Librarian Ire

Idiot! But not an ILL idiot

A problem patron comes up to the desk while I am helping someone else. He rings the bell for help.(I hate that bell.) I am maybe a foot away from him. (Not like I couldn't see you there dude.)
My rule is that if there is someone at the desk and you ring the bell, you lose a body part. The whole code of Hammarabi that we discussed earlier in the blog.
Aside from the chopping off body part thing, it was just plain rude to interrupt someone else's question for your inane problem.

He can't find a book. So he wants me to look for it for him. Do I look like your slave? Not to mention I am alone at the desk.
I tell him where he could find the book, if it is here. He insists that he doesn't know where that is. So I give him simplified directions, go down to the first floor, straight then turn right and walk to the wall then left.
Doesn't penetrate. Where's the first floor? I ask if he has ever been in the library before. (I know he has, but I like to match rude for rude with this guy) Oh yes. So you have been downstairs. Yes, but not to this area. HA!

He just wants us to search for it for him. My student told me that this guy asked him the same thing and when he offered to show him where the book would be he wandered off with someone else and disappeared.

This is the same guy who will come in with bags of returned books and make you a scene if you don't check them in right away. And of course he insists on standing at the desk while you check each and every book in no matter how busy you are.

I put a stop to that. At least when I am at the desk. I tell him I have other things to do before him and he can leave the books in the return area and we will get to them.
He used to argue this with me, until I pointed out the fortress of books on the counter and the line of people waiting for help and told him he could wait, but I couldn't help him until everything else was done first.
The crazed students writing papers and giving him the death glare probably convinced him not to push the issue.

Discipline! That's the key. That and a taser gun. A few electric bolts to reinforce the training would do it. And would make me feel so much better.

posted by Nike at 8:52 PM