Library Alchemy

Friday!!

Now, notice, it hasn’t been a bad week at all — just busy, with a few wobbles.  But there’s something fun and liberating about Friday, no matter how excellent the rest of the week has been.

9:30 a.m.

I am technically late.  This is because my trip here was interrupted by a very long reference question.

In library school, my reference resources professor told us that you can tell whether or not you were born to do reference by the way strangers approached you in public.  If they’re always coming up to you in stores where you clearly don’t work, and asking where things are, or stopping you on the street for directions, you are probably a born reference librarian.

This happens to me all the darned time, which is reassuring, because it would really stink to have chosen incorrectly at this stage of the vocational game.  Today’s adventure involved directing an out-of-town stranger to one of our many local hospitals.  Given how treacherous a city this is to drive in, what with its non-grid layout and confusing neighborhood routes, the reference interview and subsequent direction-giving took a while.

So, the letter of the law, and the spirit. 

9:51 a.m.

There are two things I would really like to accomplish today:  finish next week’s book ordering tools, and do some flipping manual labor for a change.

One of the biggest drawbacks of intellectual work is that you sit still a lot.  Perhaps this is why, when I’m at the desk, I’m the world’s most running-around reference librarian.  I’ll go get books for people.  I’ll shelve.  I’ll even run my own chases sometimes, if we’re not really busy (er, don’t tell my fabulous boss, please — he’ll think I”m weirder than I already am).  In short, I like tasks where I can engage my body as well as my brain, so on Fridays I try to do something like weed, or hunt for missing books.

Today’s plan is to grab a cart and head for the reference Zs, to see what could be moved to circ, and, perhaps, what could be weeded.  But first, I’ve got to get these books ordered.  Motivational music = a veritable Beck marathon.  Because Beck = love.

11:15 a.m.

Another example of the letter and the spirit:  a junior colleague came to me for advice, so I put the tools aside and we did some of that mentoring stuff for a bit.  The external work will always be there; the real work, of connecting to people, should always be seized in the moment.

Mentoring is a topic that seems to have come up a lot this week.  For more insights, and loads of good advice, see Will Manley’s recent essay, Mentors and Movers and Shakers.

11:39 a.m.

Accidentally spill coffee on Choice.  Declare aloud that I am going to library hell.  Speculate with colleagues whether there is a library hell, and if so, what it would be like.  One librarian suggests that perhaps it is a place where the only question you hear all day long is, “Where’s the bathroom?”  Hilarity ensues.

12:07 p.m.

Tweeeeet!  Shenanigans have been called on a book review.  I quote:

“The work lacks purpose, substance, depth and organization.  Individual readers and public libraries may wish to purchase this book, but it is not appropriate for academic collections.”

Wait, what?  So it’s a poorly written book, ergo it’s fit for the public library population, or someone who just wouldn’t know any better?  I’m sure that’s not what the reviewer meant, but I’m not entirely happy about the — presumably unconscious — intellectual bias here.

PS:  I’m not buying the book either.  Neeeeeener.  My patrons deserve well-written books, too.

12:38 p.m.

Finally done with next week’s tools.  Don’t want to start a new major project so close to lunchtime, so I go pick up my book holds at customer service and fiddle with the blog.

1:02 p.m.

Skimmed newsreader before heading out to lunch.  Not much going on.

1:58 p.m.

Have enjoyed a lovely lunch, and am finally ready to head up to the reference stacks with an empty cart to pull books for reclass/weeding.  Our stacks are simply beautiful, and being up there is a soothing, meditative experience, despite the occasional mustiness of the books, so don’t be alarmed if you don’t hear from me for a while.

2:05 p.m.

Never mind.  Apparently the stacks elevator is out of order again, which means that unless you’re going to fifth stack or eighth stack, no carts are going anywhere anytime soon.

Off to find a Plan B.

2:51 p.m.

Since I have the last reference shift of the day, I thought my time would best be put to use cleaning and packing up so that there are no loose ends while I’m gone.  Knocked off a flurry of e-mails and tiny tasks, too.

3:06 p.m.

Ensconced at reference desk, amid cheerful chaos.  My desk partner was off helping someone else, so I juggled a few mundane requests with a longer-term reference question, feeling a lot like Tom Cruise in Cocktail.

The reference patron, however, had one of those awesome “the library changed my life” stories.  I will never get tired of hearing those.  He came back today for another life-changing thing, and we had a lot of support materials, so I urged him to come back and let us know how the story ends.

3:41 p.m.

A long string of computer questions, including a wireless issue and the week’s first pornography problem, which is actually technology-related rather than rights-related:  with porn comes spyware, and somebody’s nasty little habits have temporarily taken one terminal out of commission.

4:20 p.m.

Lots of good questions–almost too busy to update! 

Also just received a tech update.  IT and the database vendors are still trying to figure out what’s wrong with remote access.  They’ve posted notice on the webpage to alert patrons ahead of time.

4:32 p.m.

First really uncomfortable transaction of the week.  Had to explain to someone that sometimes authors choose to have unlisted phone numbers to protect their privacy.  Patron was somewhat upset that I did not have a super-secret directory of unlisted author telephone numbers.

4:45 p.m.

Do we have books on English history?  Do we ever!

5:00 p.m.

It’s been very quiet, but I know that as soon as those closing bells start ringing, there will be a flurry of activity, so I’d best stop here.

Thank you for graciously reading through a whole week of mundane details from my library life.  Your reward?  Another book giveaway!

You’ll have more time for this one, because I’ll be on vacation all next week.  Those who choose to comment by 8/7/2010 will have the opportunity to win a hardback copy of either:

The Year of the Flood, Margaret Atwood,

or

Haunting Bombay, Shilpa Agarwal.

Fire away, and do indicate which book you’d prefer, if you win.

And when I come back, hopefully rested and refeshed, well…your guess is as good as mine.

Yesterday we saw a wobbly Alchemy day.  However, after some social time with my partner, and a good night’s sleep, I’m ready to tackle Thursday.

9:51 a.m.

Hit the ground running.  New instructions from the IT guy in my e-mail.  Called the vendor.  Copied the other IT gang on my response reporting my actions.  Am using e-mail primarily because I want a paper trail on this one.

10:03 a.m.

After a brief consultation with my boss, wrote up a summary e-mail of the issue and sent it to all parties currently participating in solving the database issue, to make sure we are all on the same page.

10:23 a.m.

In book order, methodically trying to polish off this ABPR.  Vaguely alarmed that next week’s ordering tools haven’t arrived yet.  They’re normally here by now, and since I’m on vacation all next week, that means tomorrow could become a book-order / YouTube fest in which I have to call every take-out joint in Oakland to see who will deliver to a cubicle.

On the bright side, a colleague from IT came to find me to tell me they’re going to take the database problem from here.  Sweet, sweet relief!

11:15 a.m.

Finished ABPR.  Needed a breather before diving into anything else (that print, so tiny!), so I went downstairs to get an iced coffee and pick up my library books.  My number finally came up for Adam Ross’s Mr. Peanut, which, based on reviews, I will probably like.  Here’s hoping.

While waiting in line for my coffee, I could not help but be impressed by our feisty volunteer who aggressively canvasses the ranks of those waiting to be caffeinated and promotes today’s sales in the library’s used bookstore.  I have great role models for aging Hepburnlike, I’ll tell you what…

11:32 a.m.

Trying to figure out all the policies, procedures and forms needed to reserve a specific room for database trainings.  I don’t do much programming, and it shows.  Luckily, others who do this a little more often are helpfully shepherding me through the process.

11:51 a.m.

Browsing my newsreader.  Skill skeptical of Kindles, but marginally encouraged by the continued innovations and price drops.  A large chunk of my service population, though, still can’t afford this.  I suppose I need to give it time.

11:57 a.m.

Hear the dulcet tones of a dear friend and colleague in the office next door, and run over to pounce on her!  Not literally, but she’s just come back after an absence.  There was some question about whether the grant that funds her department would be renewed, and — much to everybody’s relief — it was.

12:18 p.m.

Spending my lunch break on Facebook, as I have no errands to run, and I have just reconnected with an old friend from college.  I love Facebook.  Most of my family and friends live far away now, but thanks to technology, we can stay active and involved in each other’s lives. 

On a more professional note, the amount of stuff you can learn from Facebook  is pretty amazing.  Especially since so many librarians have gone to the trouble of synching Twitter and Facebook.  Now I can read Twitter updates without actually having to deal with Twitter.  Win-win.

1:09 p.m.

Back in the phone room with a pile called “things I keep meaning to work on.”  Will start with super-secret internet project.  Mwahaha.

1:28 p.m.

Printed out directions to Bookstock II, the super-awesome, staff-organized library fundraiser happening this Saturday night.  If you’re in the area this weekend, stop by and see what a posse of motivated, determined library workers can do.

2:07 p.m.

It never fails – the end of the shift is when you get the long, complicated question that bleeds into the next shift.  Am busy on a chat question, checking journal holdings – the patron has a long list of journals they’re interested in, so of course I want to check print and digital access…

2:22 p.m.

Whew.  Most of the journals the patron wanted were available at the University Next Door, but not here.  We try not to duplicate the academic collections on either side of us.

Learn that we will start text message reference service…next week, when I am not here to play with it.  Pout.  Receive gentle reminder from colleague that text message reference will still be here to play with when I get back.  Adjust attitude.  Yay text reference!  This should definitely be interesting.

2:43 p.m.

While working through a pile of odds-and-ends tasks on my desk, unearth an appointment card for an upcoming doctor visit I forgot I had.  Pray for the millionth time that nobody will come over from Pitt/SIS and take my MLIS away.  Headdesk.

2:48 p.m.

Leaf through a book catalog and order a few random titles.  We have a special electronic form set up in our intranet, so that any books we find outside the official ordering tools can be purchased quickly and efficiently.

3:20 p.m.

Took a quick break /spin around the building.  After working behind the scenes all day, it’s gratifying to walk around and see so many people enjoying the library in different ways:  curled up with books in the International Poetry room; reading magazines in the two periodical rooms; snacking, chatting, and reading in the coffeeshop and on the outdoor deck, etc.

3:47 p.m.

If you’re honest with yourself, you know that there comes a time in your workweek when your brain is officially broken.  My time has arrived. 

I’ve been cleaning out my desk and knocking off low-hanging-fruit tasks to try to motivate myself to keep going.  Luckily, I’ll get to spend the final shift of the day at the reference desk, which will make it much easier to stay engaged and present.

4:02 p.m.

Escorted someone down to the Job and Career center to use our typewriter.  Yes, typewriter.  I’m surprised, too, by how frequently people use it…but pleasantly so.

4:09 p.m.

Cutest thing ever:  two tween patrons literally bounced in looking for piano scores / sheet music.  Showed them to the music department.

4:12 p.m.

Patron returns the external floppy drive.  After we converted our computers to USB-only, we purchased one external floppy for every department.  Patrons who still use disks can check it out on their card for in-library use.

4:14 p.m.

Explained where our two checkout desks are.  We’ve got one on the ground floor, and one in the Music, Film and Audio department.

4:30 p.m.

Explained new printing system.  Handed out a library map.  Explained where the mezzanine is.  Plotted, for the 1000th time, my “Where’s the mezzanine?” video.

4:41 p.m.

Phone call for me — it’s a vendor.  Politely explain that I’m at the reference desk and get callback info.   Release a series of patron printouts.

My desk partner has been helping the same person this entire hour.  That’s hard-core.  Of course, so is she!

4:46 p.m.

Patron borrows a pen.  Also, another “Where’s the mezzanine”?

4:50 p.m.

Learn that the poor little kitten left in a library dropbox in Philadelphia didn’t make it. Blink back tears, as there is supposedly no crying in library science…just in time to pass out two pairs of headphones and explain the computer sign-in policy.

4:59 p.m.

Gave directions to the Music, Film and Audio department.

5:20 p.m.

My desk partner?  Is still with that very same patron!

5:31 p.m.

A colleague stops by asking if she can contribute some guest posts to Eleventh Stack.  My response is an enthusiastic yes! 

Also, remember that reference book we switched to circ?  The patron came back to look at it again, and after a minor comedy of errors locating the thing, we were able not only to hand it over, but explain that it could now be checked out.  Patron seemed surprised/pleased.  Mission accomplished.

5:43 p.m.

With some help from the boss, my desk partner has finally wrapped up that long transaction.  Wish I had a medal to give her.  Passed out one more pair of headphones and explained how our computer time limits work.

Going to wrap it up now, so I can answer the comments on yesterday’s entry – thank you!  Tune in tomorrow for the last day of this week in my life, which will include much silliness and manual labor.

Wednesdays are my regularly scheduled night shift at the library.  They’re also my Waterloo because I’m a morning person trying to adjust to a night schedule, which is always a little unsettling for me.  Compounding the difficulty this week is the fact that I scheduled my time poorly, resulting in a 12-hour day.

And yet, we press on.

8:30-12:30

Spent the morning in leadership training.  It was pretty intense, and I have a lot of thoughts about it that I would prefer to address in a completely separate post at one point.  Along with a bunch of my peers, I attend these sessions monthly; it’s really great to get to spend time with people I already like and respect, as well as meet new people from other locations and get to know them better.

Today’s topic was giving and receiving feedback, and, quite frankly, it broke my brain.  Not in a bad way.  Just in a way that necessitates a little bit of rocking out before I can properly focus on kicking off a productive workday.

1:01 p.m.

Took the last half hour to unpack all my gear, scan my e-mail, and just generally get situated and in a good frame of mind.  Starting so late in the day always makes me feel like I’ve missed a lot, and need to catch up. 

In the phone room this shift.

1:16 p.m.

Phone request for an interlibrary loan.  We use ILLIAD for our ILLs, so I simply hopped into WorldCat, looked up the book, and did a cut-and-paste.

1:45 p.m.

It’s been pretty quiet, so I’ve been tackling e-mails and catching up on my newsreader.  Did take one more call from a regular patron who calls every day to ask the same question.  While it’s easy to answer, it does make me wonder about the circumstances, even though, technically, it’s really none of my business.  Anyone else have patrons like that?

2:25 p.m.

Stomach growls indicate now would be a good time for a quick break.  Coffee, yogurt, and picking up library books, including Rob Sheffield’s Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, about which I am very excited. 

However, I’m also a little concerned that I haven’t heard back from tech support about the database issue, and other staff members are starting to get a little anxious, so I send a follow-up message on the IT ticket and copy my boss.  I’m polite and respectful about it, but I also make it clear that this problem is countywide, and needs resolved ASAP.

3:01 p.m.

Sitting with a colleague in book order, slowly making my way through the social sciences section.  Correctly guessed the definition of “anthropodermic bibliopegy” based on its roots.  Was never more displeased to be correct about something.  Waargh.

3:12 p.m.

Discover that my tech support ticket was closed, but I never recieved an actual answer.  Take deep breaths.  Decide to believe this is probably all just a big misunderstanding, re-open ticket, and ping several colleagues in the IT department to see if they were able to fix the problem without me.  Hoping for a “yes.”

3:36 p.m.

Finally receive information I need.  Resist the urge to bellow “mwahahahaha!”  Flee to phone database vendor.

3:57 p.m.

Apparently things just can’t be that easy.  Proposed solution failed.  After multiple phone calls to various parties, have decided to simply take my dinner break.

5:06 p.m.

Since Wednesdays are usually stressy/hairy for me, I treat myself to dinner away from the library.  Crispy orange tofu and Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, which is as good as I’d hoped it would be.  Everybody who lived through the 80s will love it, and those who don’t get that decade’s appeal just might finally understand it.  Thanks Rob.  You did us a solid.

Also got the news that my contact lens is ready, and what a mercy to finally be able to see properly again!  Am feeling a bit more confident about the rest of the night.

5:28 p.m.

No response to my last tech support message.  Resign self to the fact that this is probably going to go on for another day.  Choose to see it as an opportunity to take deep breaths and let it go, since it is out of my control at this point.

5:38 p.m.

Gave a blog draft the once-over and sent suggestions/corrections to the author.

5:58 p.m.

Just had a long heart-to-heart talk with a colleague.  Have I mentioned lately that I work with the best people on the planet?  Because I truly do.

6:02 p.m.

Settled in at the reference desk for the evening.  The room is filled with people at computer workstations, but nobody seems to need anything right now.  Is it wrong to wish for a quiet night?

6:10 p.m.

An out-of-town visitor was unhappy that there were no more seated computer workstations left.  Gave my elevator speech about the increased use of libraries in this economy, and escorted her to another deparment.  On the way back, helped a different patron with software issues.

6:21 p.m.

Rebooted a computer that’s acting oddly, which appears to have done the trick.  Released a few printouts.

6:29 p.m.

Release more printouts and realize that, once again, I’ve been forgetting to keep stats.  Thank goodness for meticulous blogging.

6:44 p.m.

Doing some informal computer training, very grateful for the opportunity to teach again.  The patron wants some time to practice the things we were working on, but might need more help.

6:55 p.m.

Escorted a patron to the stacks to find the subject area he was interested in.

7:11 p.m.

The patron returned from the stacks.  Apparently he was looking for a specific book, and didn’t find it.

I swear on my mother’s name that this was the very first thing I asked in the reference interview.  Biting back my frustration, I try again to conduct one, but for whatever reason, the patron seems reluctant to tell me what he wants.  I try not to take it personally.  I hope he is not a library school student testing my mettle (some of the assignments still call for that).  I breathe deeply and remind myself that this is an opportunity to learn patience and compassion for people I actually want to swat with a rolled-up newspaper.

And I figured it out, eventually, so, go me.  Anybody have any aspirin?

7:22 p.m.

Explained the “lock” function on our new computer timing software to a colleague from another department (it’s the equivalent of “pause” in the old software, and works the same way).

7:43 p.m.

My best fiend, who is also a librarian, stopped by to give me a t-shirt she bought me on a whim.  It says “I <3 vampires,” and it vaguely flirts with being inappropriate for casual Friday due to the silliness of the fanged “<3.”

Spirits lifted, I conclude this chronicle to help my desk partner close up the joint.  I didn’t plan it this way, but I’m glad you got to see a challenging day in my worklife, because I certainly wouldn’t want to give the impression that everything’s always sunny.  Still, at the end of the night, nobody’s died, nothing’s on fire, and tomorrow is another chance to set things right.

Take care, talk soon.

So, yesterday we learned that a) I stare at a computer screen a lot,  b) work on solo projects, for the most part, and c) live for the reference desk.  Let’s see how it plays out today.

9:35 a.m.

Send an e-mail to the staff listserv updating everybody on the boss’s whereabouts.  He’s been off-site working on a special project at a branch under renovation, but he’s great about letting us know where he’s going and when he’s coming back.  This gives us enough time to eat all the doughnuts before he returns.

10:06 a.m.

Finally finish a draft of something I’ve been working on for a while:  a staff survey.  My big project for 2011 is going to be revamping database training, with the help of the database committee, and I need input from staff on what the best ways to do that are.  Heavily influenced by handouts from this year’s PLA conference, many of my questions address learning styles and preferences.   Printed out draft to send around for feedback.

10:10 a.m.

Hunt for a copy of a  particular book on how to be a better trainer, as mentioned in a PLA presentation.  Locate it at university up the street, but discover it’s checked out until mid-September.  Stick a note on Outlook calendar to check back then.  Sigh.

10:42 a.m.

Back in book order, picking over ABPR.

Something you should know about our Zs:  on top of the circulating collection I buy for, there are two circulating professional collections afoot.  One is provided by the Allegheny County Library Association, while the other is purchased with the funding CLP receives from the state to serve as a District Library Service Center.  On top of that, we have a well-stocked library school library up the street, and some of the county libraries choose to have their own professional collections.

Long story short, I am picky on Zs.  Today I bought:

Mentoring in the Library, Marta Lee
Leading From the Middle And Other Contrarian Essays on Library Leadership, John Lubans, Jr.
Winning Grants: A How-to-do-it Manual for Librarians, MacKellar and Gerding
Reading Places: Literacy, Democracy and the Public Library in Cold War America, Christine Pawley
Technology and the School Library, Jurkowski/Lanham
Readers and Reading Culture in the High Roman Empire, William Johnson
How to Publish a Kindle Book with Amazon.com, Cynthia Reeser

That last, incidentally, serves as proof that I do, indeed, purchase things that personally drive me crazy. I will read it, though, if only to see how Reeser handles the question of first publication rights.

10:56 a.m.

Quick e-mail scan.  Printing from the wireless network has been enabled, woohoo!  Scanned the procedure and printed out a reference copy to take to and keep at the desk.  Confirmed lunch plans.

11:15 a.m.

Back from morning break.  Spent half of it doing the pick-up ritual dance, the name I’ve given for my daily exchange of books at Customer  Service.  I go down there with an armful of returns and a list, and in exchange they give me books from the holdshelf.

Spent the other half on Facebook, where a fellow library worker had posted the text of H.R. 5741, The Universal National Service Act, something I think everybody between the ages of 18 and 42, male OR female, should sit down and read PDQ so you can decide what action, if any, you want to take.  Oh, and tell everybody you know.  Would librarianship count as national service?  I wonder…

11:31 a.m.

Realize, as I’m reading all this documentation for the mobile print client, that I have some questions.  Head out to find the people with the answers.

11:40 a.m.

Discover that all three of the people who could possibly answer my questions are in meetings.  Resolve to be patient and put documentation aside.  Stop by a co-worker’s office to thank her for the interesting article she left on my desk.

11:49 a.m.

Composed and sent e-mails about prospective database vendor training visits.  These are great, and I love offering them, but they do require a huge lead time, given the challenges of finding and reserving space in a large organization with a crowded calendar.  Also, I like to coordinate with the county database committee, so that trainings are planned to be convenient for library staff and visiting trainers.

11:52 a.m.

Look at a document I’ve already shown my boss once.  Idly ponder whether or not to bring it up again, as it could be the springboard for a cool thing.  Decide that right now is not a good time, and file document in a drawer.  Gasp in horror as I find things in drawer I’d completely forgotten I owned.  Christen said drawer “fail drawer.”

11:55 a.m.

Inspired by “fail drawer,” spend the last few moments before lunch recycling things, separating to-be-filed things into piles, and checking to see what library books I have to pick up tomorrow.

12:59 p.m.

Enjoyed lunch with a junior colleague, during which I tried not to give unsolicited advice.  After all, I still have so much to learn myself.  Mostly successful.  Currently ensconced at reference desk, and have already dispensed one pair of headphones.

1:02 p.m.

Make that two pairs.

1:07 p.m.

My desk partner is getting the lion’s share of the questions.  Interestingly enough, she’s sitting where I was sitting yesterday.  Idly wondering whether one side of the desk is more appealing to patrons, and also how you might study that. 

1:09 p.m.

Released two printouts

1:23 p.m.

Have spent most of the last 20 minutes talking sci-fi with a friend who stopped by the library to pick up a book.  Good chance to brush up on the RA skills.

It’s hours like these, though, that make some people worry about the future of librarians, because we’re not as visibly needed, more “on call.”   They also serve who stand and wait, but will the funders buy that?

1:27 p.m.

More headphones.

1:35 p.m.

My poor desk partner is trying to help a woman who will not get off her cell phone.

1:41 p.m.

Took down the Scott’s catalog for patron use.

1:49 p.m.

Skimmed feedback draft document from the last community process session designed specifically for staff.  Our library is in phase two of a community process designed to help us shape the library’s future.  Part of that process involves staff providing input from their singular POV. 

It goes without saying that I get to these sessions as often as I can.  If you want to learn more about the process, click here.  And if you’re local, and haven’t taken the online survey yet, please do!

2:07 p.m.

This was the hour I’d blocked out to work on spreadsheets.  However, just as I was packing up to leave the reference desk, I found out we lost remote access to one of our databases.  Troubleshooting and vendor communication commencing, spreadsheets deferred.

3:04 p.m.

Have discovered the possible source of the wonkiness, but need more information.  And a coffee.

3:30 p.m.

All the e-mail I sent earlier today about various projects has borne return fruit.  Ergo, we have reached the multi-tasking part of my day, where I’m working on about ten different things, fingers flying like a concert pianist.  I type about 110 words a minute, so dashing off quick responses on multiple issues is no big deal.

And the databases should be back up and running shortly.  Whew.

3:39 p.m.

Got boss’s approval to switch yesterday’s reference book from reference to circ.  I like closure!

3:54 p.m.

Waiting patiently for the last piece of information I need to be able to call the database vendor and fix the problem.  Doing some general cleaning and recycling before heading back to the reference desk.

4:03 p.m.

Exchanged witty banter with regular patron who came to pick up printouts.  Beginnings of small headache — I’m wearing my glasses this week, while waiting on a replacement contact lens, and I think they’re starting to get to me…

4:20 p.m.

Just finished up my first “real” reference question of the week!  Love those.  By “real” I mean “conducted a reference interview.”

4:29 p.m.

Nobody seems to have the answer to my question, so it looks like we will have to go without a certain vendor’s databases for a while longer.  Idly speculating as to whether this will mean pitchforks and torches on the lawn.  We have had two calls from customers who use the suite regularly, and are concerned.  That’s good, in a “people use them” sort of way…

4:39 p.m.

Spent the last 10 minutes soothing an upset patron who couldn’t get a page to print the way he wanted it to.  These transactions are good opportunities to practice compassion, because, honestly, you wonder what’s going on underneath people’s surfaces when tiny things rub them raw.  At least, I do.

Which is not to say I’m a saint just yet.  Helping angry people always makes me feel jittery, and I usually need to take extra breaths or something to calm down afterwards.

4:56 p.m.

Shift change!  I am now in the phone room.

We have a team of staff who answer the phones, and contrary to the conventional wisdom, they are Quite the Busy, even in this internet age.  There are three ready-reference lines, and one reference line.  My job this shift is to answer the reference line, and also to monitor our chat widget on AskHere PA, the statewide virtual reference service, which is administered through QuestionPoint.

Phone/chat, though active, is still less intensive than working the desk, so I will now try to respond to all the lovely comments you left yesterday!  Thank you for reading!  I’ve been sneaking peeks at your entries as well, though, I confess, I have no more patience with the Twitterz.

5:07 p.m.

Hm.  Now would probably be a good time to finish that Ingram Ipage list I’m building, too…

5:21 p.m.

Okay, that last phone call?  Was very weird.  For privacy reasons, I can’t elaborate.  Still.  Yeesh.

5:50 p.m.

Finished the ipage list and submitted to boss for approval.

The database problem is still not solved.  In fact, it has now become bogged down in a procedural web.  Namely, instead of getting an answer to my question, I got a notice that the question has been logged with a help ticket.  Really?  Wouldn’t it just be easier to look up the information and call me back than to open a ticket?  Or am I being irrational?

Sorry.  My cranky is showing.  Must be time to go home.

Finally answered all of yesterday’s Alchemy comments – thanks again, so much, and congrats to Andrea, who won the copy of The Librarian’s Book of Lists.  I’ll be pinging you shortly to get a mailing address.

Tomorrow is a twelve-hour day for me, so you won’t see a post until after 8 p.m. Eastern time.  If you haven’t been frightened away or bored stiff yet, stay tuned!

Good grief, did this week run away with me, albeit in the best possible fashion. I did want to give you something to think about, though, so you can see where I’m going with this “spirited librarian” concept:

This is the true joy in life:  being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. — George Bernard Shaw

There’s a storm rumbling outside today, and the reference room is packed. This is the first time I’ve had a moment to sit down in the past hour and a half, and I’m loving every moment of it with a fierce joy which is nearly impossible to express.

Nearly. Shaw does the trick nicely, for the moment. One way or another, we’ll take an alchemical crack at it, hopefully next week.