. The patron began walking toward me again and he said, "IT'S OKAY, I HAVE A PROBLEM!" I told him, "I know." She stayed on the telephone with security, so the guy started walking away from the reference desk. He turned to me yet again and said, " I HAVE A PROBLEM!" I told him, "THAT'S OBVIOUS!" As he walked away, he said, " THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY MEN AND I'M WRITING A SCREENPLAY ABOUT IT!"

Why did you even show up?

Sundays the library's hours are 12noon until 5pm. My co-worker arrived at noon and left at 2pm. She was complainig
About a sore throat. Now we all know that if it was sore at noon, it was sore when you woke up.


Today, yet another co-worker announces at 9:15am that she's leaving to go to the docter and will return by 1pm. We start work at 9am and the library opens at 10am on Momdays.

Both of these women left me wondering why they even bothered to come to work.

Yes, they both have a history of calling-in sick. I can't believe they think leaving early is much better than calling in sick. In both
instances, they are causing a shortage in reference desk coverage.

We found someone's stash

Wednesday, my co-worker went to service the self check-out station. It was a paper jam of some sort.

He unlocked the lid to the receipt paper and he found two morphine pills. I said whoever stashed them there wasn't thinking longterm. The lid has a lock on it and the opening is short and very narrow.


I interviewed for a promotional position last week. I had my second interview this week. I was told that I should have an answer next week. This particular promotion would mean me working in the hood (at the same branch as before)again.

It feels odd, but I look forward to the possiblity of walking to work again. I don't look forward to the creeps though.

New Copiers

We have new copy machines. These are special, you can print from the internet computers, you can scan, email, and fax documents, in addition to making black/white copies, or color copies.

Management said they're cheaper. They are also a headache for the staff and the patrons.

The machines don't take change. You can only use a copy card which can be purchase for $1. All day long:
But I only need 1 copy.

I don't have small bills.

Why do I need a copy card.

Why doesn't anyone know how to work these things.

Why can't we use the old printers (they are still on the floor, in the same spot.)

Blogger is not my friend tonight

I have retyped this post three times and lost it two times, the other time, I could make any corrections, so I deleted.

For the past month or so, there were protests across the street from my job. These protests occurred on Mondays only. The first Monday, I waited 45 minutes for a outbound bus. The protest are against BART, but after an hour, they were taking there movement to Market Street. This meant that they were blocking traffic. There wasn't anything going outbound.

Two weeks ago, I saw three nude men standing in front of the Orpheum Theater. I turned to check and see if the foot patrol had passed and in their place were the nude men.

Unfortunately for the men, there were four teenage girls. The girls proceeded to clown the men. According to the girls, the private parts on display were extremely small. I heard loud laughter and then....."

I've been holding out!

I've had this since Thursday evening. My co-worker walking into the library behind this individual this past Wednesday morning around 11:15am. My co-worker said the guy was just walking around on the first floor.

I never saw him on the 3rd floor, so I don't know how long he stayed in the building.

I'm glad that it wasn't me!

Yesterday morning, the teen librarian was checking the teen center, to make sure everything was okay. You know, no perverts hanging out, no criminal behavior, things of that nature.

What you ask did she stumble upon for me to entitle this post "I'm glad it wasn't me?"

As she cleared the stacks, she saw two teens, a male and a female. The male was sitting on the desk facing the female. The female was sitting in a chair facing the male. Her head was in his lap.............FACE DOWN.........Yes, you read that correctly.

Sitting near them were some develop mentally disabled adults and their monitor.

What did the librarian do, you're wondering? She screamed, "WHAT THE HELL DO ARE YOU DOING!!!" She starttled the teens, knocked the monitor out of her daze, and caused the security officer to run over to the area.

The security officer took over the situation from there.........The teens claimed that the female was simply "resting her head."

The teen librarian felt guilty the rest of yesterday and most of today. She said it was because of the way in which she reacted. I told her that I thought it was the way in which I think a lot of librarian's would react. Today, I told her that I don't curse, but I'm pretty sure that I would have yelled.

Today, the teens returned. When the same librarian approached them because they were yelling, the male told her that she should appologize for her language yesterday. She did appologize to the teens, and they in turn appologized to her. They're sticking to their story that all the female was doing, was resting her head in the male's lap, face down.

Change is around the corner

My supervisor is retiring in two weeks. This means that our floor will then be short two supervisors. It also means that his work schedule is up for grabs. I found out today that the most unreliable supervisor will take over his schedule.

This is the same woman who scheduled herself to work one Sunday and didn't show up (She didn't call either.) The following Tuesday, she arrived to work and said, "OH, I forgot." Really, and you're a part of the management team? She was the acting Chief of the Library that day. This not only put a strain on our floor, but the whole library. A manager from a different floor had to step in and be the acting Chief. It left my floor short staffed. We had to scramble and put together a new desk schedule, in addition to closing one of the reference desk. It is my opinion that this woman shouldn't be allowed to work a Sunday shift EVER!

When my co-worker told me that the lady decided that she wanted to be the Sunday Floor Manager, I said, "Well that's not going to do us any good. We will be all alone again."

It was already bad, but ........

I had just finished telling my co-worker that I wasn't feeling well. Dealing with messy patrons was not something I felt like dealing with.

One of the pages came over to tell me that he had awakened a patron who then began cursing at him.

I walked with the page back toward where the patron was sitting. As I approached the patron, he began yelling at the page that he didn't have to go and tell on him.

I explained to the patron that the page was only doing what I or any other staff member would have done when he woke him up. The patron was yelling, "YALL AIN'T BOTHERING NONE OF THESE OTHER PEOPLE! WHY DID HE HAVE TO POINT ME OUT?"

I said, "You were sleeping and it's against the library rules and regulations to sleep inside of the library." I repeated this at least 3 times, because the patron kept asking why he had to be awakened.

He then said, "I just got off work, and I was trying to get some sleep before I got on BART." For the 4th/5th time, I said, "Sleeping isn't allowed inside of the library!"

The whole time that I was talking to the patron, he kept cursing at the page. I finally walked back toward the reference desk, so that I could call security. The patron apologized to me as I was walking away. He said that he wasn't cursing at me, he was taling to him(the page.)

Well........I never made that call to security........because when I got about 5 aisles away........ I heard, "Step up then!!" Who said that you ask?.......... The page said that. I turned around and rushed back toward the patron because I knew those where fighting words.

What do I see? The patron was in the page's face yelling for him to do something. I jumped in between them. Facing the patron, I said, "You will not be DOING anything in here. You have two choices, 1. Sit back down, or 2. Leave. I don't care which one you choose, but you won't be doing anything else."

He yells at me, "Why are you talking to me, you need to be talking to him(the page.)"

I told him that I would speak to the page, but I first had to take care of him. The patron was still lunging toward the page. Then all of a sudden, he turned, got his stuff and said he was leaving.

I got right in front of him, walking backwards, to make sure he didn't sneak in a punch to the page. As we passed the page, he lunged toward him (with me right with him, blocking the page,) and said, "Fu*k yo job and see me outside. I bet I whoop yo a*s."

I once again, began guiding the patron toward the elevators. He was cursing the page the whole time, but I stayed on him, nudging him forward. When we got about halfway, my co-worker approached us and said, "I think it's best that you just leave. The elevators are that way."

The patron replied, "Fu*k you,BITCH!" My co-worker said, "I'm calling security on you!" The patron told him, "CALL THEM FAG*OT!"

An elderly African American woman was standing at the reference desk and she said, "You need to just go ahead and leave." The patron told her, "You a B*tch too, because you taking the fag*ot's side." We had finally made it to the elevators, when my supervisor arrived.

The patron asked him if he was a manager. My supervisor said that he is(he's the acting floor manager because our mgr is on vacation.) The patron told him that he wanted to complain about the page because he threatened him.

Thankfully, security stepped off the elevator at that time and took over. The patron went into the security office to file a complaint against the page. I had to file a incident report. My co-workers kept asking me all day, "Were you scarred? Are you okay?" I kept telling them that I was fine because the patron wasn't directing anything at me. I was only involved because it's our job to protect the page staff.

I knew the page didn't know what he was doing/saying, when he told the patron to step up. It turns out, the page was trying to tell the patron to step up and be a man. As I completed the incident report, my supervisor explained to the page what step up means to certain individuals.

The page kept apologizing to all of the librarians involved in the incident and especially me.

Ummmm......And That Makes You Special .....Really

I took 3 days off, so I've been gone from this place for 5 days. My first day back, my first hour at the reference desk had just ended. My co-worker who had come to relieve me, went to wake up a patron.

The interaction was taking a little longer than usual. It turns out the 20-something didn't think the library's rules applied to him, because according to him, he's not homeless. SAY WHAT NOW???

As she awakened the patron from his sleep, she informed him that patrons aren't allowed to sleep in the library. His response, "Oh, but I'm not homeless!"

With a straight face, she informed him once again, that sleeping isn't allowed in the library.

Aggressive Panhandler

Yesterday, the floor manager asked when he came to the reference desk to relieve me, if security had been inside the Education Center. I told him that I had seen the security guard, but I didn't see him go toward the Education Center.

He told me that there was a man in there eating and he had called for a security guard to speak with him.

I'm in charge of the Education Center, so I went to see if the guy was still in there. I had sent a woman in there to look at some college handbooks and I wanted to make sure he wasn't bothering her.

We have a two-sided sign on the table in the Education Center that says you can only be in the room if you are using the education reference materials.

The woman wasn't in there. I see the guy and he's slouched and eating. He has broken chips and crumbs all down the front of his jacket. I asked him if he was using the materials in the room. He shows me a magazine that was from another floor. I told him that he could only be in there if he was using the materials in that room, while showing him the sign. As he was speaking, I noticed food in his mouth. I told him that eating wasn't allowed inside the library. He told me don't insult him and myself. He also stated that a security officer had already been in there to speak with him, so he didn't understand why I was bothering him.

This man stands across the street from the library almost everyday. He isn't there payday(the 1st of the month,) and about 2-3 days afterward. Every time he sees me, he asks me for money. I give him none. He then says that I know I can give him some money. I usually look at him like he's crazy. He will then tell me that I don't need to look at him like that.

When he comes into the library, he is always breaking the rules. When I catch him and tell him that what he's doing isn't allowed, he always talks loud and tries to go off. I will call security and he usually leaves before they get there. He will not say anything to me outside after he's had outburst in the library.

I told my co-worker that he's going to catch me on the wrong day and I'm going off on him. He only talks smack to the black folks when they don't give him any money or pay any attention to him.

What did you say?

This white woman walked up to me at the refence desk and said, "I'm not a RACIST, YOU ARE! Can you tell
me where I can find the St*r W*rs graphic novels?"

I steeped back and gave her a side-eye(the Assistant Chief of the library and my Floor Manager were standing near me.)

I walked toward the books and the woman was still standing at the reference desk. I told her
that she needed to follow me. I walked over to the teen graphic novel shelves and pointe out the St*r W*rs gn's.

What I learned while trying to grill this evening

I went to a BBQ two Sundays ago, and I went to another one this past Saturday. Those two events inspired me to BBQ today. This isn't something I do often, because I hate the way the smell gets in your clothes and your hair. I just end up feeling grimy.

On to what I learned. I lit the charcoal bricks and the flames grew fast. I threw the cover on the grill and the flames died just as fast. I mean very few bricks glowing. Those that were glowing, were barely hanging on. These were the pre-treated bricks. You are supposed to be able to light them and not worry about your fire.

The fire kept going in and out. I tried lighting paper and tossing it in with the charcoal, nothing happened.

Finally, I asked my Mom what did they do before lighter fluid. She told me that her grandmother threw bacon grease on charcoal before lighting it. We didn't have any bacon grease. Low and behold, vegetable oil works just as good. That fire was burning in no time flat. The smell isn't as gross as that of lighter fluid.

Why would you get THAT drunk?

A patron approached my co-worker at the reference desk. He wanted to use one on the internet computers. The man was beet red in the face.

When the man walked away, I said, "He was really drunk." My co-worker asked, "Oh, can you smell it over there?" I said, "No, he's just so red."

The patron logged onto a computer and five minutes later, he was gone. My co-worker had walked the floor and when he finished, he asked me who was on computer #314. I told him that it was the drunk guy. I wondered aloud, "Where could he have gone?" My co-worker said, "Well, he left a bag in the seat and he's still logged onto the internet."

I said, "Watch, he's going to return and not remember what computer terminal he was at."

The patron returned to the floor after another 10 minutes. He went to the online catalog and stood there.

I asked my co-worker, "What is he doing?"

My co-worker said, "He did like you said, he can't remember where he was."

The man stood there for about three minutes. He then approached me at the reference desk. He tried to straighter himself up and look sober. He said, "Um, I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this, but I don't remember what computer I was on."

I told him #314. He said, "OH, you remember me?" I just said told him yes. When he walked away, I said, "How could I forget?" I asked my co-worker, "Why would you get that drunk?"

He wasn't one of our regulars. He had on a blazer, dress shirt and slacks. It was in between 1-2pm.

I get a 3 day weekend

I know it doesn't mean anything to most people, but I'm so HAPPY!!!

My work schedule is Sunday through Thursday, so when everyone else has a 3 day weekend, mine is broken. We're almost always open on Sunday. The one exception is G*y Pr*de Weekend. From experience, management has learned that parade Sunday is too much for the library.

For the past 4 years, I have looked forward to the last Sunday in June.

The bus driver redeemed herself

This morning when I turned the corner she was just pulling off. When she got closer to where I was, she opnened the door for me.

Really? It's one of those days

I woke up this morning and thought it was my off day(tomorrow.)

I missed the bus I normally catch. The driver turned the corner, honked the horn and waved at me.

I sit down at my desk, search my purse and realize that I left the key to my desk at home.

I know that it's been a while

But, guess what? I hate logging onto the computer once I get home. I hate typing post on my blackberry while at work.

I sit in front of a pc while at my desk in the staff area. When at the reference desk, I'm either sitting or standing in front of a pc. By the time I get home, I don't want to go in the 2nd bedroom and sit in front of yet another pc.

It's not that there hasn't been a lot to share.

There's the incident where a patron's dogged jumped up and took another patron's identification out of my hand. I was trying to wake up the owner of the dog, because he needed to gain better control of the dog. The dog was laying in the middle of an aisle. The leash was attached to the dog. The owner had his foot on the leash, but it didn't prevent the dog from walking into the aisle and blocking it. Someone trying to walk past, would have to either step on the leash, or step over the dog.

The newest supervisor on our floor(1 year,) has abandoned us for the 4th floor. She thinks the grass is greener. Her last day on our floor was this past Friday. Yesterday, she was back on our floor at 9:15am(we open/start at 9:00am.) 95% of our floor was through with her anyway. When she was at the reference desk, she didn't want to be bothered. She was always late when relieving another librarian from the reference desk. We try to arrive 5 minutes before our shift begins. She was always 3-5 minutes late. No, she wasn't going from one reference desk to another, she would just be at her desk doing whatever. And the complaining, it was nonstop. The bad part, she complained about her assigned duties.

So you think it's my fault

Yesterday, a couple was sitting at one of the internet computers near the reference desk.

The guy approached the desk and said, " My girl needs your help. She can't log on to the computer."

As I walked over to her, he said, "We are scheduled to attend the basic internet instruction class tomorrow and I told her that she should just wait until tomorrow."

I explained to the woman how to log onto the computer. I then asked her what website she wanted. She said fb. I logged her onto fb, thinking she had an account. NOT. I told her that she would have to set up an account before she could enter the site.

WELLLLLL, it turned out that she didn't have an email account. She wanted to make up a fictitious account. I told her that she should just set up an email account and then set up her fb account.*****Meanwhile, ol boy is mumbling behind me that she needs to just wait until they attend the internet class.

She said that she wanted her email account to be with y*hoo. I showed her where she needed to be and told her to follow the set-up instructions. I believe the main problem was comprehension. The guy came back over again and said that she was having problems and I needed to help her one more time. I told him that she would probably need more help, but it's okay.

As I explained to her why her password wasn't acceptable and why they asked for a second email address, ol boy was behind me snickering once again. He was saying she needed to wait. I turned around and told him that he needed to STOP SNICKERING, BECAUSE HE WOULD BE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING IN THE BASIC INTERNET CLASS.

I went to help someone else. As I was returning to the reference desk, ol boy stopped me and said, "She thinks that you said I was laughing at her." I told him, "No, that's not what I said you were doing. You were continuously mumbling that she should wait until the class and I told you to stop."

He then said, "Well, now she's mad because she thinks I was making fun of her." She had stormed off and was yelling at him at the elevator. All I heard was, "OH I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING."

She just wanted a little knowledge before attending the class. I understood that, but obviously he didn't.

They did it again

This was on my desk when I arrived to work this past Sunday. Some thoughtful patron left the book jacket along with the call number and the barcode. This does make it easier to locate which book is missing. I marked the book missing and ordered a replacement copy.

This time, the book will probably be shelved in the staff area. Main floor shelving is no longer an option.

Warm weather doesn't encourage people to go outside

Last Monday, three men were in the library together. I found out after the fact that they were together.

I watched a man doze off and on for a half hour. Finally, he began to snore. I walked over to him and said, "My only problem with your behavior, is that now you've begun to snore." As I was doing this, one of his friends yells from one of the Internet computers, "You're sitting in the front, you have to watch what you do!"

I returned to the reference desk. The sleeper then goes to use the computer that his friend was using. The friend then joins the third guy with them at the table facing the reference desk. They turned their chairs so that they were facing me and began talking loudly.

Guy1: I like white girls, you know Latin, Asian. I don't like black girls at all.

Guy2: Yeah, I like Asian and Latin girls. I don't like black girls either.

They kept going back and forth about the problem with black women.
When my co-worked returned to the reference desk, I told him what the men were doing and how annoying it was. I knew that they were doing it just to work my nerves. My co-worker walked over and had words with them. I didn't ask what was said, but they stopped talking.

Sunday was a nice day. Relatively hot(for this city,) and the library was crowded all day.

A patron called and began to argue with me about the way in which a book was classified. She had given me the wrong title. When I finally found what she was talking about, she told me I was wrong. After searching the shelves for another title, she then told me that she didn't want to place a hold on the book.

Yesterday, I had to speak to a man watching p*orn. The public monitors are 17" Flat screens that are raised. Each time that I turned to my right, I saw a woman's legs spread with a man's head in between. I walked over to the man and said, " I believe in free speech and that everyone is entitled to look at whatever they want on the Internet, but I'm don't want to see that." This fool said, "It just popped on the screen." That man had been selecting different windows for at least 20 minutes.

After his hour was up, he came to the reference desk and starred at me, looking me up and down. I finally said, "Do you have a reference question?" He then said, "I'm sorry." I said, "Yeah, okay."

Mr M Cool(In his mind)

I'm telling you in advance that this is about the custodian assigned to our floor.

I saw the custodian outside this morning when I arrived. Supplies in hand and he was walking away from the
Building. This man has a mean pimp walk and it looks like his feet hurt in sneakers.

The day shift starts at 6am, so a break at 9am is expected.

When I arrive to my desk, my recycle bin had the same debris from last night.( they took away our trash cans.)

I went to the restroom and it was the same as last night.

I went to the reference dest at 10am, neither the trash nor recycle cans had been emptied from yesterday.

I spoke to my co-worer at 12:30@m regarding the lack of service from our custodian.

My co-worker said, "He's in the supply closet sleep, if you're looking for him."

Finally, at 1:00pm, he began emptying our recycle cans. He leaves at 2pm.

I know it's mean, but I don't care!

The public school system is on Spring Break. It started on 3/18. I want it to be over, effective YESTERDAY!

I thougt it was next week(the reason I'll be on vacation.)

I saw a teen in thigh hi boots today(they were flats.). Who buys thigh boots for their teenage daughter??

The nerve of her

Yesterday, one of the major vacation hogs approached me. She wanted to know if I was willing to give up my vacation day(this Sunday.)

I told her no and kept it moving. When I mentioned the conversation to my co-worker(who sit next to me,) she said that she
had been approached also.

The woman who approached us is ALWAYS on vacation. She takes the time from Thanksgiving until New Year's every year. If she changes her mind about vacation, she will cancel at the last minute.

My Monday view

For 1 full hour while at the reference desk, I had to look at a Swatika tattoo. The owner of the tattoo chose to use one of the
Internt computers that faces the reference desk. The tat is on his hand. Every movement, I saw the tat out of the corner of my eve.
It's one of those black/grey sloppy jobs.

Homey kept dozing, off and on. It just so happened that a security officer was passing by anf tapped the guy. Tattoo Man then told his girl(I'll let that one go,) that we called security on him.

REALY! That's your complaint

This afternoon, a woman walked up to the desk to complain about a man who walks around the floor in circles all day long.
Sometimes, he changes his routine and circles the outside of the building a few times before returning to our floor. There are days when he even sits down for
A while. It's obvious that he's a special needs adult.

Back to the complaint. She wanted us to stop the man from walking in circles, because
it was getting on her nerves.

My co-worker explained that there's no library policy that prevents anyone from
Walking the floor all day long.

I forgot to mention that this woman parks herself at the encyclopedia tables for about 5hrs everyday. She argues with other patron if they are sitting
Where she usually sits.

As she walked away, I told my co-worker, "We don't complain about her sitting on this floor all day."

Staffing Shortages

So, another department is suffering from lack of man power. This time around, my department was TOLD by management that every librarian would be
required to spend 1hr per week at the Information Services Desk until further notice. I told the librarian who does the desk schedules to make sure that I'm
the last one on the list. Well, because of my work schedule I'm the next to last.

I made this request because no one shared the duty with me of 4hrs per week in the Government Information Department.

This afternoon was my first stint at the Information Services Desk.

Why did the patron(black man) walk up to me and say, "Oh, you normally work on the other side of the room(borrower services desk!)"

I told him that I didn't work on that floor at all.

He then said, "Yes you do, you're the woman that no one goes to for help!"

Once again, I told him that I didn't work on that floor.

He said, "OH WELL, I GUESS YOU HAVE A TWIN THAT WORKS OVER THERE!"

I told him, "I DON'T HAVE A TWIN AND I DON'T WORK ON THIS FLOOR!"

I missed 1 day

Last Monday, I stayed home sick. On Tuesday, I was informed that a woman stapped a man in the face
With his umbrella.

The librarian's on my floor reported seeing roaches crawling out of one of the Atlas' and at a public
computer. I told them that they are most likely coming from the patrons. No one has reported seeing them in the 4 1/2 years that I've been there.

Predictable

I work until 7pm on Wednesday and Thursday, because Sunday is a short day. I need to make up 2hours each week and the extra hour for two days is what I chose.

Most evenings, the only Librarians left in our department are those who are working the late shift that evening.

Wednesday evening, "Mouth-All-Mighty" was at her desk after 6pm. I thought, she must be staying late because she won't be in tomorrow. Like clockwork, when I arrived on Thursday morning, she had called in sick.

Something's going on today.

When I arrived this morning, the desk schedule was being revised. It took 30 minutes, but we were finally informed that today's staff meeting is cancelled. The Floor Manager isn't in the office today. We were told the meeting will be rescheduled. I'm hoping they finally decide the monthly meetings are a waste of time and money.

A waste of time and money

Yesterday, my co-worker arrived to work and said, I don't feel well. I'm going to go home."

This is a woman who has an hour or more commute on Sundays. I asked my supervisor, "Why didn't she just call? Did she really think it was better to come in and leave?"

So, instead of yet another sick call-in, you'd rather turn around and go home. Not work an hour or two and leave, but leave after 5 minutes.

HOW RUDE!

My last hour at the Reference Desk today: The ditzy supervisor was assigned to work with me. The supervisor that she was supposed to relieve ended up calling her. Why, you ask, well she was still at her desk because she didn't realize that she was supposed to be at the reference desk. Yes, that's exactly what she said.

8 minutes before our hour at the desk was up, she said, "I'M LEAVING THE DESK BECAUSE I HAVE TO USE THE BATHROOM AND I DON'T WANT TO BE LATE FOR MY MEETING!"

I just looked at her like YEAH whatEVER!!!! She then said, "THAT is, if you don't mind."

I didn't give her an answer.

So the problems with her mess:

A copy of the daily reference desk schedules are across from her cubicle.

The Floor Manager meets with the floor supervisors every week at the SAME TIME.

The Floor Manager also has a copy of the desk schedules.

Staff Meetings

I detest them. All I ask is that they be forever cancelled. Librarians, in my experience can drag a topic out. Why should it take over 20 minutes to discuss the first item on the agenda. The meeting was only an hour and there were 6 items on the agenda.

That's just and example from today.

I must admit that I'm the reason for the first item on the agenda. Last month, I answered a patron's email question. He wanted to know why the books that he was interested in, were library use only. Well, he happened to want to check out HIGH THEFT ITEMS. This is the reason they've become library use only and are shelved in the staff area. What subject could these books possible fall under you ask? Why they are extraterrestial, occult, things of that nature.

What did the patron do? I answered the question using my work email account. The patron contacted me this month with a borrower services problem. In bold type the email said, since I gave such a quick and thorough response previously, he just knew that I would do so again.

What's happening at the library so far

Thursday December 30,2010: A woman hid on my floor and entered the staff area after closing. She tried to steal a co-workers hard drive. She was
Not successful. She then stole a hard drive from the International Center Reference Desk. She was seen on the security video exiting the building with a large black trash bag.

I guess our floor is being punished. Management still hasn't approved the request for a replacement hard drive. *****I had to change this because it wasn't replaced.***

I took an exam last week. It was so that I can once again be placed on the promotional list. They renew the list every three years. A co-worker was at the exam who I later found out had been AWOL. He was at work today, like business as usual.