For my librarian friends

Aline writes: As you know, Bill and I successfully joined the local public library. Which is a very good thing since with the dollar the way it is (I know, I know, I sound like a broken record) a paperback costs about 20 dollars. Anyway, our local branch is only about 2 blocks from our house, and is about as big as our flat. Well, maybe slightly bigger. And I wanted to tell all my librarian friends that you should come work here in England if you want job security. Why you ask? The library seems designed to make sure that a librarian is involved in everything. I mean Everything.

Examples include

You can’t return library materials after hours, no drop-off box here! No, you need to go into the library when they are open, wait in line, hand the materials to the librarian, and wait until they check them in. I miss that Sunnyvale library drop box and conveyor belt!

They do offer online renewals, but the librarian needs to set-up your account and password. In person. So you need to go to the library, wait in line, have the librarian set it up, then go home and use your computer to renew. Hmmm…

They also run all these special deals, so that the librarians have to keep track if it’s “Tricky Tuesday” when you can get 1 dvd at a discount if you rent 2, and if it’s the “wacky weekend” you can get 3 for 2 dvds. Unless it’s a new release. It’s all very complicated, and I know it must take a graduate degree to be able to keep track of it!

Most of the branch libraries don’t have reference desks, I’m thinking because they are obviously kept too busy trying to keep the library materials moving smoothly! So maybe it’s not the type of librarian you want to be anyway. Too bad…