I Make the Librarians Dance
I like to imagine that when the librarians take a coffee break, they sit around a table in the backroom saying things like, “That Melissa is a great library user” or “Thanks, I will have a doughnut, and can you believe how reliable Melissa is with library books?”
Maybe they whisper it so the other patrons don’t get jealous if their voices travel out of the room, or maybe the librarians get together at night and dance joyously around the stacks with flowers woven in their hair, chanting, “Mel, Mel, book borrower Mel.”
Lest you think I’m exaggerating, I have actual PROOF of my trustworthiness.
I went to check out a book at the library self-service machine — actually three books because I had the twins’ stuff in my stack — and the machine wouldn’t register the third book. So I brought it up to the desk, and the new librarian couldn’t get the computer to recognize the bar code, either. She turned to the other, longtime librarian and asked what she should do.
The longtime librarian looked me up and down (actually, I was standing against the desk, so she only looked from a little below my chest to the top of my head and back down to a little below my chest) and then she gave a nod. “Just give it to her. She’s responsible. She’ll bring it back in three weeks.” And then, directly to me, “I’m trusting you.”
DID YOU HEAR THAT? She is trusting me. That means I am trustworthy.
When I was growing up, my mother told me that all a person has is their reputation. She may have been talking about S-E-X, but I like to think that she was also talking about good library habits. Guess what, mum, I have a good library reputation and an uncheckedout book to prove it.
8 comments
Life goals!
Ha! My librarians would do the same for me…
S-E-X, library habits…it’s all the same.
Lol!
Thank you for reminding me that I have a book to pick up! I do not have as stellar of a library reputation as you appear to, but just consider my occasional late fees as a contribution to an institution I feel strongly about.
Love this! The joke in my family is that we are “library famous” – mostly because of my daughters who are charming and have been going to story time for the past 4 years. The circulation desk often bends the rules for us and my 6 year old all but has her own personal librarian in the children’s section – if we haven’t been in for a few weeks she will put aside new books she thinks D will like and call to let me know they are waiting.
Love it!! That post title sounds like a great name for a book or movie!! I like to think a librarian would have trusted me too when I was younger… although I lived in a country town with no library!!
In the mean time I’m getting a text message that the book I rented is SUPER over due and since they don’t charge late fees they just send you a ton of texts to bug you so you’ll bring it back…ugh…I promise I’m doing it today…and I will probably turn it in and mumble “Sorry I suck” under my breath. LOL!
Oooh, that is the highest compliment, an unchecked-out-library book! I fear I would not be seen as trustworthy, although I use our library all the time. I like to think about it as funding the library, donating money through delinquency…Just renewed four books online that are a bit overdue despite email reminders. How wonderful to be a model patron! Enjoy your entrustedness!