Overheard on the Reference Desk, Entry 2

The patron: "I need to renew my teaching credentials from the State of ___ . But I don't know how to use a computer. At all. I'm very different, I'm a psychic, and I don't use computers. Is there anyone I can pay to do this work for me? I'm a very special person, a victim of incest, and so I've never used a computer."

The librarian (not me): "...............???"

Right then was one of those times when I swear to god someone hires people to come in and try to punk us.

Shit my Patrons Say

(The Scene: Reference desk, around noon. Patron is signing in to use one of our study rooms. He glances up at me, does a double-take.)

Patron: Wow. This is it the first time I've seen you looking pretty.

Me: (after a cold silence) Thanks.

Patron: I don't express myself very diplomatically.

Fun in the Workplace, Exhibit A:

Walking past the Cap'n's office this afternoon, I noticed one of her plants sitting on the floor outside her office. Poking my head in, I asked, "Is your plant in time-out?"

There's a purpose to everything the Cap does, but it doesn't stop me from making funnies where I can. So later I snuck over and left a little note:

It got more than a few chuckles. And by the end of the day, it (and the sign) were back on the Cap's desk.

50 Uses for 50 Shades...

Of course, like most of Library Land, I've been following the whole "50 Shades of Grey" brouhaha with no small amount of amusement. For a while, I was monitoring the list of people on the waitlist for it. At one point, there were 95 people on the waitlist for the first one. And then, a couple of days later, I checked the list again, and lamented to B, "It's gone down...pardon the pun."

Ahem.

Having read the first book, I feel like I'm in a place to make commentary on it. But instead of critiquing it, I'll share with you a little game that B and I came up with:

Alternative Uses for 50 Shades of Grey.

1. Doorstop (I know, generic and overdone)
2. Paper-weight
3. Kindling (no, I'm not advocating book-burning)
4. Wrapping fish in
5. Proofreading/editing practice: As in, give this book to an aspiring writer and say, "Here, turn this into something good."
6. A source of inspiration for fanfic writers. (Actually, no, I retract that. We've got plenty of inspiration. Moving along.)
7. Target practice

This last one was Papa Bear's suggestion, and we ended the game with him as the declared winnerr. Stay tuned for more rounds!