The Day in the Life of a Librarian

People always say "Oh it must be great to be a librarian, getting to read all the time"... well, believe me, we didn't just set around and read. I became one about 12 yrs ago. It was a dream job for me... people couldn't believe that rowdy me, could stand to work in such a quiet place! It wasn't always so quiet though, we had some interesting patrons.

One man in particular who I really felt bad for, would start having Vietnam flashbacks while in the library. He would remove himself from the building; go outside to a shade tree area and hide. I'd check on him from time to time, and caught him eating leaves off the tree.... I don't know why. My heart went out to him though and you could just sense he was not dangerous. Years later my son goes into a different school, and who is one of his teachers?! Yup, that's right, the vet was his teacher. I didn't say anything to my son about his affliction, but soon he came home and said

"Wow Mr.... had flashbacks today in class and was hiding under his desk!!"

You'd be surprised at the number of homeless people who wonder in also, especially in the winter...hitchhikers getting in from the cold for a bit, they were easy to spot, and as long as they didn't fall asleep, we let them do their thing. Sometimes I had to chase down some church funds for the homless.

Is there a dictionary in your house? I took at least 5 phone calls a day asking me how to spell a word.

"I need the chemical equation for rust"
" Hello, I can't find my kids..."
" Why can't I look at porn?! That's censorship!!"

Then an old couple comes in who wants to learn to use the computers,
a shipment of books comes in,
someone needs college and grants information,

"What are the state statutes on Junk yards?"
"10 cents! What do you mean I OWE 10 CENTS?!!
"What are the city laws on poultry?"
"I need a picture of a knight with armor"
"I had a dream I need interpreted"
"I want to breed rabbits"
"I need my grandmas obituary"
"I think the printer is broke ..."
"I reserved that book 2 weeks ago grrrrr !!!"
"It must be nice to set around and read all the time!" HA! Yea right!

2 pubescent boys that I will always remember had crushes on me. One I had seen grow up, and he was the smartest kid in town...he made me a Christmas present, a candy cane made with rhinestones.

The other boy, sort of a thug who would come in wearing his black leather coat (despite the season) and stand right in front of my desk "I didn't know they made librarians like you!!" What a little flirt he was!

We remodeled the Library while I was there; we had a correctional facility nearby with some fabulous artists.... and were always reaching out to the facility for help on things. They brought a huge group of convicts to the library to paint,. They painted nearly every inch of the building; painted green vines on the walls of the children's library, and some other things...they did a fabulous job and treated us with SO much respect, more so than the general public. We were able to convince all the powers that be...to let us display the art that was being done by the convicts. The art teacher came in with their work... dozens and dozens of rolled up handkerchiefs. They had all of their art work on them, using pens, markers, etc to make some of the most fascinating scenes you will ever see. As an amateur artist, I soaked it all in... And was moved to tears by some. Too bad I couldn't ask about the stories behind the scenes.

THEN there was "him" ...I can't remember his name, but he was once step away from the nut house. He had a thing for Mariah Carry like you wouldn't believe! He would go to the teen magazines, find every photo of hers, and want copies. He often took the magazines into the restroom with him, he would steal them too if we didn't watch him close. The director finally told him NOT to do it anymore. Once he was SO insistent on his Mariah Carry copies, he came into my office, and had me trapped... he was nuts I tell you! After that, I had pepper spray velcroed under my desk for him.... just waiting for him to try it again!

Alot of people also ask you to recommend books and the two I will always recommend as my personal favorites is
"Ride the Wind" by Lucia St Clair Robson, the fictionalized story of Cynthia Ann Parker , Quanah Parkers mother. It will take you from tears to laughter, and back to tears.

The other book is "Swan Song" by Robert McCammon... the scariest horror ive EVER READ !! You will be afraid to go to the bathroom by yourself!!!

Well this was just a look into the days I spent as a librarian, it takes a special passion for the job to be able to do it . I wonder where all these electronic books will end up, where will the libraries end up. We've had them since the days of the pharaohs, what will the new digital age do to our libraries, kind of worries me to think about.

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