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."

All up in my FACE, I hate that!!!!

This afternoon, a patron approached me at the desk to inquire about the computer time guidelines.

He was leaning over the desk all in my face. I saw what used to be his entire grill! There
was one thin pointy tooth in the front. Nothing but black space surrounding it. The bottom
of what used to be a row had some enamel points spaced here and maybe there(2-3.)
And......more BLACK SPACE, there were even craters. I was so digusted. He just kept
asking me more and more questions and leaning further over the desktop. It got to the
point where I was leaning backward in my seat. I was hoping the look of disgust was not
plastered on my face.

He finally understood and walked away. I had to explain the proceedures four times. At the end of each of the first three explainations, he would say, "I don't understand? Why is that policy in place?" I realize that he may have held hope that my explaination may have changed during one of those times, but it didn't. Policy is policy. I don't make the rules, I just explain them all day long.

****He was dressed in gothic attire, black leather trench coat and all********

And you said it with a straight face

The trend has not been broken. One of the many Shems approached me at the reference desk.

Shem: "I tried to book a computer but when I selected Main Library, the screen just went back to the home page. I need help with words, I mean I am illiterate. I mean, I can read and write, but I am a little dyslexic, but I can use the internet just fine. I just need you to write a few words down for me."

Psychiatry
Counselor
Transgender Resource
I took the Shem's library card and attempted to book internet time. When I asked what was needed, the response was, " I need the first available timeslot."

Well, the first available timeslot was the next hour. The Shem determined that would be too long of a wait. Razor shaved eyebrows, man's longsleeve sweater, woman's tight pencil skirt, socks and tennis shoes.


WHY DID I SEE:

A patron walking past a stink zone while holding his nose closed. MAN, HOW I HAVE WANTED TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING MANY A DAY, TIME, HOUR, BUT I didn't want to offend anyone by my actions.

Pissed off to the highest pisstivity!!!!!

Last hour on the reference desk, last 10 minutes. Why did I answer the telephone?

Bruh Man on a cell phone outside somewhere with someone giving him the words( yeah, I heard all of that.)

1st question: " Which president fought in the French/Indian War before he was president?"

My colleague and I conducted the search (trying to end the call as soon as possible because our time was almost up.) The answer we came up with is George Washington.

I retrieve the telephone and tell this fool: "George Washington fought in the scuffle that became known as the prelude to the French/Indian War"

Bruh Man says: "Negative." This angers me, because I felt as if it was a game and he had decided to call the library and just mess with someboday and I happened to be the one who
answered the telephone. I asked him, " Well, who is it then?" He told me he didn't know and proceeded to:

Bruh Man then asks: "Can you look something else up for me?"

I said, "No, you need to come into the library and conduct your own search!"

He says," You can just Google the question? I want to know who said Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes."

Finally, I look it up after debating with him on his need to come into the library and look these things up himself.

Wikipedia says it has never been determined who made the statement, there is a debate between it being Colonel William Prescott or General Israel Putnam.

*update***I have conducted further research for this post and found that it has been deemed that Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Andrew Agnew made the statement on June 27, 1743.

The fool tells me that is not who it could have been and I need to search further. I told him, " No, you need to come in here and do the search!" He then tells me that he is in another state and not able to do that. I told him that he was outside and calling from a 415 area code, so if he was out of state, he was on a cell phone. Me not thinking, the prefix was a ghettro cell and you know he wouldn't have been able to call from another state on that. You can barely call from another county.

The fool asked me how I new he was calling from a 415 number. I told him that I had caller-id. He then said, " I can come in and you can help me!" I said, " No, because I probably won't be here by the time you get here." He asked me what my name is. I told him that I wasn't giving him my name. He then asked me where I work. I asked the fool, " Where did you call?" We went back and forth, until I finally gave him the address of the library. He said, "Well, I want to know where you are!" I gave him the address of the library again and hung up in his face.

By this time my supervisor had come to the desk and he said, " Breath!" I told him that dude might call back because I hung up in his face.

2 Days later and a new attitude

Dude from Tuesday's post approached me at the desk as if he didn't insult me two days earlier. He asked me question after question. I answered his questions. The more he spoke, the clearer it became that he is uncomfortable with his lack of knowledge. He was trying to complete an application for an overseas ministry. He was having trouble understanding and completing the questions.

Oh but see.......Helping you with your job application is not in my job description. He asked for the history of the company. I gave him a printout of what they have on their website. He asked for a list of the countries in which they outreach. Once again, I gave him a printout of what is listed on their website.

He then proceeded to stand in front of me at the desk and expect me to go over each question with him. I surprised his butt. I helped the next person that approached the desk, which forced him to move out of the way.

Say WHAT?????

How is it that you think you can curse me out because the free internet access isn't working as fast as you think it should?

This man called me over to help him because the terminal he was at wouldn't shut down. He didn't take into consideration that he had four different windows open and he wanted the computer to shut down immediately.

I turned the hard drive off and tried to explain to the man that he wouldn't be completely logged off that terminal until it had reboted. He started yelling," THAT'S SOME BULL SH*T" along with some other stuff that I tuned out. Finally, I said, " You know what, it is what it is and you can take it however you want." I then walked away while he was still talking.

These people never cease to amaze. How is it that you can complain about something that is made available to you at no cost whatsoever?

Wrong foot, Wrong statement, wrong time of day

5:25 p.m., I get off at 6:00 p.m. A young African American man approached me at the desk.

I ask, " Can I help you?"

He says, "I want to test your knowledge."

I am tired and I really didn't feel like playing games, so I told him so. He says:


"I guess it is gonna take a white man to answer my question." THAT WAS THE WRONG STATEMENT!!!!!!!

I said, " I suggest you go find one who will answer the question for you because I AM NOT IN THE MOOD TO PLAY GAMES!!!!!!!"

He says, " Oh, okay, take the I want to test your knowledge out of the question."

He wanted a continent or nation without a governing body. I gave him two possible books for him to find the answer. He didn't look too happy to discover that I wasn't just going to look up the answer for him.

***It sounded like a trivia question that instructors throw out for extra credit.**** I stopped giving out answers after my first semester as a Reference librarian at the community college.

Highlight from the week of 10/2/2006

Wednesday evening as I was preparing to leave for the day, one of the supervisors came into the work area looking flustered.

Me: "What's wrong?"

Sup: "Is it a full moon today?"

Me: "I don't know, you need to check that out."

He lets out a huge sigh. So I ask.........

" What's wrong? You only have one more hour to go."

Sup: "There is this man who keeps coming back to the desk and asking if this is the 5th floor( we are located on the third floor.)

I began laughing because "the Brotha Man" character from the Martin show came to mind.
The supervisor was giving me an odd look. I thought about whether or not I should explain what made the incident funny or if I should leave it alone. In the end I decided to leave it alone for the evening. It was time for me to go and it would have taken to long to explain the connection.

To the left, to the left please

Ususally it's the librarian who sits on the left side of the reference who receives the most questions from patrons. THAT IS NOT THE CASE whenever I am at there. I get all of the walk-ups. There was a line in front of me and the lines starts..................you guessed it, to the left.

My revenge tactic for my co-workers.................I stopped answering the telephone reference questions. Since most of these folks will let me answer a line of questions, while they are doing whatever it is they do, I stopped answering the telephone. If I mention the line, I hear, "Oh, I didn't realize there was a line." Well if you looked up from the computer, your book, magazine, whatever, you might see the line!

Educating Librarians

My fellow cocoa librarian stopped me yesterday and informed me of the conversation he had with a few of the vanilla librarians earlier. He was asked by one if there was a Negro National Anthem and if so, what is it? As he was explaining to one, another jumps in and admits that he had never heard of the song(folks are nosey up in here and they will butt in on your conversations from 1-3 aisles over.

He was disturbed by that lack of knowledge that our fellow librarians exhibited. I told him that maybe it depends on where and how you are raised. He insisted that a person's upbringing had nothing to do with what they should know in aduthood.

Final Result: He will be conducting a mini-cultural awareness training during the next staff meeting. The sole focus will be what the Negro National Anthem is and it's history.