Archive for November, 2007

The Bold One

{ November 16, 2007 @ 7:41 pm } · { Hard of hearing Librarian, Library, Library Customers }
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I could hardly believe my hearing aids when I encountered this customer recently at the Reference Desk:

Library customer:  I need to use a computer and my “liberry” card isn’t working.

Me:  Let me check your record - I’ll need your card, please.  Hmm.  It looks like you have lost book fees on your record.  Sorry, you won’t be able to use your Library card until the balance is below $10.00.

Library customer: (irate) What!  I ain’t NEVER checked out no books!  What do I need books for?  I ain’t read no books! The only thing I ever do at the “liberry” is look for jobs on the computer!

Me:  Ma’am, the titles of the books are, “How to Write Better Resumes,” and “Resumes that Knock ‘em Dead!.”

Library customer:  (with lots of neck action) Well, I ain’t payin’ for ‘em!  I’m going to ANOTHER “liberry!”

She spun around and defiantly marched out of the Library.  I wonder how many times this scenario will be repeated before she realizes all the Public Libraries in the County have access to her record?

Librarian = Detective

{ November 12, 2007 @ 1:48 am } · { Hard of hearing Librarian, Library, Local Government Building, deaf, hard of hearing }
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The elderly gentleman wore a white Guayabera, a man’s shirt popular in Latin and Asian countries, and walked briskly towards me at the Reference Desk. I have to admit, from past experiences, because of the way he was dressed AND his age, I prepared myself to focus on a heavy Spanish accent (Before I get any hate mail, my grandfather wore Guayaberas, and he was from a Latin American country). But nothing could prepare me for what I heard. The first sounds out of his mouth weren’t English or Spanish. They weren’t even Spanglish.

Elderly gentleman (in a loud voice): “Chair Lee Ho. D-B-D. Chair Lee Ho.”

Me: You want a DVD?

Elderly gentleman: (nods head excitedly) “Chair Lee Ho!”

I glance at my normal hearing coworker and he shrugs his shoulders, indicating he has no clue what the man is saying, either.

Me: (handing the gentleman a paper and pen) “I’m not quite getting the title. Can you write that down for me?”

Elderly gentleman: (looking offended) “Chair Lee Ho! Okay, I write!” He writes down the printed version of “Chair Lee Ho,” triumphantly hands the paper to me with a big smile, and once again says, “Chair Lee Ho!”

Me: (trying not to laugh) You want a Sherlock Holmes DVD?”

Elderly gentleman: (grinning from ear to ear) “Yes! Chair Lee Ho! Chair Lee Ho!”

Sometimes you have to be Sherlock Holmes just to understand people in the Library!