Small Town Service

Anyone who's never had the experience of working in a small-town library has missed out on a lot. I've been working at my local library for 4 years now and it has been a great learning experience. I have gained a lot of confidence in my people skills and have changed my outlook on people since working there. I have gotten to know all of the locals and have gotten close to a lot of them. Even a few of the newer patrons enjoy talking to me and having me help them. When I first started working there I thought it was just to earn money for gas, but now I realized I've become more of a part of the community and have learned so much.

It's funny to me how comfortable people are around me, because I don't think much of it, but this one really nice lady had been looking at some magazines and as she was walking past me, commented on how much junk is in magazines now. She said they were such a waste of money because of all the terrible advertisements and other things. It makes me feel really good about my job that people feel comfortable enough to chat and share their thoughts.

Today, I helped with a good deed for a lady who comes in quite frequently and sometimes is annoying because she always wants us to look up famous people's birthdays for her. She'll bring in a huge list and it gets a little much. Today, a young guy came in and said a lady was having trouble with her oxygen tank. I didn't know what to expect, and when I got outside, it was this lady and she couldn't figure out how to hook it up and turn it on or off. Between the two of us, we got it figured out for her and I showed her how to use it. She came in a little later and told me she was very impressed with how I was able to help her and thanked me. Then she told me I looked like Chelsea Clinton. :P I thought that was funny and asked her if she meant it as a compliment and she said, "Oh, I think she's just beautiful." It was funny. But I was thinking about her after she left, and I realized how much she and other people depend on their library, not just for books and resources, but for companionship and someone who will listen and care about them.

In a day in which there is such a lack of customer service and care for others, it's nice to know you can depend on your local library. And now I realize I've become a part of that and it makes me smile. :)

Are You an Adult Yet?

I overheard this conversation between a mom and her son in the library the other day. She was telling her son that adults deal with difficult situations by either laughing or crying. She kept saying to him, "You either laugh or you cry. Adults either laugh or cry."

I thought she was a little odd and did not really agree with her at the time. It was stuck in the back of my head and today I was thinking about a situation and that saying popped into my head: "You either laugh or you cry." I don't know what was wrong with me before, but that is totally true.

The son could not understand his mom's reasoning, and at the time, I wasn't cluing in. She was saying he'd understand when he was an adult. I wanted to tell her I was an adult and didn't understand. But, now I realize I do.

I'm not saying I'm wise and mature, neither am I saying I've experienced a lot of sorrow, but in 2 majorly sad times in my life this saying is completely true.

Sometimes the laughter might seem uncouth or inappropriate, but it's the only way to stop yourself from crying.

Fun at the Library

As you may or may not know, I work at my local library and enjoy it very much. I have so many hilarious little things that happen but I usually forget them by the time I get home. Sadly, my memory loss is earlier than most. While I don't have a funny story, I do have a funny/pet peeve story.

Without fail, no matter what day or time of day it is, how busy or how dead the library is, when I go over to the DVDs with a cart of new ones to shelve, within a minute, I am surrounded by at least 1 anxious patron. The DVD section will be empty, no one in sight, no one looking at it, but without fail, as soon as I walk over there to shelve DVDs, it's like a feeding frenzy, the sharks smell the fresh blood and attack. It makes me laugh, and they always pretend I'm not in their way, although I know I am, so I usually politely leave the cart there and walk away while they attack. It's quite hilarious. I'm sure there's a phenomenon for that.

Thank you for reading yet another random story from my life. Tune in next time to hear...Ok, I won't tell you because I don't know yet, but when I do, I'll let you know. Deal?

Just Another Day

Am I blogging too much? Probably. But since I went through major withdrawals from not blogging for nearly 8 months I think I'm past due for some more *boring posts.

But, I had a couple funny things happen today at work that cracked me up and I just had to share.

Only at the library will you see a **grown lady sitting on the computer for her allotted 30 minutes of internet use, on Facebook, playing Farmville, no less...I heard her swearing and immediately looked over because I thought it was one of the kids. I saw it was this grown lady, playing Farmville, on Facebook. Apparently things weren't going so well. :P Then, after a while, she swore again, and said, "I don't have time for this!" I nearly laughed out loud. :D

And then, she came back again and did the same thing! Sometimes I wonder if it was a smart idea to have them allow people other than college students on Facebook. :P

Then, this older man came in to read the paper. He comes in every Saturday and is usually there right when we open. Today he was late, and he walked back to the newspapers and then came back, wondering where today's papers were at. I told him they were back there, or should be, so he left to look again. He came back in a big huff, still unable to find them. So, I went back there to look. Sure enough, they weren't there. So, I told him someone else had likely moved them. He got all mad and said, "I want to read the paper." So, I looked around and someone else was reading them. I politely told him and waited to see what he was going to do. Sure enough, he stalked over to the other man to see why he was reading "his" paper. :P I walked away laughing to myself. Some people are so self-centered. :D



*If you think reading long, not so well-written blogs is boring.
**Grown meaning over 40 and looking like someone's mom and/or young grandma.