Gifting Patrons/Patron Gifting

A couple of months back, a very pregnant patron with a toddler in tow came up to me at the info desk and asked if I could help her with a flat tire.  I first asked if she had AAA or if she had a new car which included roadside assistance.  She said she had neither so I figured it was time to roll up my sleeves and get to work.  A few weeks later, I get an email from my supervisor saying that she stopped by to drop off this thank you gift.

It was my weekend off and he was really anxious to see what it was, he assumed it was a Rolex.  I told him he could open it, but he said he would wait impatiently until my next shift.

One thing library school professors don't tell you about public librarianship is about how thankless it is.  I can't speak for other library fields, I can only talk about my years of working with the public.  But I knew this before going in, you don't become a librarian only because you like to read or like books in general.  You do it because you genuinely love to help people and answer any and all questions imaginable.

During the holidays, patrons go out of their way to show their appreciation.  This was our break-room from this past holiday.

Rusty Reference.

It happens every time I am away from the desk for an extended period of time.  My first time back on the desk I have a mini-anxiety attack doubting myself if I can handle the next patron inquiry thrown at me.  It takes a couple of patron interactions before I find my groove and get my info-swagger back.  I do feel a little guilty for those first few select patrons who end up asking me more involved questions other than, "Where are the restrooms?" and "What time do you close tonight?"

My first patron interaction after my long New Year's break left me laughing at myself.  An elementary school patron came up and asked if we had any books on manners.  Instantly, the little hamster in my mind starting running in its wheel, my first thought was Emily Post's book on teen etiquette.  I asked her a few questions to narrow down my search and she replied, "Medieval manners."  Okay, so I started focusing on chivalry and knighthood.  I couldn't find anything in the branch that seemed to fit her needs exactly so I walked her over to the 395 area, I told her I would check the Medieval section and be right back.  After I walk back empty handed I find her standing in between the stacks waiting for me when she sheepishly says, "I was actually looking for manors, m-a-n-O-r-s."

I laughed at myself, apologized, and went back to the computer.  I was only able to find a few books with a blurb or two about medieval MANORS, but she seemed content with this because she was just looking for one or two physical books to use for her paper, the rest would be online resources.

Every time a student comes in asking for a book for a school project, we rarely find enough resources on the shelves.  I always ask them if they are allowed to use online resources, but they say that their teachers want them to use books if possible.  Teachers are going to have to adjust their assignment requirements.  If elementary school is supposed to prepare you for junior high, and junior high is supposed to prepare you for high school, and high school is supposed to prepare you for college, well, I never used an physical book for any of my college assignments and I had a LOT of them.  With libraries shifting materials budgets to digital materials, it leaves me wondering, "But what about the children!?!?"

The Library Comic Episode 2: The Library aka Public Tech Support.

With Christmas, excuse me -- the holidays, around the corner, I am bracing myself for the onslaught of newly acquired e-reader induced questions at the info desk.  Last year, the Kindle won the question competition, it wasn't even a fair fight.  My bet this season, the questions will be more varied among tablet/e-reader manufacturers.

The download process has not changed since last year, but I do know that some of my info coworkers are not the most tech savvy and still struggle when it comes to these reference queries.  They also like to hit my extension and call me out from the backroom to help them out so I have to mentally prepare myself.  If you thought some older librarians were hardcore Luddites, some of these patrons that come in make them look like Steve Wozniak.

There are certain times when fielding particular tech questions from patrons can be difficult.  Patrons have asked me for my personal recommendation on everything from doctors, printers, tablets, cell-phones, and automotive body shops.  Don't worry, I stick to "The Librarian Code" and remain unbiased.  Although some patrons don't get the hint when I tell that even though that "e-reader/tablet" they found at their local pharmacy bargain bin while waiting for their prescription fill, might seem like a great deal.  They'll end up paying more in the long run when their tablet fails in a couple of months.  I always tell them to go to a store and play around with all of the tablets to see which one they like best.

The library system I work at also has a no touching policy, which means hands off the patron's electronics you dirty, dirty minded people.  The system doesn't want to be in any way liable for any damage to patron's stuff.  It can get pretty frustrating when patrons can't quite maneuver their touch-pads and you're standing right next to them telling what to click on in order to log in to the library's WiFi or walk them through the whole e-book download process.  If it is this hard assisting patrons who are physically in the library, imagine what it's like trying to help patrons over the phone.  Remote desktop access must relieve stress in IT departments, they can see and control what the end-user sees instead of running down the script of questions, "Is it turned on? Is it plugged in?  Is the power on?  Did you try turning it off and on?"

Happy Labor Day to all the Library Workers out there...

Happy Labor Day to all the underpaid, under-appreciated, hard-working library workers out there.

To every library worker out there who has to deal with this BS of the "new-normal" of "doing more with less."

You are not alone in your struggle.  We are all in this together, so let's raise a full glass of top-shelf alcohol and enjoy this day off, you damn well deserve it!

Librarians and Book Displays...

This library creepster stared at me my whole shift.

Librarians love, love, LOVE their book displays.  It's one of the few ways they can show off their creativity at work.  It reminds me of grade school and how teachers would decorate their classrooms and bulletin boards, I find it strangely comforting.  Unfortunately, there is only one small space dedicated to displays at my branch and it's tucked away in a corner in non-fiction. 

A lot of library backrooms are bound to be filled with holiday themed decorations.  I believe librarians tend to become hardcore hoarders the longer they've been in the profession, especially now with dwindling budgets.  So I really shouldn't have been surprised when I encountered this display when I covered another branch during their staff meeting.  Of course a librarian would own a life-size cardboard cut-out of Fabio.

It's The End of the World.

Who's ready for New Year's?? --- I am!

Time to drink it up.

I never did get drunk since finishing this damn MLIS, so I really have to make up for that tomorrow night.

I'll have my 3 buddies with me so I don't think I'll have a problem.

Here's to another year!

Covering Another Branch's Info Desk...

Last week I covered another branch's info desk while they held their Chris... Holiday party.


Despite it being a much larger library than my own, I helped a total of 4 people in the 3 hours I was there. 

If that wasn't bad enough, all of their screen resolutions were set to legally blind.  They must of had a default font size of 20 for their browsers --- I had to scroll down on Google to find the search bar. 
Their default search engine was also set to Bing... what the hell.  It's bad enough that we are forced to use Internet Explorer; I really need to have a talk with the librarian in charge of tech stuff there.

It all reminded me of a Parks and Rec episode: "Why does everyone in this town use AltaVista? Is it 1997?"

Damn You Black Friday...

6 - Free After Rebate Software programs to flip. 2 - HTC Flyers. 1 - Samsung Tab. 1 - Nook Color. 1 - Pair of high-tops. That was my haul during the first few days of the Holiday shopping season that kicked off last week. The real kicker is I didn't have to deal with annoying crowds... annoying crowds armed with pepper-spray. Reminiscing about working Black Fridays makes me hate people even more. If you want to see how low people will stoop all in the name of claiming a "killer deal," then just join the masses who camp out on Black Friday and trample others just to save a few bucks. How much further can they push it? Christmas creep sets in way before Thanksgiving now. Stores now open Thursday night. Cyber-Monday deals are available the weekend before. Before you know it, the mall and all of the stores will keep the holiday decorations up all year long like those perpetual Christmas stores that somehow stay in business. They must be fronts for money laundering or something shady, no one in their right mind loves Christmas that much to support those stores.

I'll Play Along...

I am not a big fan of Valentine's Day. I am on the side of calling it a Hallmark Holiday.
One of my classmates gave every one a Hershey's Kiss. I seriously felt like I was in grade school and I was supposed to bring in Valentine's Day cards for the whole class ("I Choo, Choo, Choose You").
I wasn't scheduled to work today, but I can imagine the copious amounts of red my coworkers must have worn. Wouldn't be surprised if there were some heart covered sweaters involved... ::shudder::

Holiday Office Parties....

This is my Holiday office decoration.  My friend named him, "Code-E" because he likes reading barcodes--harharhar.  I ended up cannibalizing a Mr. Potato Head I found in one of my cubicle drawers, I have no idea how it ever got there.  I also found the Christmas ornament in my cubicle when I first moved in, its dated from 1998.

This past weekend I attended my girlfriend's Holiday office party, screw being P.C., let's keep it real - it was a Christmas party, with Christmas trees and Christmas songs.  It had an open bar, need I say more?

For some reason this year's party is being held at the Assistant Branch Manager's house.  Egads man, are you serious!??!  You're supposed to keep the worlds in your life separated for your personal well-being.  Work stuff stays at work, and home stuff stays at home.  The only reasons why I have had co-workers come over to mine, is because we're friends.  I don't want to "hang out" at my manager's house.  I have no idea why the big meeting room isn't good enough.

There's around 40 of us in the branch, so I'm not quite sure how we are going to fit together in any room at one given time.  I'm contemplating calling out, or I should say I have violent allergic reactions to felines, OF COURSE SHE HAS A CAT.  I would be more surprised if she didn't have one.

It's a potluck and I opted to bring in some sort of baked goods, I haven't had a chance to visit the bakery at the grocery yet.  I can't cook and I won't subject anyone to it.  I'm the dependable drinks / chips / cups / utensils / plates / napkins kind of guy, but of course the sign up sheet explicitly said that those will supplied.... Cup-Blockers!