Security in the building

My first hour on the reference desk this morning; the head of security was making the rounds, introducing the new hire. Only, he's not so new to working for this City & County. His prior post from which I recognized him, was working the door at the downtown police precinct.

Why did dude circle back without his boss and ask me the same tired line that he would ask each and everytime that I saw him when I went to jury duty, get my car out of impound, file a hit & run report, you name it. "Did you go to high school in the city?" I had to stop the madness!!!

My response, " You ask me that each and every time that you see me! YES, I did, I.C.A."

That usually shuts him down because it is an all girls catholic high school. And no, I didn't go to school with him, nor did he do security at my high school.

This fool had the nerve to say, "Well, if you already knew me, why didn't you ask how I have been when my boss introduced us?"

He kept talking, but I said, " Nope, Umph, Umph, not." [ala NewNew] I didn't even hear the rest of whatever he was saying because I had tuned him out.

Today's adventures

I had the luxury of a four day weekend. Well, we all know that you find little surprises after being gone for a while.

We have e-mail suggestions and e-mail reference questions. Lucky for me, the floor manager is the person who assigns the items.

The first question I received, the guy asks if he can get a list of all of the poetry books purchased by the library this year. Our fiscal year is from July 1st until June 30th of the following year. We purchase books every month. For me to answer this question, I had to review all books purchased for the last fiscal year and the first three months of this one. Each month, we make two list, one of new books and one of replacement books. I spent two hours cutting and pasting the poetry titles from all list.

That was a behind the scenes question.

The desk question:

Caller: I am trying to locate information for an actor.

Me: Did you try searching the IMBD website?

Caller: That really doesn't give any information.

Me: What's the actor's name?

Caller: Well, it's a relative of mine and I'm nosey, so I just want to know what is available.

Me: What's the actor's name?

Caller: I called your library because I figured you are located in a liberal city and the librarians
wouldn't judge.
Me: What's the actor's name? I am only asking so that I can conduct a search to see what I can
find.
Caller: Well, its an um, um, an adult film star. I actually live in the midwest and I use my local
library all of the time, but they wouldn't search anything like this.

Me: OOOkay, so what's the name? [He was still trying to tell me how much they judge people
at his local library] I was thinking that they probably just look at him sideways.

Caller: Donita Dunes. She's a distant cousin and my sister calls me to tell me the family gossip.
I just want to know what is out there about her.
Well, I did a g***le search and found her website. I closed the website before it finished loading because of the racy pictures. I told the caller this.

Caller: I just want her contact information. You know, her agent, or her publist.

I tried a specific search for the contact information and was able to get the website address for the booking agency. I told the caller and he hung up the telephone so fast.

He lost me for a minute

Last Monday, September 17th, I was helping a patron who seemed to have suffered a stroke. He seemed to be paralyzed on one side of his body and had difficulty speaking. He also used a walker.
I was finally able to piece together that he wanted to use one of the internet computers. I found a vacant one in the back. I chose one near the exit aisles because I thought that would be easier for him.

About 12 minutes later, he approached the desk again. This time, he was complaining that he wasn't able to log onto the computer and for me to,"Juuus commme!" I went back there and he was trying to log onto a different computer, and he was still logged onto the first computer. I tried to explain this to him a few times. Well, he kept telling me,"NO." Finally, I simply logged him off myself and told him that after a few seconds, he should be able to log onto whichever terminal he wanted.

Ten more minutes passed and he was back at the reference desk again. He said, "Man wwwith bbbaaaagg STINKS, IIIII mmmmovvveee." I simply said okay. I finally ended up booking him a computer for the next hour on a different floor. This was after thirty minutes of back and forth.

Same stuff every single day

We've been experiencing the same complaints on a daily basis for the past three weeks. You see, the library is still in the process of renovation on the first floor.

The renovation process has moved into the second phase. This means that the new fiction stacks are gone. The new DVD stacks are gone. The express internet computers are gone.

Now, the new books are mixed in with the older works of fiction. The problems occur when we (the staff) are trying to explain the changes to the patrons. Because the bank of express computers had to be removed, there are now more express computers on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors.

Often, patrons walk away while I am in the middle of explaining the new changes. Others yell, " NOW, Whose BRIGHT IDEA was this, because it surely isn't working."

Out of the mouths of librarians

Staff meeting: While waiting for the meeting to begin, somehow the conversation turned to how
expensive hair cuts are.

Pt. Librarian, "Well, I cut my own hair and I guess that I've saved hundreds of
dollars over time." [we now know why she rocks a bad high top
fade with a duck tail]

Monthly services meeting: I was showing a fellow librarian a delightful find, Band Aid's Blister
Block. She commented that she has a hard time finding wide shoes.

Another librarian blurted, "That's why I shop at Pay*ess, they have
wide shoes in all kinds of styles."

The conversation paused......then we changed the subject.

This morning, my first hour on the reference desk. My co-worker annouces as she approached the desk, "I'm still HIGH from yesterday!" [She called in sick yesterday, saying that she was going to the emergency room to receive a morphine shot for her migraine.]

So this is how it ends today

It is my last hour on the reference desk and I have spent it listening to a patron read the World Atlas out loud. I have wanted to say something, but I realize that may be the only way that he is able to read.

Man..............these people

So, I am sitting at the reference desk minding my own business, reading somebody's blog.

A patron marched up to the desk, threw a book at me and said,"I HOPE THIS LIBRARY HAS A CHRISTIANS FOR DUMMIES book, or a PROTESTANT FOR DUMMIES book, because just having an ISLAM FOR DUMMIES book isn't right.

I respond,"I'm sure we do sir, would you like for me to check?"

Patron: "YEAH, YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU CHECK THAT OUT!!!! IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT IF THERE IS ONLY A 'ISLAM FOR DUMMIES' BOOK"

So as I began to search the online catalog, the fool stormed off.

Yesterday afternoon, this woman yelled at me because HER book wasn't on the shelf. As if I personally walked over and removed her book form the shelf, just so she wouldn't have the pleasure of walking in here and seeing her work on the shelf.

I went through the trouble of searching high and low for that book. I finally found in on a book truck in the back, waiting to be reshelved. I took the book to her and handed it to her. The witch had the nerve to tell me, " I didn't want the book, I just wanted to make sure that it was here! Why are you giving it to me, do you want me to reshelve it?"

She went on to say that when she came in the day before, they told her it was missing. She said that she located the book on the shelf and removed it, so that she could show them( the page desk staff) that it was still in the library. Hence the reason why the book was sitting on a book truck in the back waiting to be reshelved.

That is the point where my supervisor took over. He told the patron that she was wrong for yelling at me and it would not be tolerated.

Random stories for today

This morning, in the span of 10 minutes I was told this by two different patrons.

1. African American female in her late forties: " Sharon and Bob stole my credit card information from one of the branch libraries and were buying sex with it. You know you can't buy sex in Antioch"

I couldn't respond, I was laughing so hard.

2. Anglo male was having trouble booking a computer at one of the branch libraries. I told him
log out of his record and I would help him book a computer at the reference desk. As I am
helping him, he said, " All of the staff at the branch library are CRAZY!" This was right after
he told me that while he was speaking to some police officers, they told him he was crazy
because his face was swollen.

I turned to my co-worker and asked him, "What is it that I am doing because they just keep
approaching me?"

Cravings can sometimes get the best of us

This afternoon, I felt the urge for a piece of chocolate. I was too lazy to ride the public transportation so that I could get See's Candy, Godiva, or Tom's Cookies. I decided to walk to Walgreen's and kill two birds with one stone, pick up a gallon of water and some chocolate.

As I was walking toward the corner, I noticed men dressed in black leather. I forgot the Folsem Street Fair is this weekend. Well, I received an eye full. Leather vest, chaps, and g-string. Just what I needed for an afternoon wake-up call. I was so upset with myself because had I remembered what this weekend is, I would have stayed inside. I now know why parking was kind of tight this morning.

My July end notes for this week

Today will mark the second loss for my department. Two weeks ago one of the four supervisors retired. Today, the supervisor who just came back from Medical Leave is retiring. No announcement, no group e-mail, no cake, cookies, or juice. I don't even think he will get a formal goodbye.

On to my reference desk story.

I caught the usual juvenile suspects trying to hack into the system via the online catalog and database terminals.

Next up

Ghetto Love, they parked themselves at the online catalog next to the reference desk. I wouldn't have noticed, but they began fighting over some red juice. I informed them that the drink wasn't allowed in the library.

Ol' chicky decided that she wanted to get smart. "I'm pregnant, so I need this and proceeds to pop the top and chug."

My reply whispered in her ear because I didn't want to put her on blast, " Then you need to go to the lower level to the restaurant and have that drink!"

Not fifteen minutes later.

I hear Ghetto Love arguing with an anglo patron who had asked them to lower their voices. They went on and on, telling him where and how he could stick it. I sensed that he was heading to the reference desk to request back-up because they were LOUD.

I called security. Why is it that they came two deep. When we really need security because things are looking dangerous, they send one lone ragged guard.

Security's response, " They are on the catalogs and they are arguing????" I relayed the incident to them. They spoke to Ghetto Love, who returned to their post at the catalog afterward. Soon afterward, the anglo departed.

Here we go folks my library stab at the tag

Minoority Reporter didn't really tag me, but she listed my blog as one of the ones that she reads. So in honor of her, I am going to take a stab at answering this tag. My twist will be that I will try to apply my answers to the library.

The Rules

1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of you blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

Here we go: 8 Things you don't know about me.

1. I made my decision to obtain a Masters in Library Science during my first day of on the job
training for the Department of Human Services Non-Assistance Food Stamp Eligibility Worker.

2. I received my MLS in 1998 from Clark Atlanta University.

3. I worked part-time as a librarian for 5 years before finally taking a full-time gig.

4. This blog was started as a way to vent. Working as a Children's librarian is no joke.

5. I work with a lot of bitter, selfish librarians! ( I had a friend say that she thought all
librarians were giving and helpful---NOT)

6. I chose to become a librarian because I found myself always talking to random people
about books and what they should read (I am always reading for pleasure and nosy people
are always asking me about what I am reading)

7. Some days, I don't want to be bothered with most of my co-workers.

8. I am constantly looking for another job.

Half of the people I wanted to tag have already been hit.

Can you imagine work without the access to a computer? That is what my days now consist of. During the time that I am on the reference desk, I have access to a computer. All that behind the scenes actual work and internet surfing, that is a thing of the past, at least for the next two weeks.



30 people are supposed to share four terminals. They forgot to factor in the hogs. The staff members who think the computers are there for them and only them.

People don't listen

I hate when you take the time to explain to someone exactly what they need to do. They then come back to you, saying there is a problem. You go over with them what they needed to do and they turn around and tell you that you didn't tell them that is what they needed to do.

When I turned around and explained exactly what I said word for word, chic go an attitude. She couldn't say that I was wrong, so she told me that my breath stank. I just had two altoids, so I knew that she was lying.

Medical Leave

A supervisor in my department returned to work yesterday, after 1 month of medical leave. Somehow, he now has a new work schedule that begins at noon. When the said supervisor arrived at work and saw that he was scheduled to work the reference desk for three hours, he had a fit. He called the head of the library and proclaimed that he was not supposed to work the reference desk.

Meanwhile, this department has been stressed during his one month leave because we are also short two additional positions.

So as a result of his rant, the five of us who were here, were forced to work an extra hour on the reference desk.

Yesterday the head of our department was out sick. Today, the big boss is here and ol' boy is as quiet as a mouse.

I left work frustrated. We had behind the scenes mess, in addition to the regular drama we get from the patrons.

I understand workplace violence

I really, really do.

Patron via telephone: "Yeah, I want to know how to pronounce a word.
pareidolia"
I put the patron on hold and looked it up in the Oxford English Dictionary, it wasn't there. I looked in the online database, it wasn't there. I searched www.dictionary.com, it wasn't there. Dictionary.com did refer me to their encyclopedia.

I told the patron that I didn't find it in any of the dictionary.

The patron said, "You can't find it on the internet?"

I looked at the online encyclopedia. So I tell the patron what I think the pronunciation is. He proceeds to tell me exactly what the encyclopedia entry says and then wants to debate my interpretation. I gave the call to my co-worker(who ended up siding with me.)

I REALLY WANTED TO PULL THAT MAN THROUGH THE TELEPHONE!!!!!

My funny story for the day

I don't know about you, but I hate when I return to work after a few days off and find something on my desk.

When it's mail, I think, "Now what did they send now!" Because most of the time the branches
will send a book or books that they want to discard. They don't want it in their collection anymore, but feel that it is needed here.

I also receive stacks of books that the clerk has been stock piling on her desk. She waits for my off days to deposit the books on my desk. I guess she is afraid that I will complain. I would prefer that she give me the books as they are given to her, but I think it is a little too late to change habits. I get the books that fall in my selection area that have been damaged in some way.

Today's mail waiting for me: A galley copy of America Needs A Woman President by Brett Bevell. I am used to seeing a bound galley copy. This copy is loose pages held together by a paperclip. They have also advised that the book is available for pre-order on www.amazon.com.

Brett Bevell sent the copy himself, why am I not surprised!!!!!

Of all days, I fail to wear the "ring."

I have a QVC Diamonique and Yellow Gold Wedding Set that I wear while at work. The need for this arose when I first began my career as a librarian. In the community college libraries, young men from 18-32 would make passes, ask me out, etc.

I began wearing a 2 carat engagement ring. When I began working full-time in the public library, I purchased the wedding set. It is a 3 carat solitare with a 1/2 carat of surrounding bagets, and a 1 carat band.

I forgot to wear it ALL DAY today. No problems, until the last hour on the desk. A man who has made passes in the past decided to try a full court press today. He was drunk and you know alcohol brings out the truth, courage, or whatever you want to call it.

He says, "You're married huh!!"

Me, "Yes."

Him, "You lie, where's your ring."

Me, "I left it in the back."

Him, "Tell your husband that I said he is a lucky man, so he won't get mad at me for making a
pass at you."

Me, " I will, as soon as I return to my desk."

Him, "I am really attracted to you because you are real. You are the type of woman that I need. You know I have money."

Me, " What did you do today?"

He continued to tell me how much he is attracted to me. Finally, I tell him, "You still haven't
answered the question that I asked you."

Him, "What did you ask me?"

So, I asked him again.

He says, " I have been drinking."

I respond, " I know."

He asks, "How did you know?"

I tell him, " I can smell it on your breath."

Him, "That is embarrassing."

Yeah, I know...............................

It's day two of the computer shut down on one half of the floor. There are signs posted on every terminal, both internet and online catalog. The signs say that there will be a telephone and computer connection upgrade and this computer is not in service at this time.

It in addition to that sign posted on each and every terminal that isn't in service, there is a sign written in red posted at the reference desk. The sign says the following:

For all internet and online catalog use, please go to the
International side of this floor. You may also go to the
4th or 5th floors.

I was at that desk for two hours yesterday. I watched patrons read the signs and approach me to ask, " So, is there an internet computer on this side of the room that I can use?"


Today's FUNNY: I watched a man with an Orange shirt and jeans exit the elevator and read the signs. His blue jeans were made into flare legs because orange and yellow striped triangles had been inserted into the lower portion of each leg.

There is a display of work done by an openly gay artist on display in front of the reference desk. The man described above saunters over to the display, reads it, and states to no one in particular, " Is this a GAY THING? Why is EVERYTHING gay up in here?"

Library excitement

My first hour at the reference desk. 1/2 hour into the shift. One of the pages runs to the reference desk and tells us to call security. A man was standing at the copy machine destroying books, not 1,2, or 3, but he had a stack of about 30-35 and he was riping them apart.

My co-worker went over there because I had just answered a telephone call. He yelled, " Call the police because I want to go to jail. I want to go back to rehab."

When the security officer arrived, the man yelled, "ARE YOU GOING TO CALL THE REAL POLICE NOW?"

Dude told me that I couldn't make him leave

The patron told me," You can't tell me to leave, only security can tell me to leave."

At that point, I realized the man is ignorant and I wasn't going to bother explaining the rules and regulations of the library to him.

1. Any staff member can request that a patron leave if they are violating the rules and regulations. If they fail to leave, we are then required to call security and have them escorted out of the building.

It all started when I tried to explain to the patron why he couldn't use the terminal he had selected. Someone prior to him had logged onto the computer and left for whatever reasons. Another patron came along and put the terminal on standby. This means that for ten minutes, the only person allowed to log onto the computer is the one who signed on initially.

Dude proceeded to argue me down. When I returned to the reference desk, HE SHUT THE COMPUTER DOWN. So what he was doing is saying F**k you, I am doing what I want.

At that point, I returned to the patron and said, " Because you chose to disregard what I said and shut down the computer, you must leave!" I said it twice. He then gave me the statement that began this entry.

It just so happend that one of the security guards had just gotten off the elevator. I worked with her in another department in this city. She is well aware of how tolerant I am.

I said, " I NOW WANT HIM TO LEAVE BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO CHALLENGE ME!"

3rd Floor Carpet Installation Day 4

That's right, so far the carpet removal/installation has taken 4 days and only 1/4 of the floor has been completed.

Today, they began moving the computer terminals, tables, and chairs on the side of the floor on which I work. I have watched people sit down in front of terminals that have been moved away from the usual position. They aren't plugged-in and the chairs have been moved away from the tables. These people have pulled chairs up to these terminal and proceeded to examine the terminals to find out why they won't turn on.

For the past month, there has been a posting on the library homepage regarding the new carpet installation. The dates were posted. The questions I received (my first time on the desk today was 3:00 p.m.)

"Why don't the computers work?"

"What are they doing again?"

"Do you know if the computers will be working tomorrow?"

"Why don't they put signs on the computers?"

"They haven't finished yet?"

Rising temperatures brings out the unusual

This marks the third day where the noon day temperature is above 70 degrees. Sitting at the reference desk, I marvel at the creative ways in which a people accustomed to fog and wind adjust to the heat.

The ways in which they have chosen to expose their flesh. Some things, I wish that I hadn't seen.

It rained last week and it is obvious which individuals couldn't wait to break out the linen and sandals.

I have seen feet that should never be exposed! I mean, neva eva, eva!

New Rules & Guidelines effective May 1, 2007

Some are new and some aren't but a few of them stood out in my mind when I browsed the list.

Want to know which ones? Well, even if you don't, I am going to share them.


Uniform Staff Procedures for Enforcement of the Guidelines of Library Use and
other Library rules


TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL USERS:


4. Persons under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs are not allowed on Library
property.

Now any and everyone who has ever visited a public library knows that the majority
of our patrons fall into this category. ***The most that will ever be given for violation is a
7-day suspension.

8. Animals, other than service animals assisting persons with disabilities, are not permitted
inside Library facilities or within 10 feet of any door.

Everyone and their Momma brings their dog up in here. They will claim in a minute that
it is a companion dog. You see anything from a pitbul to a lab.

11. Sleeping or lying on the floor or furniture is prohibited.

You can take a stroll around this floor any given time of the day and catch a few people
sleeping.

18. Unreasonable use of rest rooms, including laundering and bathing [smoking, soliticiting,
clogging drains and brushing teeth.]

We receive complaints daily regarding this.

20. Harassing or threatening Library users or staff.
20a. Harassing or threatening staff or patron:
Maximum punishment is a 12-month suspension.

There is a total of 32 guidelines. I have listed just a few that stand out. I also wonder how well enforcement will go. Most of these guidelines are already listed in the rules and regulations portion of our website and the library application packet.

Original Fashion Statement

As seen in the library today April 17, 2007. Do you tire of carrying your Chihuahua? Why not place your pouch in a stroller. Not a doll stroller, but one meant for human babies!!!!

That is the new trend set by one patron.

Promotion Quest

I've been telling a few close friends and family for a while that I don't think the possibility for a promotion is near in this library system.

It's not that there aren't any openings, it's just that they all are Children's Librarian Branch Manager. I have vowed to never return to Children's services. You are over worked and under appreciated. To combine that job with the responsibilities of a branch manager is too much. Most people who take on the task only last a few years. Yes, there are those who just love being a children's librarian and have stayed in the position for years.

When the love of being a Children's librarian isn't as strong as the desire to be a branch manager, people transfer to an Adult Services Branch Manager position.

The Children's Librarian Branch Manager positions are rarely filled as transfers, the next step is to open them up as temporary reassignments. They think that means those of us who want a promotion will bite.

Well, I guess no one is really biting. So what have they done? They have opened up the hiring list for Librarian II. This is a sideways approach to get those of us who desire a promotion to get in line for those Children's Librarian Branch Manager openings.

Yeah, I applied.

A compliment, I guess. Not

My last hour on the reference desk.

Two older black men walked past the desk. The short ugly one said to me ( I had helped them earlier,) " You seem to have a pretty smile, but you have a ugly look in your eyes."


My response," Thanks for sharing!"


An older black man who is here every day, all day approached me about 15 minutes before the last two.

He started with this little speech about leaving his reading glasses at home. Finally......he asked if he could check out a magnifying glass.

***We have had problems with the magnifying glasses that we lend out, they never seem to come back.******This problem also occurs with the reference items that are held behind each desk******We are losing books and supplies so much so, that management issues and updated mandatory required valid acceptable form of identification******

So, ol' dude produces this faded piece of hard plastic that looked as if it may have been some type of badge with a picture on it at one time or another. You can't even tell if the image could have possibly been him at one time.

I looked at it and told him, " NOPE!!!" He had the nerve to mumble as he was walking away, "bitch."

My first instinct was to get mad, but then I calmed down immediately. I told myself that he will be back tomorrow and he will neeed something again. We shall see if I even entertain his question.

I AM NOT PSYCHIC, no matter what you were told

If you ask me to show you how to open your USB Flash Drive, don't turn around and ask me why the folder says trash and your name..............HELLO, I DON'T KNOW.

I found this today and thought that I'd share it

AP - Tue Mar 27, 5:06 PM ET
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - A cameraman was caught with some creepy video footage. The man was surreptitiously videotaping female feet in the science library at University of California, Santa Cruz, campus police said. "Officers indicated he was embarrassed by his behavior," university spokesman Jim Burns said Monday. "He offered no resistance to the request that he leave immediately and indicated he would not be back."

I have heard of this but I have never witnessed it. I have also heard of men licking women's toes while they were studying in the library(this happened while I was working at GSU Library.)

Silence no more!!!!

The two weeks of silence are gone. No more sitting at my desk and actually hearing myself think. SHE'S BACK, the loud mouth librarian. She is returning her voicemail calls. I am wondering why she hasn't been scheduled on the reference desk yet.

I am tired of her voice already. I know, I know, I need a new job already. I haven't even been in this department for a year. April 25th will mark my one year anniversary of being in this position.

It's not the duties, it's not my supervisor, it's not my manager. IT'S THE LOUD COWORKERS!


They have been here for 10 or more years, so I know they aren't going anywhere. It is I who must make that move.

Just another rainy Monday

I finally decided that today was the day to pay my property taxes. It had been sprinkling all day.

2:00 p.m., I decide to trek over to City Hall. Well, I get downstairs and it was pouring down raining and COLD. As I got closer to the building, I noticed that a lot of people were exiting the building. I reached the top of the stairs after snaking my way through and around people, IT'S A FIRE ALARM!!!!!!!!

I have to put off paying my taxes once again. There's an ATM in City Hall, but that was off limits also. This meant I had to walk another block and a half. By the time I reached the ATM, I was dripping wet and I still had to walk back to work.

I needed the ATM today because I have to replace a tire. I went to visit my friend at the library she manages in East Oakland on Saturday. I parked on the 49th and Foothill, she told me not to do it last month when I was there. I figured there was a space right by the door to the library. The bad part is that I figured wrong.

The right front tire has a slash. It is jagged and slanted. But get this, the tire has a slow leak. It cant' be repaired, it has to be replaced!!!!!! It's a good thing that I use public transportation as a means to get to and from work.

Wave cap and her DRAMA

About two weeks ago, I was stopping at my desk before going out to the reference desk. I see Wave Cap approaching my desk with her grown son in tow( it is 9:55 a.m.) They were headed toward the staff fax machine. It is right across from my desk, so we passed each other.

Now every since I told on her a few months back, she hadn't been really speaking to me. Well, low and behold, she decides to showboat in front of her son and say hi. I looked at her like she is CRAZY; paused, said hi and kept it moving.

Here it is about two weeks later and she came shuffling back to the fax machine this morning. I didn't even have to looks up. No one else shuffles around in slippers all day long. The woman had the nerve to say HI. I didn't look up, I didn't turn my head, but I did say hi.

She continued to shuffle pass my desk about three more times before I went out to the reference desk.

When I returned to my desk an hour later, there was a pile of books that needed to be withdrawn or sent to preservation. She did the punk move of waiting until I was gone to place a stack of work on my desk(she has done this twice so far today.)

Why am I writing about this. Well, she went to the other black librarian (male) and asked him why I didn't like her!!!!!!!!

When he told me about her question, I told him that it goes back to her getting mad because I inadvertently told my boss that she wasn't doing her job correctly. She was mad at me for weeks after that and stopped saying anything to me.

I told him that he can tell her to stop trying with me because that first incident with her, set the tone for our working relationship...........Don't SPEAK TO ME!!!! If you feel that you must say hi, do it and keep it moving.

I have said this over and over about the petty women working in this system, I DON'T NEED ANYMORE FEMALE FRIENDS!!!!!!

RUN-DMC-You Talk Too Much

I have a co-worker who sits in the aisle next to mine. I am reminded of the refrain from this song everytime she opens her mouth. She is loud and you know exaclty what is going on with everyone everywhere. She will be on vacation this week and I have been looking forward to this every since I heard her making the plans.

Just when I was prepared to get some work done

I am on a committee that selects the non-fiction books that will be available for purchase by our library system.

Each month I am responsible for gathering all of the titles for two different sections. This entails me printing out all of the information for each book, reviews and all, and forwarding it to the chairperson for the committee.

We meet each month and go over each title for each and every non-fiction book that will be featured the following month.

I have put this off since the last week of February. Well, the meeting is Thursday of next week. This means that I must get cracking.

GUESS WHAT????????????????............The main printer for the entire floor is BROKEN!!!!

I am now expected to save everything I want to print to USB Flashdrive and then go to another terminal and print the information. That only lasted long enough for me to print two titles.

I printed that mess while I was on the reference desk. I kept asking my boss if the printer was fixed yet.

Here we go again......Lunchtime Special

One of the library pages approached the Security guard who happened to be posted on the railing in front of the reference desk. Silly me, I thought he was teasing her about talking loudly in the library..........Little did I know.


The page whispers to me, "There is a patron sitting at a computer terminal outside of the gay/lesbian center getting busy." I gave him a quizzical look, so he continues, "You know, the patron is full on, pants down getting busy."

Security guard was right on time, because she was able to catch the patron in the act. And...lucky for us, but not so lucky for the patron......The police officer who is stationed at this library just so happened to be walking by.

The lead ol' boy away down the back stairs.

Not my typical rainy Monday

Today is the first day that I had to report a patron masturbating. It was brought to my attention by a wheelchair bound patron who was waiting to use the computer.

As I was walking past, on my way back to the staff area.

Patron: "Ew, just nasty."

I leaned in to hear what he was saying clearly because I thought that I didn't hear him clearly.


The patron whispered in my ear that the man at terminal 351 was masturbating. I glanced over and there he was. One hand inside his pants, just working away; while he used the other hand to maneuver the mouse.

Instead of heading to my desk in the back, I made a bee line for the reference desk, so that I could call security and report the incident. I waited five minutes for an officer to arrive.
I pointed out the offending patron.


THE PATRON HAD THE NERVE TO NOT ONLY DENY IT, BUT TO ASK WHO COMPLAINED. I overheard all of this while I was once again making an attempt to return to my desk in the staff area.

I told the patron that I had seen him with my own eyes. First, he said, " I was scratching myself."

I looked at him with a smirk on my face. He then said, " Don't you have work that you should be doing!"

The security officer simply made the patron get up so that he could be escorted out of the building.

Oxygen

Me: Did you need some help?

Patron: " Yeah, it's about oxygen! " [I look at him like go on...]



"You have children in the builing.............."[I began to look at him like he'd lost
something]


" It's probably easier for me to notice this........................"[I was still lost, wondering
what in the world he was
talking about]



"There's something that your management can buy................." [ I continued to look at
him in wonder]



And then, FIANALLY!!!!!!!

" The children, your building is depleting them of their oxygen. "


BACK TO REALITY/EARTH, since he obviously wasn't getting through to
me.

" Where is computer terminal number 379?"

I pointed him in the right direction with the quickness!!!!!!

My first false fire alarm

Sundays, this library closes at 5:00 p.m. Yesterday, at 4:07 p.m. the fire alarm starts to go off. I was in of all places, the restroom.

There's construction going on in th building, so sometimes the fire alarm goes off accidently. This was not the case. So by 4:12 p.m. we havd almost all of our floor cleared and my boss told me to exit the building.

I had just glanced at the evacuation instructions, to see what my assigned duty was. I failed to pay attention to what area the staff was supposed to meet in.

Why, oh why did I go to the front of the building? I still thought it might have been a false alarm and they would reopen the building immediately.

This is what I over heard:

Patron(who comes here everyday, stays all day, and wears the same thing,) " This is a waste of the tax payers money. That was probably a false alarm because they don't want us in there. This library is always waisting our tax payer dollars!"

He was periodically looking at me at he said all of that. After the last sentence, I couldn't hold it in any longer and began laughing.

The Patron then looked at me and said, " You are laughing, but I am serious and I know that the library is just waisting our tax payer money!"

I knew that if I stayed in that spot any longer, I would have said some things to hurt that man.
I was laughing because I was thinking that that man knows he doesn't pay taxes. If anything, he gets SSI and that is part of my tax dollars supporting him monthly.

In my effort not to enrage the patrons even more, I decided to move to the other side of the building.

Where is the paper shredder when you need it?

My first hour on the reference desk was spent listening to this woman tear notebook paper into shreds. I don't know how many notebooks she had, but it seemed as if the sound of paper tearing would never end.

My co-worker kept walking away from the desk and going back to the staff area, in hopes that she would be done when he returned.........Nope, she was still there each time, just shredding away.

We were afraid to give her a pair of scissors. The only type of scissors we are allowed to give patrons are child proof, but we still feared that she might harm herself or someone else.

Finally, with ten minutes left on the desk, she stopped.........................Walked to the desk and returned a pair of SCISSORS that one of the librarians must have given her the previous hour.

Sometimes I am left speechless

I was searching for a book this afternoon. While walking in the direction in which the book was shelved, I noticed something odd. I thought, no, I didn't see what I thought I saw. So, me being me, I looked again....


A patron was browsing the book truck while.................PICKING HIS NOSE!!!!!!!


In that moment, I made a mental note to myself to always use sanitizer after touching a book.

Crazy trips me up each and every time

A patron asked me to find a book about kings for her.....Okay, what type of kings, where. "Oh all european kings, I want names and years." I located a general book and we were off in seach of it.

We get to the aisle where the book is shelved. In a hushed tone........."Can you find me a book on Satan" I looked at that woman like, "What the..........................." So she says, "That was a real person, that was his name." Then she eyes a book on Ancient Greece. "Can you get me a title on Ancient Rome too, I know, you can find one in the computer." Once again, I looked at her like she was out of her mind because the reference desk was on the other side of the room. Before I left in search of the two different subjects, she said, "I know, I keep asking you for different things when I should have asked when you were at the desk, but I don't know what I want."

I went back to the desk and found some more call number sections for her to look at because I was THROUGH helping her. I knew that her search would be never ending, since I was searching for whatever popped into her mind. ****Greece, Rome, and Europe are all in the same general area, but I needed to step away from that woman for a minute!

The situation had me for a minute

I telephoned a friend in Atlanta while leaving work yesterday. I sat in the car and continued to speak with her. Because of the time difference, I knew that our conversation wouldn't be long. After sitting in the car for ten minutes.....................................

I hear the door handle being moved. I look up from my conversation, and see an older man with a suitcase. He began yelling for me to open my car door. I was yelling in return, telling him to get away from my car. This man told me to shut up and open the door. We went back and forth for a couple of seconds.

My friend asked what the problem was. I told her hurriedly that a bum was trying to open my car door. I quickly got off the cell and started the engine. Thankfully, the fool had begun to walk away.

I was/am thankful that I had enough sense to lock the doors. I am glad that he didn't break the window or have a gun. I was about four blocks away from my current job, but I was right in front of my old job.

Yesterday they left me tired

Theses things occurred during the last hour that I worked the reference desk.

1st Patron was actually being helped by my co-worker( She's new to the department, but not
the profession or this library system--old as dirt)

The patron was asking how she would go about using her USB Flash Drive because she
hadn't used one before. She then wanted to know how she could use one of the public
computers to transfer her documents from her floppy disk to the flash drive.


Insert the dumb look on my co-worker's face when she turns to me and asks, "Do you know what she is refering to?" (Thanks Tam)

At that point, I took over the reference question. I took the patron to the wordprocessing terminals and showed her where she would insert both the floppy disk and the flash drive.

The patron then asked me if a librarian would be able to show her how to transfer the information. I explained to the patron that we haven't been trained to do that and if anyone
is familiar with the process, it is because they have done it with their own documents.

The patron then asked, " Well is there anyone whose sole job is to show patrons how to transfer documents on the public computers"

I told the patron that that isn't the role of the librarians; but like I said before those who have done the tasks in question themselves, may be able to assist patrons.

The next question was, "Do you know how to transfer files from floppy to flash drive."

I told the patron that I didn't, and I don't own a flash drive.

Patron: "Well, do you know which librarian's have experience transfering documents? I mean,
do you know any names or what floor anyone with that experience might work on?"

I explained once again, "We are not trained to assist the patrons in the transfer of data, but you
might luck up and find a librarian who is."

Patron: "I still don't understand the difference in the computers or the floppy drives and the
flash drives, and how to use them with the computers."

Once again, I explained to the patron how she would use both on the computers and the difference between the two.

Patron: "Well, I don't have the flash drive or floppy disk with me today, I just wanted to know
what to do!" ..............................And, she walked away.

Last patron.

Patron: Can you help me to find a book about "coming out?"

I searched the online catalog and finally found a title that was supposed to be on the shelf. Most of the titles I found were reference and he wanted something he could checkout.

As we were walking to the shelves to search for some books, the patron said to me, " I don't want a book with more that 100 pages." (English seemed to be his second language)

Patron: "If the book has more than 100 pages, I won't be able to understand it."

The book wasn't on the shelf, so I sent him to another desk where they would retrieve the books from the shelves in the staff area.

The patron comes back to the desk. Patron: "I don't want a non-fiction book, because I'm
already out. I want a fiction book no more than
100 pages."
I changed the search and found some fiction titles for him to choose from. I found two books with less than 200 pages, but he seemed happy.

What would you say?

What do you say to the patron who says, "You take a nice picture."
( He said this while looking from me to my badge, while I was searching the online catalog.)

My reply,"Um yeah, thanks!"

What was going through my mind was, "So, does this mean I look horrible in person?"

The way in which he said it didn't sound complimentary to me.

The Blonde

Random rant

Why did this guy approach the desk and just decide to share his craziness with me.

The patron approached the desk and just looked at me. He didn't say anything for 3 seconds. Finallly, I asked, " Do you need help finding a book?"

Patron, " Um, no.........Oh yes, I do need a book."

Me: "Do you know the title or the subject that you are looking for?"

Patron: "No, yes............I want a grammar book........No, I want to know about sentence structure..................."

I began looking for a title that discussed grammar. I found some titles and was about to print them.

Patron: "Oh, no, I want to know how to better understand what I read."

Me: "So you want something in regard to reading and comprehension?"

I began looking for that type of book and abandoned the search for a grammar book.

Patron: "No, I want a book on how to read faster"

Me: "So you want a book that will teach you how to speed read?"

Patron: "No, I want to learn to read faster!"

Me: "Yes, that is called speed reading."

I find a title, print out the information and take him to the section where the book is shelved.

I tell the patron, "This is the section where you want to be. There are grammar and reading books."

I return to the desk and the patron followed me.

Patron: " I want another book. I want one on grammar."

I searched for a specific title and told him, "It's in the same section we just left and I told you that you would find what you needed there. No, you decided to follow me back to the desk instead of just looking for what you needed."

****The grammar books were on shelf above the speed reading books. Yes, I know this is a part of the job that I have chosen, but does it mean they are allowed to drive me crazy?

Did I make you mad, or did I hurt your feelings?

Actually, I don't care, as long as it means you will stop asking me questions that you should already know the answer to.

Sundays are usually pretty odd/hectic here. We are short staffed on the weekends, but Sundays especially. There are only three of us who have chosen this as our regularly scheduled workday.

Problems arise when one of us has a scheduled vacation day, or calls in sick. Well yesterday fell into this category. One of us had a vacation day. This meant that we had more part-time temporary as needed librarians on the schedule.

Well......I worked with one in particular for two hours. 1/2 hour into our second hour together, I was tired of her lazy mess. I began answering her questions without even looking in her direction or away from the computer terminal.

After the patron left, she sauntered over to my side of the desk and said, "You know us T.E.A.N.'s have a hard time"

The sentence is incomplete because I stopped her right there and said, "Yeah well, you know that isn't going to fly with me because I did what you do!"

She then asked, " Oh, you were a PTAN?"

My answer, "Yes, for 3 years and I worked in the branches. 23 of the 27(now 28,) to be exact.

Her next question, " And, you remembered everything?"

My response, "Yes, everything!"

She went back to her side of the desk and didn't ask me another question.

(I used two different terms for the part-time librarian because they were called PTAN's during the time that I was one and now they are called T.E.A.N.'s.)

The woman mentioned in this post has worked here part-time for more that 10 years and she is in this department at least three times per week. She does the same thing to everyone, I just got feed up yesterday and said something. Hopefully, she will remember not to ask me anymore questions.

New beginings, but not really

This is how my first hour on the reference desk began........................

She exited the elevator with shems in tow. She,s the teenage version of the f**hag. I head her before I saw her.

They claimed some internet terminals and one of the shems approached me. I asked if reference help was needed? I was told yes, but um, no question followed. I then told shem#1 that I couldn't help if he didn't know what he wanted. Shem then said, " I'll be back when I figure out what it is that I want." As shem#1 is leaving, the hag starts speaking to him loudly at a distance that didn't require that volume.

I looked at her like she had a problem and returned to the terminal. She had the nerve to then say, "NO, THAT BITCH DIDN'T JUST LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT AND TURN AWAY!!! She didn't stop there, she kept talking mess.

So, I walked over to her and said, "If you call me out of my name one more time, you will be leaving here!!!" She had the nerve to say that I was being rude when I looked at her. I told her that I wasn't being rude, but she was being very loud and that is the reason I looked at her in the first place.

She kept talking mess, but she didn't call me out of my name and she lowered her volume. Her two shem friends would quiet her whenever it seemed her volume was starting to get out of hand.

I don't have a problem being called a BITCH, because I know that I can seem that way to others, I just don't want to be called out of my name a whole bunch of times.

I read this article after this incident.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/02/MNGT0NBEFP1.DTL

New Year's Eve

I started this workday with high hopes. I was hoping for peace and quiet.

It was great for me until 3:00 p.m., I had been on the desk for five minutes. All of a sudden, I hear..........A BIG BANG ONTO THE TABLE(the tables are wooden.) I think nothing of it, maybe someone dropped something on the table. ANOTHER LOUD BANG, REPEATED BY AN EVEN LOUDER BANG!!!

I walk over to the computer terminal and ask the WEIRDO if it was he making all of that noise.

He said, " Yeah, I guess that would be me."

I said, "If you bang that mouse one more time onto the table, you will have to leave this floor and use the computer on another floor!"

He said, " I was only trying to make the computer work." NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT BANGING THE MOUSE ON THE TABLE AS HARD AS YOU CAN, DOESN'T CAUSE THE COMPUTER TO RUN ANY FASTER!!! So........I turned and looked at him REAL HARD, then turned back around to return to the desk.

3:45 p.m. Different man.

Patron: I must be stupid because I can't find what I am looking for.
(I let that one slide.)
As I am searching online for the author, he asks, "What's your New Year's resolution?"

Me: "I don't make resolutions."

Patron: " Do you know what mine is?"

Me: "No, why don't you tell me.."

Patron: "To flirt with more women."

Me: no response whatsoever................birds chirping

Patron: "Oh, you're like, my resolution is to ignore people like you."

Me: still no response...................birds chirping louder and longer

I was able to located what he was looking for and sent him in the direction, that he needed to go.

Erotic Fiction-----I can still be amazed...........

Tuesday December 26th, I had two different old men approach me at the desk to say that they couldn't locate the "sex" fiction in the online catalog, or on the shelves. (They actually approached the desk about 15 minutes apart.)

The first one was simple, I explained to him that it could not be located in the catalog under sex fiction, the term used is erotic fiction.

The second man was a different story. When he first asked about the books, I looked at him strangely because I thought he might be with the other man. I realized they weren't when he said, " You know, the real reason I want those type of books is medical!"

I looked him dead in the face and said, "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR REASONS ARE!"

I keep telling friends and family that I receive too much unneccessary information while I'm at work. Between the patrons and my co-workers, just telling me things that they should keep to themselves, my brain is full at the end of the day.

I had to share this story because, every time I think about that man wanting to tell me his MEDICAL reasons for wanting to read Erotic Fiction; I get a little sick. An old shrivled up man wanting to share his "medical" condition with me.

Rain and the need for a warm dry housing situation

This went down Thursday December 21, 2006 5-6:00 p.m. hour. I noticed a man whom I had told to lower his voice during the 3-4:00 p.m. hour. He was talking to himself loudly, "N*gg*s ain't this'n' that, fa**ots, and le**ians, f**k them, and on and on. He wasn't on my side of the floor, so I just made a comment and let him go on his merry way.

Well.......he stopped near the reference desk, we could hear him but we couldn't see him. One of the other librarian's said something to him and he was quiet for about five minutes. He then got even louder with his rants. The librarian said something to him again and called security. He proceeded to get even LOUDER. WHAT WE DIDN'T SEE WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. The man ranting was white, he sat next to a black man talking all of that mess!!!!

The black man got up and told the white man to do the same. The black man pushed the white man becuase he kept talking about n***as ain't s**t, they ain't goin do s**t. Well, the black man told him to keep talking about n***as and he was going to see what would happen.

Security was called again and finally we saw some of them approaching the area. Too late..... Black man cold clocked the white man and it was on. Security had them on the ground and cuffed. Why was the white man still talking mess????? He was saying that he was minding his own business, listening to his music and the black man attacked him. The black man was saying he didn't even touch the white man. The security supervisor told the black man that she saw him throw the first punch. She then told them both that she wasn't in the mood and they better do what they were told and be quiet while doing so(she's black!)

We (the librarians) find out that the dance between the two men had begun earlier in the day. The white man had been following him around the building and taunting him. Well, they were both homeless, it was raining(had been all day) with no sign of letting up, and it was cold( well, cold for us, warm for others.)

I have learned that this is sometimes the actions taken by those who don't want to spend the night on the street. The find a way to be hospitalized, or jailed. What, shelter you say.....Ah, but that is seldom a choice made with free will by those hardened by life on the streets.

Sometimes..... it just takes me a minute

This woman walks up to the Reference desk and asks me if anyone turned in a cell phone because she left it on the table with her belongings and it was gone when she returned.

I check the lost and found box behind the reference desk and call security to see if a purple cell phone has been turned in. As I turn to check for the phone, she says, "It's not turned on." (that was my first clue) No sign of the cell phone in either place and I report my findings to the patron.

She then says, "Well, something needs to be done." I inform her that she can make a report and she says that's what she wants to do. Security usually sends an officer to take the report, but not today. Chick that answered the telephone told me to tell the patron to go downstairs and make the report.

I told the patron that she must go downstairs and make the report. She told me that all her stuff is at the desk where she was sitting and she can't leave it. I told her that she must pack up her stuff and go downstairs to make the report. That was fiftten minutes after the hour.

Every fifteen minutes thereafter, the patron came to the desk and asked me if a purple cell phone had been turned in. She had a hot pink cell phone holder clipped to her pants. The last time she asked, she also asked if we had a book on how to file a police report on people in the library who steal cell phones. I said, "Not on this floor."

I admitt, I wasn't paying any attention to the woman. It took her second trip to the reference desk for me to realize something was wrong. She made no attempt to go downstairs and I never saw where she was sitting or any belongs (other than the cell phone holder.)

We can't have everything

This week was relatively smooth, or so I thought. No sign of the potential stalker from last week.......AND THEN..........This morning things took a turn for the worst.


The Green-eyed crackhead from a previous post resurfaced. I was listening to my co-worker rant about the headaches my ex-Manager is dishing out when.......Green-eyes says, "Excuse me, I am having a very bad day, can I have a hug".........I didn't miss a beat. I turned his way, said no and went back to speaking with my co-worker.

He was gross ya'll. Dirty clothes and white foam surrounding his mouth. Wow, just the thought turns you on hunh?

The buzz at my library

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=i_team&id=4808374

A news story aired recently regarding safety in the Bay Area's public libraries. The librarians are all talking about this story. This is just a mini recap of a portion of this blog's content for the past 7 months.

I am constantly wondering......Why Me???

It all began Sunday afternoon November 26, 2006. A man approached me at the reference desk. He was returning the external disk drive that he had borrowed. Upon retrieving the item he used to check-out the drive, I noticed that it wasn't either of the acceptable forms of identification.

The librarian before me had allowed this man to use his American Express Card(green) to check out the disk drive. The ONLY acceptable forms of identification used for said purposes are a library card or a picture California I.D. Since the librarian at fault is only part-time and was only working in our department for that hour that day, there was nothing that I could say to her.

The patron heard me telling my co-worker my discovery and back tracked to aske me if I was talking about him. I explained to the patron that I was discussing the error made by the librarian who gave him the disk drive. The patron showed me his Califronia I.D. All that did was add to my confusion.
I wear a wedding ring when at the reference desk, so he was like, " How long have you been married?" I ignored the question, so he then said, "You're not really married are you?" I told him that I am. He then asked me where I went on my honeymoon. I told him that I didn't go on a honeymoon. He then repeats, " Oh, you must really not be married then." I told him that I am and actually of all my married friends, only one couple has been on a real honeymoon. He then states, "Oh, maybe you'll go on a honeymoon after the next marriage."

He took this as an invitation to talk to me. He gave me his e-mail address and told me that he was new to the area and was looking for friends. I guess I am supposed to be the fool because I know that it takes longer than two weeks for you to receive your picture identification in the mail. So he goes on and on with his lies, he is a computer programmer and he is looking for work, he moved here from Chicago, then he changed that to New York, when I looked at him crazy, he said it was both Chicago and New York. He worked for IBM, oh no, he guesses that he still does. But......he is looking for work here. How do I apply for a library position. I tell him and he still stays. Finally, a father and son approach the desk with a real question. He finally left the desk.

Yesterday, my first hour on the desk. He came running up to the desk like he was waiting for me to get there. "Oh they told me downstairs to go the the State Employement Office. They told me where it is, but um, is that where it is.?" I confirmed the address with the telephone book and sent him on his merry way.

Why is it that he came running up to the desk in the afternoon. He shoved a plastic card in my face talking about he is official now. I told him that I had no idea what he was talking about. Thankfully, a patron with a real reference question approached the desk. Ol dude walked away talking about, "I'll see you tomorrow!" My reply was, "Oh, okaaay!"

Woman and wave caps, at work no doubt

Maybe you, who read this blog can explain this to me. I really and truly am puzzled by this.

The black female clerk in this department is in her 50's. She wore a black wave cap with a pink head band on top all day today (she had done this on other days also.) Why people..........why????? Does she think that it's cute? I understand bad hair days, believe my I do. Every since I had all of my hair cut off, I can't just put it in a ponytail anymore. I have to just have frizzy hair all day, all week even.

Back to the subject at hand:


Help me to understand a wave cap with a head band on top!

It's too early for this mess!!!!!!

It's 10:14 a.m., my hour on the reference desk began at 10:00 a.m. Already, there has been a report of two men fighting in the one of the public elevators. There were also two men arguing at the fifteen minute express computers while waiting in line.


I HATE WHEN MY DAYS START OUT LIKE THIS. The library opened at 9:00 a.m.

You can never cease to be amazed

I was reading the staff e-mail this morning and came across this................................


Yes, Virginia - it's gone.
Sometime between 2:00 and 2:50pm this afternoon Public Internet pc # 379 (cpu, monitor and even the keyboard ) took a powder. So far it hasn't turned up. Nor has anyone come forward who might have witnessed just how this happened. Security has been informed.


The public has stepped up their game!!!!!!!!

Homeless shelter

A patron approached me at the desk last night, while another patron who seemed to be homeless and mentally ill was having a bit of a breakdown.

The patron says, "I thought you guys would have turned this into a homeless shelter by now.
That's the majority of the population in here daily anyway. You may as
well make this an outreach center or something."


All I could do was laugh and ask him if I could assist him in locating a book. It turns out that he had come in to pick up a book he had placed on hold. Before he left, he said, "Each time I come in here, it seems that their population just grows."