sometimes i take my ten minute break on the couch in the women's bathroom.

Glory, Glory Hallelujah!

Attention LRC Comrades:

Remember that time last year when Josh said,
"We're merging the LRC and the Circ desk! This will be a great idea!"
And I said,
"Josh, that is the WORST idea anyone has ever had."

Well, it looks like I was totally right. Glory, glory hallelujah: The LRC and the Circ Desk are two again. I firmly believe in segregating books and movies.

reflection

i just remembered a funny incident that happened a couple weeks ago.

phone rings. lanee picks it up.

lanee: "LRC, this is Lanee."

patron speaks.

lanee: "you need to get your van driving license?"

patron speaks.

lanee: "no... you can't get that here. Umm... this is the LRC. In the library."

apparently people call the library with any old question. i myself have helped many a patron over the phone with their bizarre requests:

me: "circulation, how may i help you?"

patron: "yes, i need the number for the better business bureau in wichita, kansas."

pause.

me: "umm... one moment. " (enter "better business bureau wichita" into google search) "it's 316-263-3146."

another one:

me: "circulation, how may i help you?"

patron: "what is 70 percent of 200?"

me: "well, let me pull out a calculator and look for you."

7-12pm shift

every time i wake up for this shift i say the f word.

LRC Confessions

Sometimes, when I'm doing an area check, I'm tempted to pull out a chair or two just so I'll have something to do an hour later when I do the next area check.

Summer is so slow.

oops...

maybe i just published a personal blog on the lrc blog on accident... i'm not sure how to take the post off entirely, so i'll just say this: the lrc is the most magical place on earth. the end.

R.I.P. MAS

I thought the funeral for MAS yesterday was lovely and fitting. It's hard to describe but the whole time I felt this subtle undercurrent of courage and joy.  It's nice when a funeral is not just mourning a loss but more of a celebration of the future.  Or, in the case of cumbersome computer programs that none of us really liked anyway, a celebration of a loss.

Also, I think it's endlessly hilarious that Won emailed in his regards FROM KOREA.  Won is number one!

And now, for a legitimate LRC observation!  I knew it would only be a matter of time before I had one!  This is one that I like to call the "Headphones Tango."

Let me set up the scenario for you:

You're sitting at the first computer right next to the cash register, probably reading a small novel.  Mr. or Ms. Patron comes up and asks for a pair of headphones.  "Sure thing," you say as you stand up and head for the headphones drawer.  As you make your way over you notice that for some strange reason, PatronPants is following you down the desk like a puppy or a small child or a partner in a cheesy vaudeville act where you're pretending the other person is actually a reflection in the mirror...???  So then you grab the headphones and start back to your computer and, once again, the patron dutifully follows you.

I have to fight the urge to laugh every time, but what can be done?  Any attempt to stop it would just sound demeaning ("Stay!  Stay patron!  BAD patron!") or take too long ("Oh, you don't have to do that!  I'm just a-heading down this way cuz that's where we keep the headphones darlin'! I'll be back over here to swipe your card in a matter of seconds!").

Conclusion: people are silly, especially library patrons.