Dear diary,
The library was closed to the public for four days. The windows have been boarded up, the phonelines down. Some disbelievers said that it will never reopen. But they were wrong. For inside the library we were busy repairing the damage that had been done. We worked day and night to get the library back to normal. Here are the notes I kept on our progress.
Tuesday, 5am
I was at home Monday night tending to my wounds when I heard a knock at he door. I wondered who would be calling by at midnight. It was Talia, dressed in a black suit and wearing dark sunglasses. Silently she motioned to the open passenger-side door of her car. I got in and she handed me a document. I read it while she drove, and when I'd finished I looked up at her and mouthed, "Emergency Shelving Procedures?"
We were the last to arrive at the back carpark of the library. Boudecia opened the door for us and we entered. The backroom had been spared from most of the damage. We slowly and silently made our way through the library to the front desk, stepping gingerly over fallen chairs and destoyed books. Pepper whimpered when she saw the state of the Junior section, the turrets we'd made less than a week ago now demolished.
Ernesto remained at the front desk, cradling his broken arm while helping Sylvia and I fix the downed in-house system. The other six went around the library collecting whatever misplaced books and other items they could find. I'm taking my break now, but they're all still out there salvaging what they can. I'll write more later.
Tuesday, 8:30pm
I'm at home now, just finishing dinner and waiting another 20 minutes before I have to get back to work. Boudecia swore us to secrecy about our mission, so I haven't told my parents anything. It's been such a busy day. Sylvia and I managed to fix the in-house system, and slowly but surely Ernesto got the computers to come back on. That was at 4pm. We then restored the shelves to their proper places, and now we've got what Goldie called the "skeleton of the library".
Wednesday, 4pm
The sorting process is taking FOREVER and I just want to die! We've each taken a pile and been assorted to our own collections. Pepper gets Junior, TJ has Teenage, all DVDs and videos go to Sylvia, Bron controls Community Languages, Talia's taken Magazines, Biographies are Ernesto's, Goldie monopolises Paperbacks, Boudecia warrants Large Print, and any Fiction is my realm. We pass on anything misplaced to the right person, and Non-Fiction and Reference are thrown into a massive pile for later.
Sounds simple in theory, but not quite so in practice. Goldie and I have been swapping back and forth because it seems like no-one can tell the difference between Fiction and Paperback. It gets really frustrating when you finally complete a tier full of books only to realise half of them aren't meant to be there. I do it all the time accidentally when I normally shelve, but now it's really getting to me.
Thursday, 6pm
Once all respective sections had been finished we all moved on to on-Fiction. Morale was pretty low as we'd had to throw ot so many books which had been damaged. TJ farewelled any John Marsdens and Bron had to saya rueful goodbye to some Harry Potters in both French and Chinese, but the saddest thing was when I found Talia crying over the destruction of all the Rolling Stones. Boudecia, in a rare contradiction of OHS procedures, lit a funeral pyre for them in a wastepaper basket inside the library.
Then Pepper devised a plan to cheer us up. She got each of us "young ones" (i.e. those under thirty) to grab a trolley and race to shelve a part of Non-Fiction. She took bets from everyone on who would win out of myself, Talia, TJ and Sylvia. The four of us stood ready at the starting line as Bron stepped out with a checkered flag. She waved, and we were off.
I was the first to reach my destination at 613. I began shelving like I've neer shelved before. I could see TJ hurrying to catch up to me at 745 but he was out of practice. He used to be a shelver but had been out of practice since being promoted to library officer. When I completed my tier I ran back to the fornt desk for my second load, only to see Talia running off with hers. It turned out to be a very close match, with the two of us neck and neck right up until the very end before she got ahead.
Friday, 3pm
It's finally over. Boudecia was given the honour of placing the last book on the shelf, a symbolic gesture as meaningful as cutting the red tape. It was a bit of an anticlimax as we were all so exhausted and just wanted to go home. When I did get home I collapsed on my bed and slept for hours. I think I'll call in sick tomorrow - I've done enough overtime to make up for it. Good night.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
#15 Special character bios - Bron, Sylvia & Goldie
It may be some time before the library system comes back up (uncontrollable, these things), so let's take another reprieve from the storyline to look at some more of the characters. Thistime we have three women who were assigned names purely because I like cycles and side-references. In no particular order - though Olympic medallists beg to differ - I present to you Bron, Sylvia and Goldie.
BRON
Bronwyn (40) is the Community Liaison Librarian an also the most reasonable person working in the library. She speaks several languages and single-handed governs the Community Languages section. She has many hobbies which span just about every subject under the sun, and then some. Bron is moderate in the extreme, never expressing a one-sided opinion. Her ability to see every side of an argument makes her the ultimate mediator, although it also means she doesn't hold strong opinions and may appear apathetic on occasions. She sees the library as a meeting place for peope from all wals of life, where they can seek out all kinds of information. Not that she believes this too strongly, mind you.
SYLVIA
The library's resident goth/emo/techno chick, Sylvia (25) is the library tech in charge of all Av material. She enjoys listening to heavy metal music, dressing-up for Cosplay and practising Wicca in her spare time. Sylvia's typical attire involves heavy make-up, radical dresses (she likes the black leather one best) and dyed hair that spikes out every which way. While growing up in Japan Sylvia became obsessed with the striking female leads in anime shows and movies, and has adopted "dress to impress" as her personal motto. She loves working in a public library because she loves watching movies without having to pay for them. The fact that she has never read a book in her life doesn't seem to really bother her at all.
GOLDIE
Goldie (55) is a mother of four from a devout Christian background, and also the Acqusitions Librarian. She likes everything to be neat and tidy; her desk is so spotless you could eat your dinner off it (though she would remind you that no food is permitted in the library, thank you very much). Her jewellery makes her radiate in the right light, and she wears it proudly. Those who are on her good side can bathe in the warmth of her luminescent glow, while those on her bad side can burn to a cinder. Goldie holds the belief that the library should be kept in strict order for easy use, and will go to any lengths necessary to maintain that order.
***All characters in this story have been given their names for a reason. The shelvers - Jay and Talia (and Shannon) - are all named after former real-life shelvers, while the rest of the staff all derive their names from somethign relating to their personality.
-The author
BRON
Bronwyn (40) is the Community Liaison Librarian an also the most reasonable person working in the library. She speaks several languages and single-handed governs the Community Languages section. She has many hobbies which span just about every subject under the sun, and then some. Bron is moderate in the extreme, never expressing a one-sided opinion. Her ability to see every side of an argument makes her the ultimate mediator, although it also means she doesn't hold strong opinions and may appear apathetic on occasions. She sees the library as a meeting place for peope from all wals of life, where they can seek out all kinds of information. Not that she believes this too strongly, mind you.
SYLVIA
The library's resident goth/emo/techno chick, Sylvia (25) is the library tech in charge of all Av material. She enjoys listening to heavy metal music, dressing-up for Cosplay and practising Wicca in her spare time. Sylvia's typical attire involves heavy make-up, radical dresses (she likes the black leather one best) and dyed hair that spikes out every which way. While growing up in Japan Sylvia became obsessed with the striking female leads in anime shows and movies, and has adopted "dress to impress" as her personal motto. She loves working in a public library because she loves watching movies without having to pay for them. The fact that she has never read a book in her life doesn't seem to really bother her at all.
GOLDIE
Goldie (55) is a mother of four from a devout Christian background, and also the Acqusitions Librarian. She likes everything to be neat and tidy; her desk is so spotless you could eat your dinner off it (though she would remind you that no food is permitted in the library, thank you very much). Her jewellery makes her radiate in the right light, and she wears it proudly. Those who are on her good side can bathe in the warmth of her luminescent glow, while those on her bad side can burn to a cinder. Goldie holds the belief that the library should be kept in strict order for easy use, and will go to any lengths necessary to maintain that order.
***All characters in this story have been given their names for a reason. The shelvers - Jay and Talia (and Shannon) - are all named after former real-life shelvers, while the rest of the staff all derive their names from somethign relating to their personality.
-The author
Monday, November 26, 2007
#14 Disaster, part 2
(Previously, in Shelver Explorer: The poltergeist warns me that the library system will crash. I manage to stop the library from self-destructing, but witness the devastation caused by system failure. The story picks up after I am knocked unconscious in the line of duty...)
I awoke groggily to find the front desk empty. Books scattered the floor, and the check-in computer lay broken on the carpet. After a moment my hearing returned. Someone's wailing was cut short by the sound of a book snapping shut. I stumbled to my feet. Drunkenly I wobbled forward, grasping a trolley for support. The exit was just a few metres away, but instead I took the trolley and sped in the direction of the scream.
Gathering momentum I leapt onto the trolley, a heavy tome in each hand for balance. I leaned and steered through Fiction. I could hear murmuring from the back of the library. As I passed alng the Reference aisles I caught a glimpse of a leg sticking out from under a carrel. I jumped off the trolley and dashed over. It was the guy from Teenage who'd given me the greasie, and he was trapped under a fallen carrel. I positioned my feet, thought back to the OHS training I did on my first day, and hefted the desk up. It was surprisingly heavy - either my muscles had slackened because I had just been knocked out, or I'm really that weak.
I slung his arm over my shoulder and picked him up, supporting his weight on mine. We stumbled over like a three-legged race entrant, over to my trolley which had burst through the Local History room doors. I loaded the guy onto the trolley and wheeled it out of the room. In the meantime a bookcase had fallen down and was blocking our path. The only direction we could take was through Teenage.
It was a minefield. Books lay with their spines bent out of shape. A folio lay on its back, pages flapping lifelessly as the fan above rotated wildly. I found a Dan Brown, impaled by a student's protractor. Nobody would read this book again. I closed its cover ceremoniously. It was then that I remembered I still had the keycard, and the staffroom lay just ten metres away. The only obstacle was the fan, which had gathered force and was spinning at a dangerous Mach 2. With a heavy sigh I hefted the Dan Brown at the fan. It connected with one of the propellors, sending the fan jolting chaotically and slowing it down. I charged with my faithful trolley towards the door and let us in.
Ernesto greeted me and wrapped me up in a fire blanket. I collapsed onto a chair and let him do the talking. He said Goldie had led most of the patrons out the front exit, and that he'd been wandering around searching for survivors. He hadn't seen me take a hit and he apologised deeply. He picked up the other guy, who had slipped back into unconsciousness, and together we walked out the back way. When I opened the rear door Sylvia was there, back from her lunch break.
"Wow Jay, you look really beaten. Did I miss anything exciting?"
I awoke groggily to find the front desk empty. Books scattered the floor, and the check-in computer lay broken on the carpet. After a moment my hearing returned. Someone's wailing was cut short by the sound of a book snapping shut. I stumbled to my feet. Drunkenly I wobbled forward, grasping a trolley for support. The exit was just a few metres away, but instead I took the trolley and sped in the direction of the scream.
Gathering momentum I leapt onto the trolley, a heavy tome in each hand for balance. I leaned and steered through Fiction. I could hear murmuring from the back of the library. As I passed alng the Reference aisles I caught a glimpse of a leg sticking out from under a carrel. I jumped off the trolley and dashed over. It was the guy from Teenage who'd given me the greasie, and he was trapped under a fallen carrel. I positioned my feet, thought back to the OHS training I did on my first day, and hefted the desk up. It was surprisingly heavy - either my muscles had slackened because I had just been knocked out, or I'm really that weak.
I slung his arm over my shoulder and picked him up, supporting his weight on mine. We stumbled over like a three-legged race entrant, over to my trolley which had burst through the Local History room doors. I loaded the guy onto the trolley and wheeled it out of the room. In the meantime a bookcase had fallen down and was blocking our path. The only direction we could take was through Teenage.
It was a minefield. Books lay with their spines bent out of shape. A folio lay on its back, pages flapping lifelessly as the fan above rotated wildly. I found a Dan Brown, impaled by a student's protractor. Nobody would read this book again. I closed its cover ceremoniously. It was then that I remembered I still had the keycard, and the staffroom lay just ten metres away. The only obstacle was the fan, which had gathered force and was spinning at a dangerous Mach 2. With a heavy sigh I hefted the Dan Brown at the fan. It connected with one of the propellors, sending the fan jolting chaotically and slowing it down. I charged with my faithful trolley towards the door and let us in.
Ernesto greeted me and wrapped me up in a fire blanket. I collapsed onto a chair and let him do the talking. He said Goldie had led most of the patrons out the front exit, and that he'd been wandering around searching for survivors. He hadn't seen me take a hit and he apologised deeply. He picked up the other guy, who had slipped back into unconsciousness, and together we walked out the back way. When I opened the rear door Sylvia was there, back from her lunch break.
"Wow Jay, you look really beaten. Did I miss anything exciting?"
#13 Disaster, part 1
Dear diary,
My shift today began like any other. I came into the library, said hi whoever was on desk (Goldie), and grabbed the keycard to get into the staffroom. Once there I walked past Boudecia's desk, produced some scraps of food for the caged owl that lives on her desk and filled out my timesheet. The owl was really jittery but I didn't think anything of it at the time.
As I exited the staffroom I noticed some books lying on the floor in Teenage. Trolleyless, I scooped them up in my arms. Then they jumped out. They lay on the floor, spine up, with a cryptic message:
T SYS, T EMS, T IME, T OBE, T RAY
I had to read it four times out loud before it made any sense. "Nice try, but you don't scare me," I proclaimed out loud. A guy sitting in a nearby beanbag stared at me before getting up and moving away. The beanbag started shifting, and three books spewed out of one of the folds.
T RUS, T MES, T UPD
Honestly, I thought the poltergeist was just joking, as ethereal spirits are wont to do, so I ignored the messages and walked back to the desk to get my trolley. Goldie was calling out goodbye to someone who'd just gone out the door. Then, a zzzZAPppp sound. We both looked at each other, then slowly turned our heads towards the check-out computer. Sparks were, well, sparking from it. The loudspeaker, which s normally reserved for telling people the library is closing, crackled out the following message monotonously:
THIS LIBRARY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN TEN SECONDS.
Without wasting a moment I ran forward and vaulted over the counter. I dropped to my knees and ducked underneath to pull out the plug. Goldie threw me her glove - she says she wears them because you never know where patrons' hands have been - and I donned it for the task ahead. I grabbed a picture book someone had been wanting to borrow, curled it into a stick-shape and bashed at the socket until the plug came out.
That was only the beginning. All the other computers displayed the same screen: THE SYSTEM HAS GONE DOWN. The public access terminals all went blank. The man Ernesto had been serving at the desk swore and slapped the side of the computer, only to receive a static shock that sent him flyng backwards. A woman on the catalogue terminal squealed and ran at the glass window in terror. It shattered on impact, glass shards cascading on the footpath and around her. The system was down - the panic was global.
Suddenly the nearest Large Print shelf began to tilt menacingly over a frightened woman cowering in a comfy armchair besdie it. Just before it came down on her, Ernesto ran heroically and pulled her chair to safety before the shelf collapsed on top of the armchair. Goldie screamed and began rummaging through a draw. A ceiling light flickered on and off before crashing to the ground. The display cabinet doors swung open wildly, smacking nearby victims. Books were shooting off shelves and aiming for anyone.
Goldie emerged triumphant with a whistle in her hand. She blew as hard as she could. The noise was deafening. As the pandemonium paused momentarily she called for everyone to follow her in an orderly fashion. A rogue thesaurus spung off the reference trolley and flew at her, trying to silence the flagbearer. I leapt in the way and thne, for the second time in my short career, the world went black.
TO BE CONTINUED...
My shift today began like any other. I came into the library, said hi whoever was on desk (Goldie), and grabbed the keycard to get into the staffroom. Once there I walked past Boudecia's desk, produced some scraps of food for the caged owl that lives on her desk and filled out my timesheet. The owl was really jittery but I didn't think anything of it at the time.
As I exited the staffroom I noticed some books lying on the floor in Teenage. Trolleyless, I scooped them up in my arms. Then they jumped out. They lay on the floor, spine up, with a cryptic message:
T SYS, T EMS, T IME, T OBE, T RAY
I had to read it four times out loud before it made any sense. "Nice try, but you don't scare me," I proclaimed out loud. A guy sitting in a nearby beanbag stared at me before getting up and moving away. The beanbag started shifting, and three books spewed out of one of the folds.
T RUS, T MES, T UPD
Honestly, I thought the poltergeist was just joking, as ethereal spirits are wont to do, so I ignored the messages and walked back to the desk to get my trolley. Goldie was calling out goodbye to someone who'd just gone out the door. Then, a zzzZAPppp sound. We both looked at each other, then slowly turned our heads towards the check-out computer. Sparks were, well, sparking from it. The loudspeaker, which s normally reserved for telling people the library is closing, crackled out the following message monotonously:
THIS LIBRARY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN TEN SECONDS.
Without wasting a moment I ran forward and vaulted over the counter. I dropped to my knees and ducked underneath to pull out the plug. Goldie threw me her glove - she says she wears them because you never know where patrons' hands have been - and I donned it for the task ahead. I grabbed a picture book someone had been wanting to borrow, curled it into a stick-shape and bashed at the socket until the plug came out.
That was only the beginning. All the other computers displayed the same screen: THE SYSTEM HAS GONE DOWN. The public access terminals all went blank. The man Ernesto had been serving at the desk swore and slapped the side of the computer, only to receive a static shock that sent him flyng backwards. A woman on the catalogue terminal squealed and ran at the glass window in terror. It shattered on impact, glass shards cascading on the footpath and around her. The system was down - the panic was global.
Suddenly the nearest Large Print shelf began to tilt menacingly over a frightened woman cowering in a comfy armchair besdie it. Just before it came down on her, Ernesto ran heroically and pulled her chair to safety before the shelf collapsed on top of the armchair. Goldie screamed and began rummaging through a draw. A ceiling light flickered on and off before crashing to the ground. The display cabinet doors swung open wildly, smacking nearby victims. Books were shooting off shelves and aiming for anyone.
Goldie emerged triumphant with a whistle in her hand. She blew as hard as she could. The noise was deafening. As the pandemonium paused momentarily she called for everyone to follow her in an orderly fashion. A rogue thesaurus spung off the reference trolley and flew at her, trying to silence the flagbearer. I leapt in the way and thne, for the second time in my short career, the world went black.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
#12 Royalty
Dear diary,
There was absolutely nothing to shelve in the library today. Everything had already been done in the morning, and the carrels were empty of students and book debris. Bron got me to shelf-read for the first half hour. That's thirty minutes of my life I will never get back. Shelf-reading is one of those ugly tasks which someone has to do, like garbage removal or telemarketing. I don't mind it because I can slip into a daydream, often returning to consciousness several stacks later and finding everything in perfect order.
But I was glad when after a while Bron came to join me. She said that she'd get the rest of the staff to come do some shelf-reading if things stayed like this. Five minutes later TJ wandered over and pulled up a stool without a word. Pepper came to chat as well because she was bored. I joked that with everyone here, who was at the front desk. They all laughed then stopped awkwardly, and Bron sprinted off to the counter.
After shelf-reading Pepper got me to hang up some castle-themed decorations in Junior for storytime that afternoon. As there was still no shelving to do we were able to do a bit more setting-up than usual. Pepper's original idea was to have little paper cutouts of crowns and fairytale castles adorning the walls, but she scrapped that idea and went or something a bit more creative. When she pulled out the blueprints of her masterpiece I knew we were in for a long haul.
Two hours later, parents beinging their littlies to storytime were confronted by the coolest castle ever built inside a library. The papier mache turrets which lined the red carpet walkway stretched all the way out to the catalogue terminals. Pot-plants dotted the spaces between the turrets, and we'd created a 'pond' by capsizing a blue table, covering the underside with glad-wrap and placing a rubber duck on top.
I was dressed as a courtier and met the excited children and bewildered parents at the entranceway. I led them down the carpeted avenue, pointing out the scenic features including TJ, who was dressed in knight's armour which he'd hired from the costume shop down the road. The carpet spilled onto the storytime mat where Peper sat dressed as a princess. She bade everyone sit down (not possible for TJ) then began reading the stories.
The applause at the end was tremendous. We did three curtain calls - which is prety impressive when you don't have a curtain - and Pepper was presented with a bouquet of roses. I've never seen anyone beam so much. After the library'd closed TJ replayed us what he'd filmed of the day, with Pepper interrupting every now and then for screen edits. It was a really good day after all, so good that I didn't realise until I'd gotten home that I'd worked for two hours unpaid. I don't really care though; it was fun!
There was absolutely nothing to shelve in the library today. Everything had already been done in the morning, and the carrels were empty of students and book debris. Bron got me to shelf-read for the first half hour. That's thirty minutes of my life I will never get back. Shelf-reading is one of those ugly tasks which someone has to do, like garbage removal or telemarketing. I don't mind it because I can slip into a daydream, often returning to consciousness several stacks later and finding everything in perfect order.
But I was glad when after a while Bron came to join me. She said that she'd get the rest of the staff to come do some shelf-reading if things stayed like this. Five minutes later TJ wandered over and pulled up a stool without a word. Pepper came to chat as well because she was bored. I joked that with everyone here, who was at the front desk. They all laughed then stopped awkwardly, and Bron sprinted off to the counter.
After shelf-reading Pepper got me to hang up some castle-themed decorations in Junior for storytime that afternoon. As there was still no shelving to do we were able to do a bit more setting-up than usual. Pepper's original idea was to have little paper cutouts of crowns and fairytale castles adorning the walls, but she scrapped that idea and went or something a bit more creative. When she pulled out the blueprints of her masterpiece I knew we were in for a long haul.
Two hours later, parents beinging their littlies to storytime were confronted by the coolest castle ever built inside a library. The papier mache turrets which lined the red carpet walkway stretched all the way out to the catalogue terminals. Pot-plants dotted the spaces between the turrets, and we'd created a 'pond' by capsizing a blue table, covering the underside with glad-wrap and placing a rubber duck on top.
I was dressed as a courtier and met the excited children and bewildered parents at the entranceway. I led them down the carpeted avenue, pointing out the scenic features including TJ, who was dressed in knight's armour which he'd hired from the costume shop down the road. The carpet spilled onto the storytime mat where Peper sat dressed as a princess. She bade everyone sit down (not possible for TJ) then began reading the stories.
The applause at the end was tremendous. We did three curtain calls - which is prety impressive when you don't have a curtain - and Pepper was presented with a bouquet of roses. I've never seen anyone beam so much. After the library'd closed TJ replayed us what he'd filmed of the day, with Pepper interrupting every now and then for screen edits. It was a really good day after all, so good that I didn't realise until I'd gotten home that I'd worked for two hours unpaid. I don't really care though; it was fun!
Monday, November 19, 2007
#11 Ignored
Dear diary,
It's been on my mind for so long that I couldn't hold it in any more. As I was shelving with Talia yesterday I suddenly lurted out that I'd been visited by a poltergeist in the library, had she? She paused immediately, her foot in mid-step, and slowly turned to face me. She nodded slowly in agreement, a bewildered look in her eyes.
Before I could say any more Talia grabbed my arm and dragged me to the Local History room. SHe started shelf-reading and told me to do the same so it would look like we were working. I did. For the next ten minutes we talked about the poltergeist. It tuns out she's met it too, once last fortnight and again three days ago. It didn't do anything serious, just making books float and telling her it'd be back. I told her I'd tried to talk to ther other staff about it but they either ignored me or thought I was crazy. When I'd told Ernesto he gave me a weird look and suggested I have some water, while Pepper just patted my head and smiled like I was an idiot.
It was good to have someone who understod and believed me for a change. I get the feeling many of the other staff tolerate me being there and that's it. It really showed when former shelver Shannon came into the library later that day. I was at the front desk re-ordering the non-fiction trolley (somebody had ordered it backwards from right to left) when the front doors opened and she came in in her wheelchair. I didn't know who she was, but everyone else at the desk did and went straight over to her.
Pepper rushed forward to give her a hug, almost knocking me over in the process. Ernesto came over and the three of them started talking like old friends, ignoring the amassing queue at the front counter. One man came up and asked where he could find books on gardening. Without turning his head, Ernesto pointed directly towards 635 in Non-Fiction and said, "Jay". I led the man over, moving aside to let Talia through as she ran to say hi to Shannon.
When I returned the staff were standing around talking at the front desk while Shannon signed autographs for patrons. I joined the quickly growing line. When it was my turn I introduced myself as the new shelver, and jokingly said I was her replacement. he looks of contempt I received from the staff and patrons was enough to tell me I'd made a mistake. Shannon rolled her eyes and signed a bookmark for me. For the rest of the shift Ernesto bossed me about while Talia refused to talk to me. I only made a little joke, didn't I?
It's been on my mind for so long that I couldn't hold it in any more. As I was shelving with Talia yesterday I suddenly lurted out that I'd been visited by a poltergeist in the library, had she? She paused immediately, her foot in mid-step, and slowly turned to face me. She nodded slowly in agreement, a bewildered look in her eyes.
Before I could say any more Talia grabbed my arm and dragged me to the Local History room. SHe started shelf-reading and told me to do the same so it would look like we were working. I did. For the next ten minutes we talked about the poltergeist. It tuns out she's met it too, once last fortnight and again three days ago. It didn't do anything serious, just making books float and telling her it'd be back. I told her I'd tried to talk to ther other staff about it but they either ignored me or thought I was crazy. When I'd told Ernesto he gave me a weird look and suggested I have some water, while Pepper just patted my head and smiled like I was an idiot.
It was good to have someone who understod and believed me for a change. I get the feeling many of the other staff tolerate me being there and that's it. It really showed when former shelver Shannon came into the library later that day. I was at the front desk re-ordering the non-fiction trolley (somebody had ordered it backwards from right to left) when the front doors opened and she came in in her wheelchair. I didn't know who she was, but everyone else at the desk did and went straight over to her.
Pepper rushed forward to give her a hug, almost knocking me over in the process. Ernesto came over and the three of them started talking like old friends, ignoring the amassing queue at the front counter. One man came up and asked where he could find books on gardening. Without turning his head, Ernesto pointed directly towards 635 in Non-Fiction and said, "Jay". I led the man over, moving aside to let Talia through as she ran to say hi to Shannon.
When I returned the staff were standing around talking at the front desk while Shannon signed autographs for patrons. I joined the quickly growing line. When it was my turn I introduced myself as the new shelver, and jokingly said I was her replacement. he looks of contempt I received from the staff and patrons was enough to tell me I'd made a mistake. Shannon rolled her eyes and signed a bookmark for me. For the rest of the shift Ernesto bossed me about while Talia refused to talk to me. I only made a little joke, didn't I?
Friday, November 16, 2007
#10 Special character bios - Jay, Talia & Boudecia
Let's take a short interlude here and take a step back form the story of Shelver Explorer. I believe that in order to fully understand what goes on inside a library you must understand the people who work in it. They shape an in turn and shaped by the microcosmic forces which manifest themselves in the structure, ambience, clientelle and catalogue within the library. There are a umber of different types of people who use and work in the library, and this story attempts to highlight a few of those types, albeit extreme examples. And so without further ado, here are some brief character biographies for three of the staff of this fictional library.
JAY
Jay (18) is a new shelver at the unnamed fictional library and also the story's protagonist. He tells the story of his adventures in his new and exciting workplace in diary format for one basic reason - he is a natural storyteller. He is at his best when he is engaging in narrative dialogue. This causes him some conflict as his other major passion in life - software engineering - is the complete opposite in that it doesn't allow him to express his talents in narration.
Jay is over the moon when he is finally accepted to come to work in a library. He begins working as a shelver, the owest link in the food chain, and has dreams of ascending to the position of head librarian, a position which he perceives to be the pinnacle of his career. However, as he begins to find out what working in a library is really like he is somewhat taken aback, causing him to doubt his prior intentions. He finds himself falling into the role of observer as he passively watches the events wthin the library unfurl around him. For the moment, though, he is content to sit back and absorb as much as he can.
TALIA
Talia (21) is the Senior Shelver at the library, although as there are only two shelvers this title is fairly irrelevant. She has been working in the library for five years and has no intention of climbing the ranks. To her the library is a source of information on a myriad topics, her favourite being political science. She enjoys the prospects of coming across new books which will ultimatly help her in her studies. Talia researches voraciously any topics which inspire her so that she can give her educated opinion, which she does frequently whetehr the other person is
interested or not.
BOUDECIA
Boudecia (age unknown, no-one has dared to ask her) is the head librarian, a title she wields like an iron greatsword. She dislikes anything which she sees as inefficient, such as a disorganised desk or a slack shelver. To her the concept of such things is too impractical to imagine, thus it cannot exist in her world. She does not discriminate; everyone and everything is flawed in some way and must be corrected. Boudecia rarely hesitates, believing indecision to be a waste of time and will treat any problem like a Gordian Knot, striking it at its core.
***For the purpose of this story I have made the conscious effort to use only stock characters: characters who act in accordance with particular stereotyped behaviours. This not only makes for an interesting set of characters, but also protects me from being attacked by fellow staff members for ridiculing them. There are one or two charaters who originally resembled people I know, so I have endeavoured to differentiate fiction from the reality. Enjoy, and please don't sue.
-The author
JAY
Jay (18) is a new shelver at the unnamed fictional library and also the story's protagonist. He tells the story of his adventures in his new and exciting workplace in diary format for one basic reason - he is a natural storyteller. He is at his best when he is engaging in narrative dialogue. This causes him some conflict as his other major passion in life - software engineering - is the complete opposite in that it doesn't allow him to express his talents in narration.
Jay is over the moon when he is finally accepted to come to work in a library. He begins working as a shelver, the owest link in the food chain, and has dreams of ascending to the position of head librarian, a position which he perceives to be the pinnacle of his career. However, as he begins to find out what working in a library is really like he is somewhat taken aback, causing him to doubt his prior intentions. He finds himself falling into the role of observer as he passively watches the events wthin the library unfurl around him. For the moment, though, he is content to sit back and absorb as much as he can.
TALIA
Talia (21) is the Senior Shelver at the library, although as there are only two shelvers this title is fairly irrelevant. She has been working in the library for five years and has no intention of climbing the ranks. To her the library is a source of information on a myriad topics, her favourite being political science. She enjoys the prospects of coming across new books which will ultimatly help her in her studies. Talia researches voraciously any topics which inspire her so that she can give her educated opinion, which she does frequently whetehr the other person is
interested or not.
BOUDECIA
Boudecia (age unknown, no-one has dared to ask her) is the head librarian, a title she wields like an iron greatsword. She dislikes anything which she sees as inefficient, such as a disorganised desk or a slack shelver. To her the concept of such things is too impractical to imagine, thus it cannot exist in her world. She does not discriminate; everyone and everything is flawed in some way and must be corrected. Boudecia rarely hesitates, believing indecision to be a waste of time and will treat any problem like a Gordian Knot, striking it at its core.
***For the purpose of this story I have made the conscious effort to use only stock characters: characters who act in accordance with particular stereotyped behaviours. This not only makes for an interesting set of characters, but also protects me from being attacked by fellow staff members for ridiculing them. There are one or two charaters who originally resembled people I know, so I have endeavoured to differentiate fiction from the reality. Enjoy, and please don't sue.
-The author
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
#9 Rules
Dear diary,
I was off in the shelves at work today, when I heard a mobile start ringing from the next aisle. I let it go because I really don't care, but the mobile kept loudly blingblinging. Peering through the shelves I could see a woman rumaging through her handbag trying to find her phone, while an elderly couple sitting nearby glared at her like she was the Devil's spawn. She found it and stared at the number on the screen with an expression of annoyance before answering.
"Hello? Yes it's me, who else would it be? What do you want? No. No. I said no you idiot! Shut up I am not talking to you about that! No I don't care what the court order says, the kids are staying at my place tonight so you just back off! You didn't pay the alimony last week and you're not gonna see 'em until you do! What? No. Your mum isn't getting them. She's demented, there's no way she's having my kids! I am not shouting! No you stop shouting! I'm in the library and they can all hear you shouting! Shut up I have had it up to here wth you! F&%$ off you lazy drunk, and stay away from me! I only married you because I was pregnant! And guess what, huh? They're not even yours!"
She hung up, then threw her phone into her bag. It started ringing again and she ignored it. I felt really embarrassed - I could see the noise was annoying the old couple, and there were studnts trying to study in the nearby carrels. Then again, I didn't want to have to face that woman. After two minutes of nonstop ringing I took a deep breath, stepped out from behind my shelf barricade and asked her if she could put the phone on silent please.
Time seemed to stop as she turned around slowly to face me. Her eyes had the glint of a psychopath. I felt really sorry for her kids, but even more so for myself. Her stare bore into my soul, sucking out all the courage I had. The chairs the elderly couple had been sitting on were empty, upturned in their panic to flee. My heart was beating faster and faster. It was eerily quiet, even for a library. A hay bale drifted between us in the breeze.
The woman charged. Her long strides quickly shortened the distance between us. A flutter of courage came back to me and I fled, the madwoman hot on my heels. I ran into Non-fiction, hoping to lose her in the aisles. It didn't work; she hunted me down through the 900s, then Teenage, Biogaphies and Paperbacks. I'm not that fit, and I fell against the Videos. As she ran towards me I whispered a small prayer, and then...
Boudecia stepped out from an impossibly then crevice in the Video section, her pupils narrowed to pinpricks. SHe stuck out a hand. The charging madwoman stopped suddenly, the fight taken out of her. Suddenly she, and everyone else around, felt very small in the presence of the Head Librarian. Boudecia, looked my way, regarding me briefly, before turning back to the woman.
"You were running in MY library. That is dangerous and is a breach of Occupaional Health and Safety. You will leave now."
Her voice was cold as ice, devoid of any humanity. The woman stuttered as she tried to say something. Boudecia blinked. The lights flickered, momentarily throwing the Video section into darkness. When the light returned the woman was walking out of the library very, very fast. Boudecia was nowhere to be seen. I wrapped my arms around me and shivered, it was that cold.
As I stumbled back to my trolley, still reeling from what had just happened, I found the woman's bag lying on the floor, her moile still ringing. I grabbed it and turned it off. Out of the corner of my eye I swear I could see Boudecia standing there givng me a nod of approval. But when I turned she was gone.
I was off in the shelves at work today, when I heard a mobile start ringing from the next aisle. I let it go because I really don't care, but the mobile kept loudly blingblinging. Peering through the shelves I could see a woman rumaging through her handbag trying to find her phone, while an elderly couple sitting nearby glared at her like she was the Devil's spawn. She found it and stared at the number on the screen with an expression of annoyance before answering.
"Hello? Yes it's me, who else would it be? What do you want? No. No. I said no you idiot! Shut up I am not talking to you about that! No I don't care what the court order says, the kids are staying at my place tonight so you just back off! You didn't pay the alimony last week and you're not gonna see 'em until you do! What? No. Your mum isn't getting them. She's demented, there's no way she's having my kids! I am not shouting! No you stop shouting! I'm in the library and they can all hear you shouting! Shut up I have had it up to here wth you! F&%$ off you lazy drunk, and stay away from me! I only married you because I was pregnant! And guess what, huh? They're not even yours!"
She hung up, then threw her phone into her bag. It started ringing again and she ignored it. I felt really embarrassed - I could see the noise was annoying the old couple, and there were studnts trying to study in the nearby carrels. Then again, I didn't want to have to face that woman. After two minutes of nonstop ringing I took a deep breath, stepped out from behind my shelf barricade and asked her if she could put the phone on silent please.
Time seemed to stop as she turned around slowly to face me. Her eyes had the glint of a psychopath. I felt really sorry for her kids, but even more so for myself. Her stare bore into my soul, sucking out all the courage I had. The chairs the elderly couple had been sitting on were empty, upturned in their panic to flee. My heart was beating faster and faster. It was eerily quiet, even for a library. A hay bale drifted between us in the breeze.
The woman charged. Her long strides quickly shortened the distance between us. A flutter of courage came back to me and I fled, the madwoman hot on my heels. I ran into Non-fiction, hoping to lose her in the aisles. It didn't work; she hunted me down through the 900s, then Teenage, Biogaphies and Paperbacks. I'm not that fit, and I fell against the Videos. As she ran towards me I whispered a small prayer, and then...
Boudecia stepped out from an impossibly then crevice in the Video section, her pupils narrowed to pinpricks. SHe stuck out a hand. The charging madwoman stopped suddenly, the fight taken out of her. Suddenly she, and everyone else around, felt very small in the presence of the Head Librarian. Boudecia, looked my way, regarding me briefly, before turning back to the woman.
"You were running in MY library. That is dangerous and is a breach of Occupaional Health and Safety. You will leave now."
Her voice was cold as ice, devoid of any humanity. The woman stuttered as she tried to say something. Boudecia blinked. The lights flickered, momentarily throwing the Video section into darkness. When the light returned the woman was walking out of the library very, very fast. Boudecia was nowhere to be seen. I wrapped my arms around me and shivered, it was that cold.
As I stumbled back to my trolley, still reeling from what had just happened, I found the woman's bag lying on the floor, her moile still ringing. I grabbed it and turned it off. Out of the corner of my eye I swear I could see Boudecia standing there givng me a nod of approval. But when I turned she was gone.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
#8 Argument
Dear diary,
My plans of asking the other staff about the poltergeist were laywaid today by their arguing. I was hanging aroud the front desk pretending to order my trolley of books, in the hope that there'd be a spare moment so I could talk to someone. Bron was helping a patron over in Community Languages, Sylvia was serving someone at the desk and Goldie was checking in items. I was about to ask her but when I saw her expression I changed my mind and kept quiet.
I should explain: Goldie is a middle-aged woman who wears neat clothes, has her rings positioned neatly on her fingers, has her hair in a neat bun and does everything... neatly. Even her conversations (which I've overheard) are tidy, as if she's pre-packaged every sentence and is just waiting for the right moment to export it into the conversation. So when I say she was staring daggers at Sylvia's red-and-black hair spiked outwards like a troll doll wearing a jester hat, I want you to imagine those daggers lined up perfectly and aimed straight at Sylvia's head.
Sylvia finished serving the patron and turned to face me and Goldie. Her powdered face and kohl eyeshadow gave the impression that she'd been recently resurrected and summoned to work in the library. She shuffled forward in her long black dress and, completely ignoring Goldie, asked if I could pass her the DVD on the next trolley. It was Stephen King's 'It'.
Goldie muttered something along the lines of "your boyfriend", to which Sylvia responded by, seemingly accidentally, slightly tilting the top book of Goldie's checked-in pile. They turned to face each other, and I realised the book and the DVD meant nothing to these two; this moment had been building up for a long time. I fled to get Bron, who Talia once nicknamed 'The Peacemaker'. I found her speaking with a patron in Greek. One glance of my fearful eyes told her everything she needed to know, and she left the patron to go break up her fellow librarians.
If this had happened outside of work Sylvia and Goldie would be rolling around on the ground tearing each other's hair out. Being inside the library, however, meant the were engaged in an all-out whispered battle of words. Goldie was wielding a scanner, darkly eyeing Sylvia who had pivoted back with arms raised in the first position of 'The Dancing Monkey' technique. Bron sighed, and walked very riskily between the two warring opponents. That act elicited both of them to start complaining with "she started it"s.
I grabbed my trolley and walked off in Teenage. When I returned twenty minutes later Bron was trying to talk to Goldie, who was staring at computer screen with arms crossed. I found Sylvia sulking in Junior. She apologsed for making me witness that, then explained that things erupted between them every few months. The self-checkout machine was still in repairs from the last time they'd fought. As she was talking I decided now wasn't the best time to bring up the poltergeist, so instead I pulled up a tiny plastic kid's chair and just listened.
My plans of asking the other staff about the poltergeist were laywaid today by their arguing. I was hanging aroud the front desk pretending to order my trolley of books, in the hope that there'd be a spare moment so I could talk to someone. Bron was helping a patron over in Community Languages, Sylvia was serving someone at the desk and Goldie was checking in items. I was about to ask her but when I saw her expression I changed my mind and kept quiet.
I should explain: Goldie is a middle-aged woman who wears neat clothes, has her rings positioned neatly on her fingers, has her hair in a neat bun and does everything... neatly. Even her conversations (which I've overheard) are tidy, as if she's pre-packaged every sentence and is just waiting for the right moment to export it into the conversation. So when I say she was staring daggers at Sylvia's red-and-black hair spiked outwards like a troll doll wearing a jester hat, I want you to imagine those daggers lined up perfectly and aimed straight at Sylvia's head.
Sylvia finished serving the patron and turned to face me and Goldie. Her powdered face and kohl eyeshadow gave the impression that she'd been recently resurrected and summoned to work in the library. She shuffled forward in her long black dress and, completely ignoring Goldie, asked if I could pass her the DVD on the next trolley. It was Stephen King's 'It'.
Goldie muttered something along the lines of "your boyfriend", to which Sylvia responded by, seemingly accidentally, slightly tilting the top book of Goldie's checked-in pile. They turned to face each other, and I realised the book and the DVD meant nothing to these two; this moment had been building up for a long time. I fled to get Bron, who Talia once nicknamed 'The Peacemaker'. I found her speaking with a patron in Greek. One glance of my fearful eyes told her everything she needed to know, and she left the patron to go break up her fellow librarians.
If this had happened outside of work Sylvia and Goldie would be rolling around on the ground tearing each other's hair out. Being inside the library, however, meant the were engaged in an all-out whispered battle of words. Goldie was wielding a scanner, darkly eyeing Sylvia who had pivoted back with arms raised in the first position of 'The Dancing Monkey' technique. Bron sighed, and walked very riskily between the two warring opponents. That act elicited both of them to start complaining with "she started it"s.
I grabbed my trolley and walked off in Teenage. When I returned twenty minutes later Bron was trying to talk to Goldie, who was staring at computer screen with arms crossed. I found Sylvia sulking in Junior. She apologsed for making me witness that, then explained that things erupted between them every few months. The self-checkout machine was still in repairs from the last time they'd fought. As she was talking I decided now wasn't the best time to bring up the poltergeist, so instead I pulled up a tiny plastic kid's chair and just listened.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
#7 G-g-ghost!
Dear diary,
The freakiest thing happened at the library today! I wa shelving in Fiction, just trundling along, off in a daydream, when out of nowhere four books flipped off the other side of the trolley and onto the floor. For a moment I stood there stunned, then carefully I leant over the trolley. They'd landed next to each other spine-up, and the labels spelt out something:
NUS HEL VER JAY
New shelver Jay? Ri~ight, the books were talking to me now. I'd heard about library delirium, a condition which strikes down many students each year aroud exam time. They stay in the library all day, forsaking meals and social interaction as they cram for an exam the next day. Then they go mad. I heard one girl was carried off in a stretched last year, reciting mathematical formulae as they wheeled her into the ambulance.
Determined not to read anything into it (get it?) I replaced the books on the trolley and kept walking as if nothing had happened. Then, as I got to the next aisle, eight books leapt over the edge onto the carpet.
BEW ARE YOU ARE ING RAV EPE RIL
Once is a coincidence but twice is pushing it. I decided to communicate back. I searched the books in front of me until I had three which spelt out:
WHO ARE YOU
Immediately four books sprung off the trolley like lemmings over a cliff.
POL TER GEI ST
ST? "Aha, that's cheating," I called out to no-one in particular. A solitary book defied gravity this time.
DAM
Three more novels took their lives and sailed over the precipice.
WAN NAP LAY
"Okay," I said rather loudly, then lowered my voice to a whisper, "but stop throwing books around. I have to shelve these, you know." As I started to pick up the fallen fiction two jumped down to join me.
YOU WIL
I replaced everything back on the trolley, aware they the poltergeist hadn't finished its sentence. Then, a rustling on the shelf behind. Slowly I turned in time to see a large novel fly off the top shelf and narrowly miss hitting my face. Picking up the book, I checked its spine label and froze.
DIE
Let's not go into what happened next, suffice to say that a young boy walking past learnt some pretty strong swear words with which to impress his friends and alarm his mother. I spent the rest of the shift shelving the non-fiction, where I found safety in numbers.
The freakiest thing happened at the library today! I wa shelving in Fiction, just trundling along, off in a daydream, when out of nowhere four books flipped off the other side of the trolley and onto the floor. For a moment I stood there stunned, then carefully I leant over the trolley. They'd landed next to each other spine-up, and the labels spelt out something:
NUS HEL VER JAY
New shelver Jay? Ri~ight, the books were talking to me now. I'd heard about library delirium, a condition which strikes down many students each year aroud exam time. They stay in the library all day, forsaking meals and social interaction as they cram for an exam the next day. Then they go mad. I heard one girl was carried off in a stretched last year, reciting mathematical formulae as they wheeled her into the ambulance.
Determined not to read anything into it (get it?) I replaced the books on the trolley and kept walking as if nothing had happened. Then, as I got to the next aisle, eight books leapt over the edge onto the carpet.
BEW ARE YOU ARE ING RAV EPE RIL
Once is a coincidence but twice is pushing it. I decided to communicate back. I searched the books in front of me until I had three which spelt out:
WHO ARE YOU
Immediately four books sprung off the trolley like lemmings over a cliff.
POL TER GEI ST
ST? "Aha, that's cheating," I called out to no-one in particular. A solitary book defied gravity this time.
DAM
Three more novels took their lives and sailed over the precipice.
WAN NAP LAY
"Okay," I said rather loudly, then lowered my voice to a whisper, "but stop throwing books around. I have to shelve these, you know." As I started to pick up the fallen fiction two jumped down to join me.
YOU WIL
I replaced everything back on the trolley, aware they the poltergeist hadn't finished its sentence. Then, a rustling on the shelf behind. Slowly I turned in time to see a large novel fly off the top shelf and narrowly miss hitting my face. Picking up the book, I checked its spine label and froze.
DIE
Let's not go into what happened next, suffice to say that a young boy walking past learnt some pretty strong swear words with which to impress his friends and alarm his mother. I spent the rest of the shift shelving the non-fiction, where I found safety in numbers.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
#6 Womanpower
Dear diary,
I can hardly believe that I've been working at the library for just over a week. It seems like so much longer. I really feel like I've found the perfect job for me - it's quiet, relaxed, and the workload's pretty easy. Most of the staff are friendly, and though the hierarchy seems to be fairly solid - shelvers should be seen but not heard - I talk to the other staff a bit. Uni is the universal ice-breaker.
However, one thing that's become quite apparent is that I am definitely in a minority, gender-wise. There are six women and only three of us men. And with the exception of Ernesto, the women have all the power. Talia studies politics and gender studies at uni (what'd I tell you) and she's quite an outspoken feminist. Whenever we talk the topic always winds back to the postmodernistic discourse of the womyn's revolution. I study engineering so mostly I just smile and nod with a glazed stare.
The other day I was returning to the front desk after a particularly difficult meander through Paperbacks. I saw TJ making jokes with Goldie at the front desk, then Boudecia appeared and asked TJ if he could do a request list. He responded by saying that he needed to say at the desk to check in items, but then Goldie turned to him and suggested he go do the list, her voice suddenly sour. Pepper stepped in to block his only exit, her arms crossed and a comicly stern expression on her face. They all stepped forward; TJ moved back and was up against the wall. Then he laughed, threw up his hands in defeat and grabbed a trolley. The three women watched him go, nodded in synchrony and went back to what they were doing.
I'm kinda scared they'll gang up on me like that. I talked to TJ after the incident but he just laughed nervously and went back to what he was doing. He avoided me for the rest of the shift, but as I was leaving he took me aside and whispered some advice to me:
"Just let 'em think they've got the power, kid. 'Aint nothin' they can do to you, really."
He then stood up straight, looked around quickly and ran off to hide in Large Print. Some courage. I think I'll play it safe and do what I'm told. After a few months I'll start to act more insinctively and do whatever I like... as long as they don't mind.
I can hardly believe that I've been working at the library for just over a week. It seems like so much longer. I really feel like I've found the perfect job for me - it's quiet, relaxed, and the workload's pretty easy. Most of the staff are friendly, and though the hierarchy seems to be fairly solid - shelvers should be seen but not heard - I talk to the other staff a bit. Uni is the universal ice-breaker.
However, one thing that's become quite apparent is that I am definitely in a minority, gender-wise. There are six women and only three of us men. And with the exception of Ernesto, the women have all the power. Talia studies politics and gender studies at uni (what'd I tell you) and she's quite an outspoken feminist. Whenever we talk the topic always winds back to the postmodernistic discourse of the womyn's revolution. I study engineering so mostly I just smile and nod with a glazed stare.
The other day I was returning to the front desk after a particularly difficult meander through Paperbacks. I saw TJ making jokes with Goldie at the front desk, then Boudecia appeared and asked TJ if he could do a request list. He responded by saying that he needed to say at the desk to check in items, but then Goldie turned to him and suggested he go do the list, her voice suddenly sour. Pepper stepped in to block his only exit, her arms crossed and a comicly stern expression on her face. They all stepped forward; TJ moved back and was up against the wall. Then he laughed, threw up his hands in defeat and grabbed a trolley. The three women watched him go, nodded in synchrony and went back to what they were doing.
I'm kinda scared they'll gang up on me like that. I talked to TJ after the incident but he just laughed nervously and went back to what he was doing. He avoided me for the rest of the shift, but as I was leaving he took me aside and whispered some advice to me:
"Just let 'em think they've got the power, kid. 'Aint nothin' they can do to you, really."
He then stood up straight, looked around quickly and ran off to hide in Large Print. Some courage. I think I'll play it safe and do what I'm told. After a few months I'll start to act more insinctively and do whatever I like... as long as they don't mind.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
#5 Remembrance
Dear diary,
As I was shelving today I was off in a daydream, a habit I've started to fall into, when I ran into a non-fiction shelf stack with the trolley. The display books wobbled precariously on the edge, threatening to topple upon me. Images from my life flashed before my eyes, and then there was darkness...
I can't breathe! That was my first thought when slipped back into consciousness. Struggling for air I began to swim upwards, flailing my hands wildly, striving desperately to reach the surface. As I pushed the topmost folio book aside I saw a patch of light, and I pushed myself onwards, ignoring the claustrophobic panic welling up inside me.
I burst out of the heavy pile of books, gasping for air. A small crowd has amassed and seen my valiant struggle. Two pairs of strong arms grabbed me and pulled me up. I hugged my saviours before I recognised them as Bron and Ernesto. Both suddenly pushed me aside and quickly began to restack the shelf. Ernesto gruffly told me to help them, a strain of urgency in his voice. Still half-dazed I dropped to my knees, waited for my vision to go back to single, and helped them.
Not a moment too soon. Boudecia appeared from between two shelves, like a wraith moving between shadows. She glared at the three of us ad asked what the noise had been. Luckily the onlooking patrons had scampered at her arrival so nobody rebutted when Bron said that I'd just dropped a heavy book. Dissatisfied but unable to prove anything, Boudecia feinted back through the narrow space in the shelves.
Bron patted my head, smiled slightly and left for the front desk. I looked over t Ernesto, but his gaze was nostalgic and far away. He grabbed my arm and tugged me along to the 800's in the Reference section. In a deep voice he told me this is where she'd had the accident. Her name was Shannon, a former shelver, my predecessor in fact. It had been a busy Sunday afternoon and she was only trying to finish all the trolleys, Exhausted after the long day, she'd been balancing on a stool trying to wedge the last Shakespeare into the shelf when she ost her footing. She toppled backwards and knocked the shelf behind her, bringing several large atli down upon her like the wrath of God. She never shelved again.
Ernesto and I silently gathered a small collection of rubbish from the study carrels and shaped it into a cairn, which we placed beneath the poetry section. He said she'd always been fond of poetry. We bowed our heads, lifting them only to pretend to shelf read when Boudecia floated past.
Shannon Harper. Shelver from 2005-07. Lest we forget.
As I was shelving today I was off in a daydream, a habit I've started to fall into, when I ran into a non-fiction shelf stack with the trolley. The display books wobbled precariously on the edge, threatening to topple upon me. Images from my life flashed before my eyes, and then there was darkness...
I can't breathe! That was my first thought when slipped back into consciousness. Struggling for air I began to swim upwards, flailing my hands wildly, striving desperately to reach the surface. As I pushed the topmost folio book aside I saw a patch of light, and I pushed myself onwards, ignoring the claustrophobic panic welling up inside me.
I burst out of the heavy pile of books, gasping for air. A small crowd has amassed and seen my valiant struggle. Two pairs of strong arms grabbed me and pulled me up. I hugged my saviours before I recognised them as Bron and Ernesto. Both suddenly pushed me aside and quickly began to restack the shelf. Ernesto gruffly told me to help them, a strain of urgency in his voice. Still half-dazed I dropped to my knees, waited for my vision to go back to single, and helped them.
Not a moment too soon. Boudecia appeared from between two shelves, like a wraith moving between shadows. She glared at the three of us ad asked what the noise had been. Luckily the onlooking patrons had scampered at her arrival so nobody rebutted when Bron said that I'd just dropped a heavy book. Dissatisfied but unable to prove anything, Boudecia feinted back through the narrow space in the shelves.
Bron patted my head, smiled slightly and left for the front desk. I looked over t Ernesto, but his gaze was nostalgic and far away. He grabbed my arm and tugged me along to the 800's in the Reference section. In a deep voice he told me this is where she'd had the accident. Her name was Shannon, a former shelver, my predecessor in fact. It had been a busy Sunday afternoon and she was only trying to finish all the trolleys, Exhausted after the long day, she'd been balancing on a stool trying to wedge the last Shakespeare into the shelf when she ost her footing. She toppled backwards and knocked the shelf behind her, bringing several large atli down upon her like the wrath of God. She never shelved again.
Ernesto and I silently gathered a small collection of rubbish from the study carrels and shaped it into a cairn, which we placed beneath the poetry section. He said she'd always been fond of poetry. We bowed our heads, lifting them only to pretend to shelf read when Boudecia floated past.
Shannon Harper. Shelver from 2005-07. Lest we forget.
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