Book eating Monsters

I cannot explain what is happening to our collection. We are missing books daily. When I think of people taking books it makes me cranky. I am depressed. Just stab me again.

As I think of all those lost books feeling lonely missing their shelf-mates, I wonder what really happened to them. I shudder to think of their fates; Balancing a lopsided coffee table, a dog's chew toy, a dust collector under a bed. Oh sad day.

How terrible of a person are you if you feel you have to swipe a book from the library?

That's low.

I have decided that it is in my best interest to shelter my little self from this patrons-keep-taking-our-books depression. So from now on I will begin to believe in Book Eating Monsters. Ahhh. Serenity now, serenity now......

Wench at the desk

I'm feeling kinda of bitter today.

Turf Wars

I cannot understand this bizarre tension between access services staff and the librarians, or more specifically the reference librarians. Sure there may be some sort of established hierarchy, that is everywhere. Yet I cannot understand this aggressiveness. I have a bottom line. If I or any of my staff can assist a patron asap then so be it.

I do not see how good customer service can be this:

Patron: "Hi. I'm looking up information on topic X. I need some help determining which database to use. Can you help me?"

Access service staff: "Sure, one moment. I'll call the librarian to help you." Meanwhile you and the patron stare at each other while you wait for a librarian to come and help.

Why can't it be like this?:
Access service staff: "Sure I can help you with that. To get started what you want to do is..... If need any additional help let me know and we can arrange for a reference librarian to assist you."
You see patrons really don't know nor care whom at the desk has the MLS or not. They want help and need it, I doubt that they want to debate the issue of stars upon thars. Service is gold. Waiting is not something people prefer, particularly if a reasonably capable person is in front of them. This may be more apparent at those libraries where the operation of "one-desk" is used. Those of you with one desk for circulation and another for reference may not experience this sort of issue. Or at least on the magnitude I have.

Geesh. This is stressing me out.

If you thought Google maps were cool

Then you really need to check this site out.

Terrafly is another way to get aerial pictures of the US.

And it has a cool navigation bar, so Top Gun.

Look here article searcher

Find articles.

This could be helpful.

Reminder to self

When given the choice do not sit in the back most row on the shuttle. It makes for a bumpy ride and difficult reading. Headache will result.

Why can't I seem to remember this?

And they rejoiced

Finally the toner arrived.

And peace blanketed the kingdom...........

Keep Cool, Baby

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.
Thomas Jefferson

I so need that now.

Here little toner, here little toner.

No toner.

I called Xerox to follow up AGAIN. I talked with a charming gal (Read: sassy irate employee). She informed me that according to her little screen there was no such thing as a "back-order" for the model I need. And asked why was there a problem. Because 1. I have no toner! 2. I've called 3 times and 3. No one @ Xerox seems to give me good information.

Oh yes, I see, I must have made this all up, just a little game in my own little head. I am so desperate for conversation that I need to call Xerox to talk to someone.

I'd much rather talk to the DMV.

I explained that she is now number 3, as in the third person I have called to get info on this bloody order. No one has been able to provide me with a tracking number or a reasonable date of delivery. She proceeded to tell me that Xerox does not guarantee delivery dates, blah, blah, blah, that I must have talked to someone that didn't know what they were doing, blah, blah, blah. Except that there is consistency. I am told every time that it has been shipped and will arrive in 3-5 days.

Turns out our order hasn't been shipped. (HAHAHAHA! Now that is so funny. The best joke ever.) It seems I must have artificially placed an order weeks ago. What kind of business operates like this?

My idea of a Xerox brainstorm session
Xerox decision maker1: "Hey I have an idea. When someone places an order let's just not ship it. That way they will have to call and call and waste their time."

Xerox decision maker 2: "Yeah, good idea. Imagine the $$$ we can save by not shipping"

Xerox decision maker 1: "Right! We really want to make sure that they Need the product. There's no sense in being efficient."

Xerox decision maker 2: "Precisely. Why should it be easy for the consumer?"

Both erupt in maniacal laughter.

Jerks.

Calgon take me away!

No toner?

Still no toner. What the heck kind of delivery does Xerox use? Mules? For crying out loud what must I do?

Ahhh. Yes hide. That will work nicely. Let me find my little "out to lunch" sign. I'll put in place and find a corner somewhere and lay low.

Out of toner send HELP

We are out of toner. Have been for days. The natives are beginning to plot and we are afraid. What will we do, how will we survive?

Please Library Gods tell me why is it that toner for a Xerox Phaser 5500 cannot be located in the Mid-Atlantic region? What is the mystery behind this madness? What could possibly be causing this insane supply crisis? I have called and searched the web even visited local stores.

Never thought I would have to resort to blackmarket toner dealings.

News is News

If you are like me and you have zippo time to catch up on all the news but want to at least have some sense of reality this site is for you.

Topix.net

There you can quickly and easily find relevant news to you. Here you can sift through the mountains of information in one swoop. Quick and easy.

So now you have no excuse not to know what (or who) Hollywood stars are doing. Wow your colleagues, impress your patrons, be a source of information. You too can be a cool know-it-all librarian.

Fines what are they good for?

Why do patrons feel obligated to avoid paying for their fines.

Sure take our books, keep them as long as you want, and when you return them you owe nothing. We have tons of money to replace all those books you damaged you naughty patron you. Because we aim to please, and you are the only person we care about. You are our number one priority.

Please.

This is so ridiculous. I cannot believe the irresponsibility of the people coming to my desk.

I was too tired, too sick, too poor, no phone, can't read, no legs, blah, blah, blah.

Librarians have been too nice for too long. Patrons have abused our collections and they will fight to the end to pass the cost back to us. Heaven forbid they pay to replace the book their rowdy puppy ate, or pay fines for an excessively overdue book.

I should carry a bazooka every time a patron comes to dispute a fine. Perhaps then will they begin to reconsider the dispute.

Book of the Week: Blink by: Malcolm Gladwell

Read this book! It will open your eyes to the ways of the human mind.

How does a snap judgment impact your life? Are you able to look at something and know there is a problem but cannot put a finger on exactly what? Are you able to tell when someone is intentionally trying to deceive you? If so then you may be using the part of your adaptive unconscious to make decisions.

intriguing and very informative. I plan on looking into the things and people he referred to; Such as the face experts Silvan Tomkins and Paul Ekman.