London patron of the day

So there was a patron today from London who had a lovely accent when she was telling me about her two boys, and how libraries in London are so different than here. I kept asking her questions so she could keep talking because I just loved hearing her voice. She was funny, too. Making fun of other people. Talking about her favorite yet worst librarian back in London. Best because she was good at her job, but worst because her style and attitude towards things was harsh, and she often used a witch voice. Then she demonstrated, and it was scary! Still, she assured me that the children over there adored her personality. She shared with me the books that she was checking out. There were about 5 picture books, and we got interrupted once because one of her boys was getting ready to fight another little girl off the computer game. She also talked really fast, which made it a challenge for me to figure out what she was saying even though it was still English. Have you ever wanted to just talk forever with a stranger just to hear their voice?

Cutest Patron of the Day

My cute patron of the day was a little girl who in her tiny private school uniform came up to the reference desk to grab some kleenix. Then she waited close by my seat to ask in the highest possible pitch," Oh, I was just wondering...do librarians love to read books?" Her mother pushed her along saying, "Come on..." and I told her, "Yes, I do love to read books!" She was so little! So cute!

Teen Patron of the Day

Today's teen patron of the day was standing next to me, and she said, "I like your hair… I like the color" This was so nice of her to say! I have never met this teen before. I always wear my hair the same way, in a ponytail, but not today. Now, to me, my hair was not all that today. And I thanked her, and I was flattered because this was a teen, and I want teens to think I'm cool. I'm wearing my hair down in an Aaliyah style, half covering my face. Maybe I should wear my hair down more often.

Wealthy Patron of the Day

I helped an elderly couple find a specific article about a device that was named one of Time magazine’s best inventions* of 2015. I asked the typical reference questions to try to locate it and, when I thought I had it, I started to read it to them. The man said that that was his grandson’s invention. I turned to him and thought, “That’s so awesome”. And they looked so proud, too…and wealthy. Then, the woman told me the whole story of how this device was helping other people, and then I just felt in awe that their grandson was like a celebrity of this town.

*The picture is not the aforementioned invention of this story.

Patron of the Day- teen edition

I meet a lot of different types of teens during our teen programs. One of the teens I recently met this school year is a good artist. She shares with me her sketches whenever I see her, and one time she asked what I thought about a series of characters, and wanted to know which I liked the best. I felt honored that she wanted my opinion since I can’t draw for anything. She drew 10 or so of the same character in different ways. We talked about heroes, villains, storyboards, and she was drawing on the back of scratch paper. I mentioned there’s this one paper that already has the lines drawn in for you that way you don’t have to draw those in.

Yesterday, I saw her at our program and I gave her a couple pieces of storyboard paper leftover from a past teen drawing program, and told her that this was the storyboard paper I was talking about the other time. She thanked me for the paper, then I handed her another folded paper. I also had made her a birthday card since she casually mentioned that it was going to be her bday soon- well, it wasn’t really a birthday card, but I do this thing for my family and friends where I actually photoshop a picture since I can’t draw and am cheap, on folded 8.5x11” paper that I think they might like, and then I’d write my personal message in the inside. It is kinda cheap looking too, but it is my thing that I do for people, and they seem to like it so I just kept doing it for years.

Anyways, I made and handed this teen a folded birthday card with a picture based from one of the characters that I thought she might like. She unfolded the birthday card and she said, “OMG! That is awesome! Look, that’s like that character and it is holding a small cake…hahaha…how did you know?” and before I could respond again, she gave me a hug, and thanked me again. I felt really happy that she was happy with my cheap looking birthday card. She told me that September 12th is her birthday, which is today, so I hope she is having a good time celebrating.

Patron of the Day

As some of you may know, I also clerk at the library. So, today I was at the circulation desk when a lady and her child zoomed past a line of two people waiting and approached my desk…

Lady (in a rush): Hi, my card isn’t working.

Me: You know, you just cut those people off in line.

(I gestured to the woman next to us.)

Lady (not looking up at me): Oh.

Me: Ok, you see that sign over there… (waiting for her to look at me or the sign… then FINALLY looks up)… that’s the line, and you just cut in line in front of those people.

Lady (irritated): Well, I didn’t see her.

(I looked over to the next person in line who is now being helped by my co-worker)

Me: You say your card isn’t working?

Lady (looking at me now): Yes. I don’t know why.

Me: It isn’t working because you owe fines that add up to X amount of dollars. You need to pay some of it to checkout.

Lady (mad): I don’t have the money right now.

Me: Then I can’t help you right now.

Lady walks away sad.

Karma.

Othologies

Patron-of-the-Day:

A polite young boy came up to the desk inquiring,

“Do you have a list of all the othologies?”

He explained to me how he read almost all of them.

“I found Dragonology (he’s read it), Pirateology (read it), Mythology…”

The boy’s eyes got really big with this title.

“Oh! Do you have that one- Mythology?”

I told him to follow me, we went into the stacks where the immortals lived- Zeus, Hades, Prometheus, Aphrodite, etc. As we were approaching the big book, he started saying,

“All of my friends have almost read this book…” (I love how kids get all passionate about things.) “THERE IT IS! THIS IS SUCH A RARE FIND!! THANK YOU!!!”

I was very pleased to have found this treasure for him.

Patron-of-the-Day

I had this cute little boy come up to me, and he was pointing at the book on display and speaking baby talk, gibberish I thought.

I asked him, " Do you want to read that book?"

I started to walk over with the book, and he started slowly walking towards me while he reached out his tiny hand, and took it.

Then he said, "Thank you."

I learned that the boy could talk, just needed something and didn’t know how to ask for it.

I overheard him tell his mom, "That nice lady over there gave me this book!"

His mom said, "She did?"

Then the boy said, "She was nice to give me this book."

And the mom said, "Yes, she was nice."