[OTA] Fancy a Book?

[an_ex_watcher]

If anyone happened to pass by the library, they might notice an interesting change in the building. For one thing, one could now see into the windows.

Wesley hadn't a clue who had been taking care of the library before. Clearly someone had, in a limited capacity, keeping the dust level below lethal, shelves and doors repaired, plumbing working, etc

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[mad_sc1entist]

Walter was on another of his now frequent walks around town when he noticed something he hadn't before. It was a building he had passed a number of times before, but honestly, he hadn't really known what the building was for before today. It had just been there. Today, he's delighted to find out that the mysterious, ill-kept building is actually a library!

"No I have not read a book today!" Walter exclaims, clapping his hands once in excitement as a wide grin spreads across his face. He's enjoyed wandering the town, but he misses learning and teaching. The library would be perfect! They'll even have periodicals so he can look to see who is hiring. Briefly he thinks of working in the library, and though he loves his research, his first love is still science, and with that his experiments.

That realization doesn't quell Walter's excitement though. He's missed his research as well. After all, research and experimentation go hand in hand. With that, Walter rushes up to the main doors, just barely managing to contain himself before he

[an_ex_watcher]

Wesley hears the electronic beep as he finishes shelving the top half of a cart in Historical Memoirs, and brushes dust off his hands before striding round the corner to greet the visitor. With true British cool, he approaches the eccentric-looking elderly man, hands clasped behind his back.

"Good morning, sir. May I assist you with anything?"

[mad_sc1entist]

Walter walks in, looking around at all the books like a kid in a candy store. It feels like it's been far to long since he'd been in a library, doing research. He only stops when he hears someone addressing him.

"Oh my, yes. Are you the one responsible for this? Simply wonderful!" he said, starting to look around in awe again. "I've been wondering why there is no library on the island, as there seemed to be everything else. Simply wonderful!"

He looks around again with a big smile on his face. "Could you, perhaps, point me to the science section?"

[an_ex_watcher]

Despite his usual reserved demeanor, Wesley finds a smile creeping onto his face at the eccentric, bubbling elderly man. "Thank you, sir. You're very kind. I merely cleaned up and am in the process of organizing the chaos I can only assume was left by the previous managers."

At the question, he gestures down a particular aisle. "Books with scientific focus start three rows down on the left, there, though I apologize for the disarray - I've not gotten to that section yet. The periodical archives are past that, the door underneath the painting of the hummingbirds, but I'm afraid I've not even finished dusting in there. It would be a futile endeavor until I clear enough tables and floor space to pull everything out and do a complete re-cataloging."

[mad_sc1entist]

"Well, I guess it was about time someone cleaned up. I didn't even know this place was here! And Rome wasn't built in a day, you know. You've done a fine job young man. Fine job."

Walter was just about to walk away to the section indicated to him when he thought of something. He looked at the librarian apraisingly. He seemed to be rather intelligent, if one could determine intelligence based on a two minute conversation and outward appearance.

"I don't suppose you have come across any books on fringe science," Walter asked, almost in a whisper, knowing that fringe was both new and in some cases, highly unorthodox. "I realize you said you hadn't been through that section yet, but one can hope, correct?"

[an_ex_watcher]

Wesley's smile gained a hint of wryness at the elder man's praise. Young man indeed. He could almost be back at the Academy listening to Prof. Kembrel prattling on about how "good it is to be young, all that energy, translating and proofreading the whole Cornetta de Sutri in a fortnight."

"Thank you," he replied to the compliment, and then frowned slightly at the inquiry. "I'm afraid fringe science is a rather loose term in a multi-dimensional library, sir. Everything's been studied by someone or other. If there are particular topics or researchers you're interested in, and we don't have them in stock, I could try to order some in. I'n not tested the ordering system yet."

[mad_sc1entist]

Walter frowned slightly. He'd never really thought of fringe science being too broad a topic before, but then again he's used to working with people that know more specifically what he's trying to do.

"I see, I see," he replied contemplatively. "Well then, how about anything on multi-dimensions or possibly William Bell?" Walter thought it unlikely, but Bell did seem to become rather powerful after their days as lab partners and this place was, after all, another dimension. It couldn't hurt to look it up, maybe find out a bit more about this place.

[an_ex_watcher]

"I'll look for William Bell in the catalog," Wesley said apologetically before he began walking in the direction he previously indicated, "but I can point out four or five good grounding books on multidimensional theory, if you'd like?"

He glanced back to see if the man was following, and then proceeded to the science section, where he began shifting stacks and going through shelves until he had amassed five weighty-looking tomes and one slim book.

[mad_sc1entist]

"Oh yes! Thank you very much, Sir. I would like to see what this library has to offer, since I don't have all of my books from home with me here," Walter replied excitedly. How wonderful that the library on the island would have such books! He wouldn't expect it of a small tropical island. Then again, this isn't really an ordinary tropical island... or really all that small!

Walter walked over with the librarian, he had to see exactly what was in the collection here! And what a collection! Walter couldn't help but clap his hands together in excitement. "Oh my! You have Charles Gwinden's The Worlds Beyond: The History of Multidimensionalism! I do love his theories! And they've lead to so much development! Excellent! Simply excellent!"

He's a happy little mad scientist, isn't he.

[an_ex_watcher]

Wesley smiled softly again at the man's excitement as he held out the small stack he had amassed. "They are indeed an invaluable reference. I would recommend these, myself, if you haven't already read them." Wesley had deliberately chosen texts someone from an average Earth dimension wouldn't have had access to.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with, sir?"

Re: He is when he finds something he likes! Like ice cream sandwiches!

[mad_sc1entist]

Walter looked at the books being handed to him like a kid in a candy store. "Thank you so much! I have read them before, but that was before I knew of this place. They'll have a whole new context now!"

Walter stopped to consider the librarian's question. "Well, I suppose I'll be needing a library card of some descript. I noticed you are doing some things a little more electronically here, at least with the gadget you have to let you know someone has come in, so maybe not a card, per se, but some sort of book lending device," Walter replied, still smiling broadly. He likes this young man, at least likes that he knows so much about even the more rare topics.

[an_ex_watcher]

"You're quite welcome, sir."

Wesley glanced back to the desk. "Still cards, I believe. Would you like to be the first new recipient?" He's still smiling gently - it seems to be a permanent expression around the bubbling scholar. He gathered most of the books it looked like Walter was going to check out and headed back to the front and the front desk.

[mad_sc1entist]

"Oh excellent. I do love the old cards. I am dreading the day when everything goes completely technical, despite my scientific curiosities. I do still love the old books too. Computers are helpful, but there's nothing quite like sitting down with an old book. Comforting almost..." Walter trailed off slightly, staring off into space thinking about many pleasant times he'd had doing research out of books.

"I would love to be the first new recipient! I'm sure this place will help a lot in my research."

[an_ex_watcher]

"Nothing quiet like the comfort of parchment," Wesley agreed as he set the books down on the front desk counter before moving behind it and navigating the simple program loaded onto the computer there for making cards.

He gestured toward a spot on the wall next to the desk where a pale brown cloth hung in such a way that anyone not obscenely tall or short could stand in front of the cloth and have their picture taken by the small camera poised on the end of the desk. "Stand just over there, please, sir, and smile for the camera."

Sorry for the massive delay!

[mad_sc1entist]

Walter nods in agreement and then looks around with almost a startled look on his face as he's directed to the spot for his card picture. He's not really surprised, just didn't expect how efficient the man was with getting the cards done up.

"Oh this is wonderful!" Walter exclaims, as he stands in front of the cloth. He smiles widely, though really it's more out of excitement than because he was asked to for the picture.