Circular Conversation of Confusion

Today an old man called and asked for Frank.  I told him that Frank isn't working today.  

OM:  But I have caller ID and no one would call me besides the library.
Me:  I'm sorry, none of us at the library called you.  
OM:  He recites the number from his ID machine:  555-1212.  Isn't that Frank's number?
Me:  No, that number is not Frank's or anyone elses at this library.  
OM:  But who called me then?

and the circular conversation continued. . .

----
Only later did I realize I could have used the criss cross directory to look up 555-1212.

Customer Comment Form of the Week

"WHY IN THE GODDAMN ASS HELL DO PEOPLE USE CELL PHONES IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY!?!?!?!?!?!?"

I wouldn't say "cute"

Today I helped a woman about 50 years old (who hadn't been to the liberry in years) find the "card catalog."  When I showed her the catalog computers, she said, "Wow, I was expecting you to show me a card catalog.  This is really cute."

Question of the Day

Today I showed a man the section where he'd find books on his subject.  I pointed out about 5 books on the shelf. He asked me if it would be ok if he could stand there and look at the books.  Then he asked if he could take them to the table.

Question of the Day

So, Craigslist, is it double dot org or single dot org?

Today's Refgrunt, 10AM - 12PM

10 AM- Liberry opens and the crowd comes in:

Do we have to sign up?

Please turn down your music.

Goodmorning.

Books about the 1968 olympics in Mexico City.

Can you help me? can't remember PIN.

Biodiversity ecosystem nitrogen cycle- for a college biology paper

Hi you guys, I'm just lookin around.

Do you have to have a library card to use the computers?

I'm looking for someone, my coach, can you help me find him? What's his name?  I forgot.  What does he look like?  Brown eyes... a haircut.

What do Ineed to do to get on the Internet?

Does this have print capabilities?

Need to find the sheriffs dot net dot com.

Where do I pick up my prints?

Where do I make a reservation?

I (Amy) restarted offline computer.

Loud cell phone ring, 4x.

Loud cell phone ring again, 2x.

I need to borrow a pencil, write some titles.

The new Eric Clapton book-- on order.

Customer asks Frank:  Where would i find your how to books?  . . . . on how to re-get my lost all my identity stuff.

How do i get on the computer?

Set the PIN.

I need to file unemployment.  Can you do it for me?  Just kidding...

Brave New World & Life of Pi

Ordered 4 titles

I told the customer to go to Google dot com.  He types in google.comb.

I need a workers comp lawyer.

Plumbing code

Books on dowsing and divining rod.

Customer interrupts-- Do i just push done on that?

And interrupts again-- I don't know how to turn it off.

12:00 PM:  Lunchtime!  Seeeeeeee ya later.

Refgrunt, 5-8 PM, on the desk with Frank

Ancient Egypt books

Sharing library cards- not allowed

Turn the music down (myspace)

How do we renew

books on Jewish religion

Zip code for Yahoo acct. sign-up

Spell check craigslist

Set PIN

Login early before reservation?

Microsoft error report

7th grader wants books on space/geometry

Grass Dancer  by Susan Power

Frida Kahlo (7th grader)

Chanda's Secrets by Stratton

Can I use your pen?

Turn down the music

Sociopath next door by Martha Stout

Say I haven't turned in a book for like 3 months. What happens? You get a fine. How much? Let me see your card.  I don't have a card. She runs away.

30 secs left on the computer, how do you print this page?

Signed up for speech classes, ESL classes, English tours about a year ago, no, 7 months ago. They never called me back.

Lost my receipt for the Internet, do I need it?

Les Miserables in English on CD

Hold these books for me for tomorrow

Screaming baby-- "wow, that kid has some lungs!"

Card tagged for juv, not juv internet. Thus, the kid can't go on the Internet. Also, no, you can't share the card.

Where are the FRIENDS meeting?

Do you have Pants on Fire by Meg, I can't say her last name, but it is C-a-b-o-t.

Sub security guard wants to chat about the weather.

Do you have a thesaurus?

Lost card returned

Tudors and Henry VIII

How to print in color from Yahoo!

Red Pony and Little Women

Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, White Fang, Call of the Wild

Man carrying Frosted Flakes in a grocery bag-- Never used a computer before, wants to learn everything, learn the language, program it, etc. Frank helps him but also tells him "that's a pretty tall order."

Cancel an Internet reservation


Sign my 4 yr. old up for the reading program sponsored by a local burger place.


Error message on Internet #11-- send report to Microsoft? 2nd time it's happened today so I call it in to the help desk.


Computer is slow.... are you on MySpace? (get that complaint at least 10 times/day)


How to win a high school election by Marx (373.159 MAR)

Fleming's James Bond 007 books (we have zero, he is shocked)


James Bond man (no, this wasn't Max) comes back and asks me to look @ his catalog and tell him why we don't have a particular film from 1962, even though it is listed in the catalog. [weeded, most likely]

I don't have a PIN.

Person here to pick up How to Win a High School Election

What are the hours here?

Bye! [almost time for me to go home too]

Thank you. Goodbye.


Is there any way you can check to see if you have a dictionary I can check out? [I check, and of course we have none].

Night!


Thanks, bye!

In case of fire...

An old man keeps a joke written on a 3x5 paper in his wallet.  Every time he comes to the reference desk, he lets us read the joke:

In case of fire, do not use elevator.

(unfolds paper)

Use water!

Fun Bookmarks from Halloween!

Some Refgrunts Are More Exciting Than Others

10:00 – Open

10:11 – “Do you have a book called The Giving Tree? My friend said it was a good read.”

10:40 – A lady wants to request a whole mess of new thriller novels.

10:45 – A gentleman can’t find www.airfarefortwo.com--turns out it’s airfarefor2.com.

10:53 – Wants to sign up for the seminar room every day next month

10:58 – New John Grisham—300 people on the waiting list.

11:00 – Collapse by Jared Diamond

[off desk]

12:01 -- A gentleman can't find Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert--that's because there's a huge waiting list.

12:11 -- Robert B. Parker's new book, and do we have Ocean's 13 yet? We don't.

12:17 -- Where do I find books about presidents--are they under their name, or what?

12:24 -- Where am I on the list for the DVD of The Secret?
Hey, you're #1!
I am? Finally!! I used to be #37!

12:32 -- I can't find anything about Jackson or Monroe.

12:50 -- Can I borrow the hole punch?

12:53 -- Returns hole punch.