With hat in hand, I come to you

[spikesgirl58]

I'm working on a story that will center around a librarian. I'd love some little personal, but not obviously embarrassing, stories that I could use for backfill. I know I have librarians on my f-list. Is there anything you'd be willing to share? You can either leave a message for me here or PM me for privacy, if you prefer.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

[mollywheezy]

My MIL is a reference librarian and I believe second in command at her library (by choice--she doesn't want to be the boss). This happened probably 20 or so years ago. The library had a Halloween display for children, with various Halloween books, and a bulletin board with pictures of black cats, witches, pumpkins . . . that had been sent by the authors/artists and were illustrations from the books for advertising purposes. A patron came to my MIL and said she was Wiccan and the depictions of witches were offensive to her religion. My MIL apologized and said the bulletin board that was put up was state wide to represent a non-religious holiday, and asked the woman if she had a book about Wicca or any depictions she would like to add that could explain her religion to people. The woman flew off the handle and said, "Yes! I have something to add!!! A HEX on your library!" She said something in a language my MIL didn't recognize and then stormed out.

The next day the local Catholic priest was in the library and came to my MIL and said he sensed evil in the building and asked if he could bless the building. My MIL said sure. The priest left and came back with incense and holy water and walked up and down the aisles of the library chanting in Latin and sprinkling holy water on the carpet (not the books--he was careful) and getting a lot of strange looks.

The next day, the Wiccan woman returned and upon setting foot inside the library, screamed, "Hey! Who removed my hex?!" and then left without waiting for an answer.

I am not making this up. My MIL called me to vent about her unusual week, and pretty much the conversation boiled down to, "Can't we all just get along?"

My MIL lives in a VERY small town, so I did tell her that the Wiccans I had met had been very kind people who would not go around hexing libraries.

[spikesgirl58]

Okay this is a great story. It makes me wonder if those two were in cahoots with one another! Honestly, the Wiccans I have met would not run around putting hexes on anything.

[mollywheezy]

I guess every religion has its lunatic fringe . . . I don't think they were in cahoots because my MIL knew the priest. He was in the library a lot.

[spikesgirl58]

The timing is just odd. I agree that there are a few oddballs in every religion.