Throughful Tuesdays: Crazy Library Crap!

Since I am a fan of getting a regular paycheck, until I figure out how to make my hobby of almost finishing yarn things, reading books and drinking coffee a full time paid hustle I try to keep this blog very ambiguous. That is to say that while I talk shop I try to keep it all kittens and rainbows and stuff. Realistically I spend so much time and energy at work, thinking about work, doing work that I KNOW the lines between work Rachee and everywhere else Rachee has blurred and there are times when I am so afraid of what someone may Google and find that I tend to hold my tongue. I have considered doing a blog influenced by the styles of @bitchylibrarian or @f*ckitlibrarian but even on my snarkiest days I am no where near as hilarious as the two of them are. I have tried keeping a journal however my ability to misplace things is paired with what begins to feel like yet another thing that I am adding to the list of things that I have to do. I have been holding my tongue and breaking my own rule of no crying in the library because this year my summer has been Hellish, both at work and at home. Well, not quite Hellish, more fifth circlish* and I am done. I am absolutely, positively, unequivocally done. But while foolish, I am NOT a fool and will just express some ideas.

1) Why are people so cheap?
We have computers for public use and there is an option to print. Before pressing print patrons get a pop up screen telling them what the cost will be, a confirmation of the cost when they hit print and when they come to collect the prints before we release them they are told again. Yet there is always a dispute about people paying for their prints. Perhaps its me; I think people see me and immediately think “hook up!” Maybe something happens from the walk from their terminal to the desk. Whatever the case I am fed up with people arguing over the 25 cents THEY have to pay for their crap. I am done with the people claiming they did not know how to do _________________________ (fill in your own blank) and therefore should not be required to pay. I am done with the people who think that the pages with one or two lines printed shouldn’t count and the ones that ask for stamps and envelopes as well as special paper for their prints.

2) This is not daycare folks.
Yes, I get that I am in a position and lucky to have Buffy, Mom, Chaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrlene and in a pinch Leaky to help with childcare. I know that this is a luxury that few can express. So I try to be more understanding when people literally drop kids off in the AM and roll in when I am getting in my car a t the end of the day. However when you leave your two and four year old here unattended, claim that you knew they were going to be here that does not fly. Or when you leave your tween at the library all day, every day and complain because you don’;t agree with the book I recommended to them. Or the people that tell me that they are telling their kids to come see me if  there are any problems. I mean yes, I am the Head Chick in Charge but I am not in charge of bathroom visits, no lunch, mini arguments and other such things.

3) Overwhelmed Mom.
I hate her.
No, that’s not true. I don’t really hate her but I hate the way she treats the library. OM doesn’t just visit the library, she can be found anywhere but for this post lets chat a little about her library visit. OM has a gaggle of kids that she either ignores or smothers with attention. She lets the kids run all over the place, getting into everything and then, only when her kids are corrected does she step in and act. My OM is guilty of the following atrocities:

• She has three young children, all under the age of five her business but she lets them run, literally, all over the library, all over her, into other people.
• She falls asleep when visiting the library so she is not awake to see the youngest one leave the children’s section and hit the button to open the doors to the outside. Of course when the littlest one is led back to her she wakes and scolds him explaining that she was only asleep for a few minutes.
• All three kids are allowed to run around barefoot, climb on all of the furniture and throw stuff…at her, each other, the other kids in the room. Again, when kids are corrected she reacts with half assed scolding.
• Using ME as her threat (the librarian is going to make you leave! Wrong lady, the librarian is going to make you ALL leave!)
• Letting her boys go through my desk and take stuff. It’s mostly junk but its MY junk.
• Letting her boys leave without cleaning up. She will even say that she didn’t have something when it is clear to anyone present that yes she did. When called on it, she picks up a few things declaring that she cleaned her part and left.
• Taking all of the available handouts and letting the kids scribble on them. There is scrap paper available for the mini Picassos to have at it but oh no! OM takes everything available and lets her little lovelies go at it.  My rule is “Take what you want. Use what you take.” Yet she frequently abuses this courtesy, She takes what’s available, lets the little one scribble all over it and then of course, doesn’t clean.
• This is in addition to the kids crayoning everything they can reach…the desk, the table, the wall.
• Her children have no patience and think when they arrive they are supposed to be on the computers in the library no matter what, when, or how. Mom perpetuates this by saying that her children will get impatient and not want to wait.

Before anyone tells me that I am being mean let it be known that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE kids and don’t care if you have a nineteen of them. All I am saying is watch your dang kids.

4) Why don’t you have ______________________ (Fill in the blank)
The familiar refrain I have been hearing all summer:  What activities do you have for kids? I give them a calendar and they look it over. Oh…is that it? Please keep in mind that there are at least two activities scheduled each day, activities in the room, toys, puzzles and oh yes…books. But more often than I care to hear people wonder why there isn’t an activity on the day they can come to the library. I get that, I do have awesome programs but good golly Miss Molly! I’m hard enough on myself, I don’t need your input!

5) To be continued.

Let me again say that this job is wonderful, that even on my worst day as a library chick I would still take it over my best day anywhere else.

Living to fight another day,
-r
Today is another day (I’m posting this on a Wednesday) and like Pete the Cat says: It’s all cool.