#3

Nothing all that funny has happened lately. Except more people asking where the bathrooms are. We should make maps.

Oh Trinity

So. The school I work in is pretty small, right near Catholic University's Campus in DC.

I've tried 3 times to get my staff ID printed. Finally it worked. Each time security had to verify that I was a staff member, asking me if I had my ID card. To which I would respond. "I'm new. I'm getting my ID card printed today." Oy.

On another note, I discovered something pretty funny yesterday. I was looking for paper towels to get some gunk off the cover of a book (we're in the process of switching from Dewey to Library of Congress) and someone made a bottle of "book spray" which I find hilarious. It's in a hairspray bottle and smells strongly of rubbing alcohol.

It's gonna be some experience workin' here, let me tell you!

#2

Anni, who also works in the evenings (she's the one who told me about the job, yay!) came downstairs after spending some time in the rare books room, which is tres cool.

Patron: "Do you have books on research?"
Me: Looks at her blankly. Thinking to self: "does she not know how to use the card catalog?" Then, aloud: "Let's look in the card catalog." Does the search. Lots of hits.
Me: "Do you have anything more specific?"
Patron: "Research and leadership"
Anni and I look at the screen, still lots of things are coming up in the catalog.
Anni: "That one might work...oh it's from 1975. She probably doesn't want anything from that early."
Me: "Is there a certain time that you don't want stuff from?"
Patron: "Not 1975. Newer stuff."
Anni and I look stuff up and write down some helpful call numbers. Patron leaves without so much as a "thank you"

Later:
Anni: "That's one of the best questions I've had in a long time. 'Do you have any books on research?'"
Me: "Blog time."

#1

I have just started a job working at Trinity University's library as a graduate assistant. So far it seems that I will be sitting at the reference desk, answering a few questions, and just doing some library stuff, mostly in the evenings.

Location: Trinity Reference Desk
Time: 5:20
What happened: Patron walks over to me and asks in a very quiet whisper: "Where are the restrooms?"
Me, being me decided to answer her more loudly than she asked: "The restrooms? There is one downstairs and there is one upstairs. There aren't any on this floor. The one downstairs is located at the foot of the stairs and to your right, and the one upstairs is located at the top of the stairs, also to your right."
Patron: "Oh my" and looks scared. Then sits back at her computer desk.
I sit here wondering why she didn't end up going. The directions aren't that complicated.