Librarian Ire

Hormones or evil?

I ran around putting out fires all day. Thanks in part to my boss. (Let's call her MSB. Short for Mood Swing Boss) She was gone for half the day. Leaving all the new students to deal with the questions, problems that Monday generates. The new student did her best, she's pretty good for someone who's only been here 2 weeks. Smart, nice, and organized. She actually took notes in her training sessions! No one I've trained ever did that. Okay it's a little geeky, but she's asked less repeat questions. Just always new questions. She picked up the basics fast.

So I was putting out fires for the first 2 and half hours. I found misplaced books, I gave directions, and there was the 20 minute reference question from the "experienced researcher" who was looking for a book about a series of paintings. What kind of researcher never even types in the title of the book that they are looking for? She used subject and author and even keyword searches. When I dumbed it down it popped right up. Keep it simple stupid!!
Then I had to find the shelvers to clear out the reference room. And the shelver I assign to that little task is so clueless he had to be re-trained. Sigh.
So I finally sit down three hours later. Which is when the boss comes awanderin' in. She immediately sits down and starts in on her e-mail. She has been in a meeting with the person she's e-mailing for the past 3 hours, but MSB needs to do this 'very important e-mail' right now. Meanwhile there are reserves to go out, and more questions and people wanting their hold books.
Then I was showing the student how to do the e-mail replies because she is so good at everything else. Then I am asked what the student is doing. I tell MSB I am having the student reply to some e-mails that came in. 30 minutes later MSB announces that she's gonna e-mail these patrons telling them why we can't find their books.
What were you on Mars when I answered your question the first time!
Now there is a lull so the student goes on her break, since she's been here alone most of the afternoon. OF COURSE the floodgates open. The boss is still composing her epic e-mail which is "very important".

I had half a dozen ILL books to return, 3 ILL packages to send and a reserve book that still hadn't been done 4 hours after I got to work. Which she could have done no problem.
So the bell rings. After the third interruption in 10 minutes, (That damn bell!) I asked the boss if she could help that patron, since I was trying to actually do my job. (I didn't say the job part, but I thought it) She gets all huffy because she has to get this e-mail right out. This is the one she's been working on for 90 minutes.
So I told the patron I'd be right with them and closed out ILL AGAIN! I guess I wasn't moving fast enough because MSB stomps out there to help the person.

posted by Nike at 6:40 PM