Yesterday

An old man in a Cubs jacket and cap: "I'm so sick of hearing about the White Sox."

In the Morning:

I come in late.
The girls in their summer dresses, by Irwin Shaw.
Polkas from Slovenia.
A fax goes through after the fourth try.
The computer class is at one, ma'am.
Appointment in Samarra, by John O'hara.
The circ staff argues over who gets lunch.
Copier advice.
Sorry ma'am, you need a card to use the internet machines.
His first resume. I show him the books. Later, the templates.
Washrooms are over there, sir.

In the Afternoon:

A rumor of war, by Philip Caputo, and The longest day.
The second battle of Bull Run.
Two straight patrons with "The computer won't take my card" issues.
Copier advice.
Gee boss I don't know where that book is. Or that one.
Stapler.
"Is Librarian Q there?"
The harmonies for "Leaving on a jet plane."
Major Dundee, and Geronimo.
Microfilm reader advice.
Fax.
Where the hell did all the other librarians go?
Bonsai videos.
Lovesick blues, by Paul Hemphill.
Rhinoceros, by Eugene Ionesco.
I boast about my ability to remove stuck floppies, then I fail.
Try typing your name with the apostrophe, ma'am.
Librarians Y and K are discussing sandwiches. And pate.
"My card doesn't work on the computer."

The Other Day:

"Did my book get returned? I told the guy to bring the book in yesterday. I even gave him five bucks. If he hasn't returned it I'm gonna kill him."

In the Afternoon:

1965 Chevrolet Impala repair manual.
Article from National Geographic.
CDs are a dollar to rent, sir.
A live coal in the sea, by Madeleine L'Engle.
Math in the kitchen, and how to read scales.
Portland International Airport phone numbers.
Librarian Y sneaks off the desk while muttering something.
He doesn't know if he wants Stitch! The movie or Lilo and Stitch one or two or if there's any relation between them, and besides, he has them all anyway ...
Fax.
"Is (another librarian) there?"
Let me explain this copier to you, ma'am.
Librarian Y returns holding a sinister looking bunch of cables.
"Do your computers have sound?"
"You got a class on CD burners?"
I explain the concept of cut and paste.
A couple atlases.
Printer advice.
A big argument about whether the White Sox have clinched or not.
I have to write out the directions to cut and paste. She goes on and on about turkey recipes.
"I'm a computer moron," she says, and waits for me to laugh.
Books on what attracts people to people.
No cell phones, ma'am.
Books on job interviews.
"I printed. Where's the paper?"
Writer's market.
James Herriot books in large print.
Children's books? Downstairs.
Baseball books.
Printer advice.
Stapler.
They'll renew your card over there (twice).
I have no Spanish. He had no English. He keeps pointing to his card and himself and shaking his head.
Sorry, kid. Our ruler has vanished.
Just type in your barcode, ma'am.
Printer advice.
They'll make change over there, sir.
Will we proctor a test for him?
Fax.
Computer class signup.
Please just sit down at a machine and type in your barcode, sir.

One more day until my vacation ...

In the Afternoon:

Caballa de Troya books. "They were right in my face!"
I leave the desk.
I return.
Don't run!
His card doesn't work.
She doesn't even have a card.
ACT and SAT books are over here, ma'am.
Fax.
Librarian K can't decide what to read next.
I reset a printer.
I suggest Librarian K read something by Banana Yoshimoto, because of the name.
"Do all your staff speak Spanish, or do any of them know English?" mutters the grumpy old lady.
I suggest Librarian K read Life of Pi. "I tried. Boring-snoring."
"Books on child development, teachers using art and child development, by Skinker. What do you got on Skinker?"
Librarian K decides on I know this much is true, by Wally Lamb, on 24 cassette tapes.
Collateral damage, and A perfect murder.
I reset another printer.
Fax.
Our computer classes are all booked, ma'am.
She wants to switch computers to get away from some small children.
You're too young to use the computer, little girl. I don't care how cute you are.
Don't run! (Different kid)
Sorry, sir, we don't know which divorce forms you need.
A fax won't go through.

In the Afternoon:

A technical writer who doesn't know how to save files or attach them to email.
From pieces to weight, by 50 Cent.
I kick two kids off the computers.
Someone in the back office is playing a DVD loud.
Just type your barcode there, ma'am.
Guns and ammo magazine.
Sure, you can take a pencil, sir.
You don't scan your barcode, ma'am. You type the numbers in.
Richard Wright, by Hazel Rowley.
Fax.
That's an "a," not an "s." That's why the URL won't work, sir.
No cellphones. (Whoops. She's talking to herself.)
It takes three tries, but we get the barcode typed correctly.
Printing a frame.
The Da Vinci code sound recording.
Sheet music for the Korean National Anthem.
More barcode typing blues.
For whom the bell tolls, by Ernest Hemingway.