Ok, I started this blog to share my issues, my frustrations, the highlights of my day-to-day work at a public library reference desk in an unnamed Indiana city of 30,000. This is my first post.
Maybe I enjoyed school. Public library work entails, more than any other library setting i've worked in, a varied clientele. Our patrons have such a diverse range of needs that it takes a truly intelligent- in addition to savvy, information searcher. This all takes a lot of patience, believe me.
Case number one: early-to-mid twenties male. "I'm looking for your books on the time period 1700-1750." Me: "Ok, what kinds of things are you interested in?"
Patron: "It's not for me. It's for her (turning to now-present female accomplice)."
Me: "Are you interested in looking at North America, or maybe Europe??"
Female patron: "I really don't care. It's for school. I just need to write a paper about something that happened from 1700-1750."
Intermission. Stop there. Now, you might not be a history major. If you are, and you show that much unabashed apathy towards such a wide-open topic then you might want to consider a new major. Right away, too.
Is it just me, or should I take it so hard that she just "doesn't care?" Am I more unique that I enjoyed researching for school papers considerably more than this young lady? Should I be concerned with the fact that college-aged students seem this apathetic in general? Should I dismiss the whole thing and be happy with the fact that neither she nor her male companion were too shy to ask?
Eh, it's not a big deal. My librarian partner today had my back when I picked up the phone mid-search. She ended up directing the young lady to a few books on some unique topics that she might or might not find beneficial. This is but one example of the types of patrons I will now write about regularly.
Until next time,
Shalom.
