More tales from the library - the letters file
One of the things that keep the library afloat is silliness. Sometimes it's just people sharing chocolate when you're fed up and want to go home, sometimes it's really horrifically innuendo conversations, and sometimes people write each other joke letters.
Recently our children's library was stanley knifed1 and some of the giant toys that decorated one of our cupboards were hidden away up by my boss's desk. These included a giant snake toy and a giant dog of a duluxy type only slimmer.
One day my boss came in to find that our part time manager for strategy and some other management speak nonsense had strung up the dog by his forepaws on a coat hanger and hung him from the ceiling as if he were a 'trapeeze dog'.
My boss spent some work time composing a letter from the RSPCSA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Stuffed Animals), put it in an envelope and left it on the strategy manager's desk. Said manager then wrote a letter back in the same vein.
The temp librarian in the info team (doing my old job really) is about to leave and go work in some Film Uni college down south and he's waiting on his acceptance letter. Then today one of my colleagues decided she would write him her own acceptance letter.... only this one was as if he were accepted for a post in an old people's home library and included a set of demands such as regularly singing nat king cole songs, wearing a side parting and growing a goatee so as to look more like charles dickens.
This, you see is what library staff do for fun...
And you all thought we did WORK in libraries.... actually you probably didn't. I couldn't tell you what work I did today although I think I achieved some stuff. The morning I remember ok - I sorted out some bits and bobs before going off to run a half term craft event with my boss at one of the branches and then covered the enquiry desk for an hour. The afternoon however is a mystery. Things WERE accomplished I'm vaguely sure of that.
Yesterday was rather more crazy. Two of my colleagues did the half term craft event at one of our branches in the morning while me and my colleague who loves antony head and hugh jackman(I think I shall nickname her giles_hugh) had to cover the desk as well as me trying to help with a Calypso workshop that ran all day. I hung around and acted supportive but I have to say I didn't really do much for them apart from hand them snacks and drinks, get pens and just hover with a smile on my face. I meant to come help with the half term craft event for our library but it didn't really happen. So that was my day. The calypso guy was pretty cool and down to earth for a guy with an improbable ancient greek history stage name. He was also very impressive with the kids who turned up who although not exactly sulky teens were a bit recalcitrant, specially with the idea of singing.
Anyhoo the only real thing that went wrong was just personal. I hate getting caught out with the time of the month and even tho I knew I should be careful cos I knew I was on I just wasn't and here's the slightly gross bit: I accidentally slightly stained a chair... but I did clean it off PROMISE! Grr. Why do women have to bleed every month someone PLEASE tell me. I'm sure there is a better biological solution...
Anyway. Nothing much else to add except had a nice supper and planning meeting with thenewred, thenewred's hubby, pm and varno.
I'd better get off to book group.
See yas
QR
1Colloquial term for the process by which a library is 'revamped' or made supposedly more customer friendly using commercial ideas. This article may or may not enlighten you further. Mostly it seems to consist of taking down posters and removing leaflets... oh and managers ignoring perfectly reasonable ideas relating to these theories because they might have to spend money.
Recently our children's library was stanley knifed1 and some of the giant toys that decorated one of our cupboards were hidden away up by my boss's desk. These included a giant snake toy and a giant dog of a duluxy type only slimmer.
One day my boss came in to find that our part time manager for strategy and some other management speak nonsense had strung up the dog by his forepaws on a coat hanger and hung him from the ceiling as if he were a 'trapeeze dog'.
My boss spent some work time composing a letter from the RSPCSA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Stuffed Animals), put it in an envelope and left it on the strategy manager's desk. Said manager then wrote a letter back in the same vein.
The temp librarian in the info team (doing my old job really) is about to leave and go work in some Film Uni college down south and he's waiting on his acceptance letter. Then today one of my colleagues decided she would write him her own acceptance letter.... only this one was as if he were accepted for a post in an old people's home library and included a set of demands such as regularly singing nat king cole songs, wearing a side parting and growing a goatee so as to look more like charles dickens.
This, you see is what library staff do for fun...
And you all thought we did WORK in libraries.... actually you probably didn't. I couldn't tell you what work I did today although I think I achieved some stuff. The morning I remember ok - I sorted out some bits and bobs before going off to run a half term craft event with my boss at one of the branches and then covered the enquiry desk for an hour. The afternoon however is a mystery. Things WERE accomplished I'm vaguely sure of that.
Yesterday was rather more crazy. Two of my colleagues did the half term craft event at one of our branches in the morning while me and my colleague who loves antony head and hugh jackman(I think I shall nickname her giles_hugh) had to cover the desk as well as me trying to help with a Calypso workshop that ran all day. I hung around and acted supportive but I have to say I didn't really do much for them apart from hand them snacks and drinks, get pens and just hover with a smile on my face. I meant to come help with the half term craft event for our library but it didn't really happen. So that was my day. The calypso guy was pretty cool and down to earth for a guy with an improbable ancient greek history stage name. He was also very impressive with the kids who turned up who although not exactly sulky teens were a bit recalcitrant, specially with the idea of singing.
Anyhoo the only real thing that went wrong was just personal. I hate getting caught out with the time of the month and even tho I knew I should be careful cos I knew I was on I just wasn't and here's the slightly gross bit: I accidentally slightly stained a chair... but I did clean it off PROMISE! Grr. Why do women have to bleed every month someone PLEASE tell me. I'm sure there is a better biological solution...
Anyway. Nothing much else to add except had a nice supper and planning meeting with thenewred, thenewred's hubby, pm and varno.
I'd better get off to book group.
See yas
QR
1Colloquial term for the process by which a library is 'revamped' or made supposedly more customer friendly using commercial ideas. This article may or may not enlighten you further. Mostly it seems to consist of taking down posters and removing leaflets... oh and managers ignoring perfectly reasonable ideas relating to these theories because they might have to spend money.