Dear diary,
Today was Pepper’s last day before she went on leave to get married. She baked a cake for her, then, believing one wasn’t enough, made a smaller cake for each of us, as well as a back-up cake in case anyone as hungry after all that. She needn’t’ve bothered – the main cake had three layers and swayed slightly when placed near the fan. We’ll all be eating cake for the next few years I suspect.
That wasn’t the only major thing that happened today. The man from BiblioTech Corp came into the library to inspect the new technology that had been provided by the company, free of charge. He introduced himself as Viktor (with a ‘k’) to each of the staff, and congratulated Pepper. He installed new software into the catalogue system which allows for more specific and accurate searches. He also showed us the blueprints for a new model machine BiblioTech wants to introduce to assist with shelving, somehow.
Good things always come in threes, and today was no exception. I heard Bron and Goldie talking about what will happen while Pepper’s on leave. According to Goldie, one of us ‘youngins’, meaning myself, Talia or Shannon, is going to be promoted to the esteemed position of Library Officer to work in Pepper’s stead. This is fantastic news! If I get this position I will be one step closer to achieving my dream of running my own library!
I’m u against some strong competition. Shannon’s a tough one and she’ll use every trick in the book (‘How to succeed at interviews’ – 650.14) to steal that job from me. But I’m more concerned about Talia. She’s very good at what she does and it already familiar with the in-house system. As much as I like her, I can’t bear the thought of passing up this opportunity of a lifetime. I’m really sorry Talia, but I’m going to give this my all!
-Jay
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
#34 Replacement
Dear diary,
I get a lot of different duties as a shelver. Sometimes I'm a sweeper, other times rubbish collector, heavy lifter, patron usher, search engine. Today I added babysitter to that list. Bron came in today with her teenage son whose name is, oddly enough, Bronson. She told me she wants him to start working as a shelver, and that the best way for him to learn would be to follow me and observe. Sure, why not?
When Bron said observe I thought she was kidding, but Bronson did just that. As I shelved he took notes. He studied the order in which I shelved the different sections, the way I organised my trolley, the volume of books I picked up in each hand at a time. At one point he took out a tape measure and measured the height and length of the shelf tiers, for who knows what purpose.
I tried talking to him but he's really shy. Also he was completely engrossed in watching me shelve. After a while I gave up trying to get him to talk, and after an even longer while I had an idea. I delegated responsibility of him to Shannon, reminding her of he duty as a volunteer to help the public. I walked away feeling quite happy with myself, having gotten rid of the timid Bronson and annoying Shannon in the process.
My pleasure was short-lived, however. Shannon found me twenty minutes later and handed me the pick-list. Normally there's only 30 or so items on the list, but this one had 227. She smiled cruelly and shoved Bronson towards me, saying as she walked off that I should show him how to do requests. I sighed and handed Bronson the small manuscript to carry.
The list took us over two hours. When I went to show Bronson how to check-in requests I noticed that the first few books didn't come up as on request. It was like that for almost everything on that list. I was fuming. Smelling a rat, I checked up Shannon's card and sure enough, she had around 200 deleted requests, all within the last couple of hours.
Bron noticed me staring red-faced at the computer and came over to see if I was alright. I quickly hid Shannon's details: as much as I don't like her, I don't want to rat on her, not after what she did last time.
At the end of the day Bron thanked me for showing Bronson the ropes. She said she hopes Boudecia will accept him as a new recruit, seeing as there'll be a vacancy coming up soon. I'm glad I hid my reaction, because it could've gotten nasty otherwise. Vacancy? Does that mean that someone's going to be fired? I'm worried that it'll be me, as I'm the newest (paid) staff member there. Plus, no-one seems to notice or care about Shannon's hostility towards me. Shelvers are pretty expendable and easily replaceable. This isn't looking good!
-Jay
I get a lot of different duties as a shelver. Sometimes I'm a sweeper, other times rubbish collector, heavy lifter, patron usher, search engine. Today I added babysitter to that list. Bron came in today with her teenage son whose name is, oddly enough, Bronson. She told me she wants him to start working as a shelver, and that the best way for him to learn would be to follow me and observe. Sure, why not?
When Bron said observe I thought she was kidding, but Bronson did just that. As I shelved he took notes. He studied the order in which I shelved the different sections, the way I organised my trolley, the volume of books I picked up in each hand at a time. At one point he took out a tape measure and measured the height and length of the shelf tiers, for who knows what purpose.
I tried talking to him but he's really shy. Also he was completely engrossed in watching me shelve. After a while I gave up trying to get him to talk, and after an even longer while I had an idea. I delegated responsibility of him to Shannon, reminding her of he duty as a volunteer to help the public. I walked away feeling quite happy with myself, having gotten rid of the timid Bronson and annoying Shannon in the process.
My pleasure was short-lived, however. Shannon found me twenty minutes later and handed me the pick-list. Normally there's only 30 or so items on the list, but this one had 227. She smiled cruelly and shoved Bronson towards me, saying as she walked off that I should show him how to do requests. I sighed and handed Bronson the small manuscript to carry.
The list took us over two hours. When I went to show Bronson how to check-in requests I noticed that the first few books didn't come up as on request. It was like that for almost everything on that list. I was fuming. Smelling a rat, I checked up Shannon's card and sure enough, she had around 200 deleted requests, all within the last couple of hours.
Bron noticed me staring red-faced at the computer and came over to see if I was alright. I quickly hid Shannon's details: as much as I don't like her, I don't want to rat on her, not after what she did last time.
At the end of the day Bron thanked me for showing Bronson the ropes. She said she hopes Boudecia will accept him as a new recruit, seeing as there'll be a vacancy coming up soon. I'm glad I hid my reaction, because it could've gotten nasty otherwise. Vacancy? Does that mean that someone's going to be fired? I'm worried that it'll be me, as I'm the newest (paid) staff member there. Plus, no-one seems to notice or care about Shannon's hostility towards me. Shelvers are pretty expendable and easily replaceable. This isn't looking good!
-Jay
Friday, August 22, 2008
#33 Special character bio - Shannon
Time for an intermission methinks, and a welcome back message. Shelver Explorer was really fun to write the first time around, so much in fact that I knew I'd have to pick it back up later. There was a lot of stuff I didn't include the first time around, including some plotlines and random ideas which I really wanted to write. Writing a second series seemed like a good idea at the time, and hopefully it still is. Anyway, this otherwise seemingly pointless break provides an opportunity to analyse in detail the tenth main character, Shannon. She didn't get a chance last time around so I thought it was only fitting she got one now.
SHANNON
Shannon Harper (21) is a former shelver at the library. She was forced to quit after a workplace accident resulted in her losing the use of both legs (they were crushed by falling, heavy books). She blamed the library for not providing appropriate stoolage, and spent her time in recovery plotting how best to seek her revenge. She kept in touch with the staff, and although she missed the place she vowed that she would have no mercy when the time came. That moment approached when Jay was hired and took over her old position.
Already an avid fan of witchcraft, Shannon turned to voodoo and was able to create a shadow-self inside the library. This shadow-self took the form of a poltergeist which caused some havoc for Jay before he was able to destroy it with the help of Ernesto. Since then Shannon has been trying to find ways to get Jay fired so she might reprise her former role as a (paid) shelver at the library. Shannon is remarkably resourceful and determined, willing to go to any lengths to achieve her goals. She also has a chaotic streak which makes her quite impulsive. Overall she isn't well-suited for the role of Volunteers Officer at a public library, a fact of which she is very much aware.
Happy reading!
-The author
SHANNON
Shannon Harper (21) is a former shelver at the library. She was forced to quit after a workplace accident resulted in her losing the use of both legs (they were crushed by falling, heavy books). She blamed the library for not providing appropriate stoolage, and spent her time in recovery plotting how best to seek her revenge. She kept in touch with the staff, and although she missed the place she vowed that she would have no mercy when the time came. That moment approached when Jay was hired and took over her old position.
Already an avid fan of witchcraft, Shannon turned to voodoo and was able to create a shadow-self inside the library. This shadow-self took the form of a poltergeist which caused some havoc for Jay before he was able to destroy it with the help of Ernesto. Since then Shannon has been trying to find ways to get Jay fired so she might reprise her former role as a (paid) shelver at the library. Shannon is remarkably resourceful and determined, willing to go to any lengths to achieve her goals. She also has a chaotic streak which makes her quite impulsive. Overall she isn't well-suited for the role of Volunteers Officer at a public library, a fact of which she is very much aware.
Happy reading!
-The author
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
#32 Convivial
Dear diary,
I worked the graveyard shift last night. It's called that because once someone died whilst reading in the carrels, or so I heard. Apparently the deceased, an elderly man with a weak heart, was found slumped in his chair up in the far corner of the library, which secluded him from view by the staff working that night. He was found slumped over a pile of Mills and Boon novellas. The poor man had had a stroke and when he was found in the morning he was completely stiff.
So anyway, I was working with TJ, Pepper and Sylvia that night, and we'd just finished closing up the library when Talia appeared from the staffroom. She and Shannon were going out for drinks and did we want to come? None of us had any plans that night so we all agreed.
We drove down to a small local bar, practically filling the carpark with our combined total of five cars. We met Shannon inside, who waved and said hi to everyone but me. We all grabbed drinks and sat down. I hadn't spent time with any of them outside of work hours or functions, so I felt awkward at first. As the night went on, though, I found myself getting to know these co-workers of mine as they were outside of work hours.
Pepper was talking about going on long service leave as she was getting married soon, and Shannon announced that that was the reason she and Talia had organised tonight. It was clear that I was out of the loop, as I didn't even know she was engaged. I felt quite embarrassed, and so to hide it I stood up and called for a toast. Talia looked at me and gave a quick smile, which distracted me from hearing Pepper and Sylvia say good night to everyone as they were on the morning shift the next day (i.e. today). By the time I snapped out of my happy daydream they'd already left.
Some of Sylvia's friends came in and she excused herself to greet them. TJ and Talia went up to the bar to collect the next rounds, leaving just Shannon and I at our booth. It was an awkward minute with neither of us wanting to initiate a conversation. Eventually TJ and Talia returned, and inevitably we ended up talking about people from work. Apparently a man from BiblioTech Corp. is coming to the library someday soon to update our technological resources, which sounds good.
TJ started complaining about this one guy who had fines on his card and refused to pay them. TJ refused to let him borrow, and the next day he managed to rack up three parking fines. The guy was a parking inspector, and TJ had to apply to the council to get the fines revoked. Unfortunately it also meant that guy's fines were cleared, and ever since he and TJ have avoided each other.
Talia laughed and launched into her attack on why bureaucratic processes are designed to keep the little man (or woman) down. It was a long spiel which I barely understood, but I listened intently to the harmonious sound of her voice. We all had more drinks and talked and joked around until the late hours. I don't know what time we left, but I remember repeatedly telling Talia I wanted her to stay over and that I didn't mind sleeping on my couch, in fact I loved it. I think she was going to say yes but then Shannon forced her into another taxi and glared at me. I ended up walking home and passing out on my couch anyway.
I woke up with the biggest headache this morning. When I got to work this afternoon I looked a mess, but luckily Pepper was in charge and she let me go at a slower pace. I still managed to fall asleep on the cushions in Teenage for half an hour. They're really comfy, almost as nice as my couch.
-Jay
I worked the graveyard shift last night. It's called that because once someone died whilst reading in the carrels, or so I heard. Apparently the deceased, an elderly man with a weak heart, was found slumped in his chair up in the far corner of the library, which secluded him from view by the staff working that night. He was found slumped over a pile of Mills and Boon novellas. The poor man had had a stroke and when he was found in the morning he was completely stiff.
So anyway, I was working with TJ, Pepper and Sylvia that night, and we'd just finished closing up the library when Talia appeared from the staffroom. She and Shannon were going out for drinks and did we want to come? None of us had any plans that night so we all agreed.
We drove down to a small local bar, practically filling the carpark with our combined total of five cars. We met Shannon inside, who waved and said hi to everyone but me. We all grabbed drinks and sat down. I hadn't spent time with any of them outside of work hours or functions, so I felt awkward at first. As the night went on, though, I found myself getting to know these co-workers of mine as they were outside of work hours.
Pepper was talking about going on long service leave as she was getting married soon, and Shannon announced that that was the reason she and Talia had organised tonight. It was clear that I was out of the loop, as I didn't even know she was engaged. I felt quite embarrassed, and so to hide it I stood up and called for a toast. Talia looked at me and gave a quick smile, which distracted me from hearing Pepper and Sylvia say good night to everyone as they were on the morning shift the next day (i.e. today). By the time I snapped out of my happy daydream they'd already left.
Some of Sylvia's friends came in and she excused herself to greet them. TJ and Talia went up to the bar to collect the next rounds, leaving just Shannon and I at our booth. It was an awkward minute with neither of us wanting to initiate a conversation. Eventually TJ and Talia returned, and inevitably we ended up talking about people from work. Apparently a man from BiblioTech Corp. is coming to the library someday soon to update our technological resources, which sounds good.
TJ started complaining about this one guy who had fines on his card and refused to pay them. TJ refused to let him borrow, and the next day he managed to rack up three parking fines. The guy was a parking inspector, and TJ had to apply to the council to get the fines revoked. Unfortunately it also meant that guy's fines were cleared, and ever since he and TJ have avoided each other.
Talia laughed and launched into her attack on why bureaucratic processes are designed to keep the little man (or woman) down. It was a long spiel which I barely understood, but I listened intently to the harmonious sound of her voice. We all had more drinks and talked and joked around until the late hours. I don't know what time we left, but I remember repeatedly telling Talia I wanted her to stay over and that I didn't mind sleeping on my couch, in fact I loved it. I think she was going to say yes but then Shannon forced her into another taxi and glared at me. I ended up walking home and passing out on my couch anyway.
I woke up with the biggest headache this morning. When I got to work this afternoon I looked a mess, but luckily Pepper was in charge and she let me go at a slower pace. I still managed to fall asleep on the cushions in Teenage for half an hour. They're really comfy, almost as nice as my couch.
-Jay
Sunday, August 17, 2008
#31 Gingerbread
Dear diary,
It was a long shift this morning. The hours seemed to drag on forever. I'd finished all the shelving ages ago and the other staff were off doing their own things, so I decided I should get some shelf-reading in. Now, as much as anyone who works in a library loves being surrounded by books (well, maybe not Sylvia as she's never read one in her life), there is nothing more tedious than shelf-reading. Making sure every single book is in the exact right place is mind-numbing and turns you into a zombie. I've fallen asleep more than once in the middle of a shelf-reading session, I'll admit.
So I was grateful when, ten minutes into the soul-destroying task, a man approached me asking for my help in locating a book for him. I thanked him profusely for the interruption, slapped my leg several times to get rid of the pins and needles and we were in business.
He took me to the catalogue terminal which was displaying the title, "101 ways to raise dogs" by Marc Beaumont, to be on shelf. Weirdly enough though, it didn't have a call number or anything. This was a Challenge. I took him to the most logical place where it might be, (a) 636 - Pets. We scoured the shelves but to no avail. I then suggested (b) 599 - Mammals, which would mean the book was about dogs in genera, but no luck. He then told me it was to do with different techniques used in other countries, so we tried (c) 394 - General Customs. He explained that the 'dog' was a metaphor for an unruly teenager, so we looked at (d) 649 - Child Rearing, (e) 373 - Secondary Education and (f) 305 - Social Groups, but there was nothing. The man offered that it was also about coming to terms with your own problems and theirs, so we tried (g) 616 - Mental Disorders and (h) 158 - Psychology, unsuccessfully.
I pushed him for any more details he could think of. He thought for a while, then said it was about the author's personal hardships. I took him to (i) Biographies and we looked at all the areas it might be there. When the man offhandedly mentioned that the author was born in the area I checked the (j) Local History Room.
By this point the man was getting confused at being taken back and forth, and I was getting annoyed that it wasn't anywhere to be found. I decided to call in the big guns. I found Ernesto, who gladly accepted the Challenge. He asked the man if the book detailed actual events or whether it was loosely based on the author's experiences. When he responded positively to the latter we scoured (k) Fiction, (l) Large Print and (m) Paperbacks. Suspecting it may even be for younger readers I quickly dived into (n) Teenage and (o) Junior, but there was no sign of the elusive text.
The man was getting uncomfortable, and said a quick prayer in another language. Ernesto jumped upon this, and we discovered that there was a chance the book might be in French too. The man said his English wasn't so good and that's why he wanted to read something easier. This alerted us to scan through (p) Community Languages and (q) ESL Books. Ernesto checked the (r) Display Stands while I peeped (s) Under The Shelves to try and find it.
The man was completely befuddled and ready to walk away from the Challenge, but Ernesto kept a cool-head under pressure. He recommended that he check the (t) Internet or the library's (u) Online Library, but the man said he couldn't use computers because of his vision impairment. Then Ernesto suggested he look in (v) Reference to see if he could find some information on the author there. We took the man over to Reference, and I just happened to notice the very book lying (w) On a Table.
As it turned out, the man had been reading the book and left it on the table, but had completely forgotten until he saw it. He apologised repeatedly, then sat down to read. I saw him walk out of the library five minutes later, and that he'd just left the book lying on the table. I picked it up, looked at the cover and smirked. I knew exactly where this book went, and why we hadn't been able to find it. I replaced it on the (x) Books For Sale trolley and returned to shelf-reading.
-Jay
It was a long shift this morning. The hours seemed to drag on forever. I'd finished all the shelving ages ago and the other staff were off doing their own things, so I decided I should get some shelf-reading in. Now, as much as anyone who works in a library loves being surrounded by books (well, maybe not Sylvia as she's never read one in her life), there is nothing more tedious than shelf-reading. Making sure every single book is in the exact right place is mind-numbing and turns you into a zombie. I've fallen asleep more than once in the middle of a shelf-reading session, I'll admit.
So I was grateful when, ten minutes into the soul-destroying task, a man approached me asking for my help in locating a book for him. I thanked him profusely for the interruption, slapped my leg several times to get rid of the pins and needles and we were in business.
He took me to the catalogue terminal which was displaying the title, "101 ways to raise dogs" by Marc Beaumont, to be on shelf. Weirdly enough though, it didn't have a call number or anything. This was a Challenge. I took him to the most logical place where it might be, (a) 636 - Pets. We scoured the shelves but to no avail. I then suggested (b) 599 - Mammals, which would mean the book was about dogs in genera, but no luck. He then told me it was to do with different techniques used in other countries, so we tried (c) 394 - General Customs. He explained that the 'dog' was a metaphor for an unruly teenager, so we looked at (d) 649 - Child Rearing, (e) 373 - Secondary Education and (f) 305 - Social Groups, but there was nothing. The man offered that it was also about coming to terms with your own problems and theirs, so we tried (g) 616 - Mental Disorders and (h) 158 - Psychology, unsuccessfully.
I pushed him for any more details he could think of. He thought for a while, then said it was about the author's personal hardships. I took him to (i) Biographies and we looked at all the areas it might be there. When the man offhandedly mentioned that the author was born in the area I checked the (j) Local History Room.
By this point the man was getting confused at being taken back and forth, and I was getting annoyed that it wasn't anywhere to be found. I decided to call in the big guns. I found Ernesto, who gladly accepted the Challenge. He asked the man if the book detailed actual events or whether it was loosely based on the author's experiences. When he responded positively to the latter we scoured (k) Fiction, (l) Large Print and (m) Paperbacks. Suspecting it may even be for younger readers I quickly dived into (n) Teenage and (o) Junior, but there was no sign of the elusive text.
The man was getting uncomfortable, and said a quick prayer in another language. Ernesto jumped upon this, and we discovered that there was a chance the book might be in French too. The man said his English wasn't so good and that's why he wanted to read something easier. This alerted us to scan through (p) Community Languages and (q) ESL Books. Ernesto checked the (r) Display Stands while I peeped (s) Under The Shelves to try and find it.
The man was completely befuddled and ready to walk away from the Challenge, but Ernesto kept a cool-head under pressure. He recommended that he check the (t) Internet or the library's (u) Online Library, but the man said he couldn't use computers because of his vision impairment. Then Ernesto suggested he look in (v) Reference to see if he could find some information on the author there. We took the man over to Reference, and I just happened to notice the very book lying (w) On a Table.
As it turned out, the man had been reading the book and left it on the table, but had completely forgotten until he saw it. He apologised repeatedly, then sat down to read. I saw him walk out of the library five minutes later, and that he'd just left the book lying on the table. I picked it up, looked at the cover and smirked. I knew exactly where this book went, and why we hadn't been able to find it. I replaced it on the (x) Books For Sale trolley and returned to shelf-reading.
-Jay
Thursday, August 14, 2008
#30 Hunt
#30 Hunt
Dear diary,
Wow, today was so awesome, I can't even begin to describe its awesomeness. I... just...
...
Sorry, got overexcited and had to have a cold shower. Better now. So, anyway, I got a call at 5am this morning. I'd fallen asleep while reading last night, so I hadn't silenced my phone. The loud blaring tone shook me right out of my sleep, and I quickly answered it before the noise woke my parents. I must've answered with a really gruffly, because Talia's voice on the other end sounded affronted. She apologised for calling so early, but she said she'd be over to pick me up in two minutes. When I asked what was going on, I was handed over to Goldie who said just two words: "Book Hunting".
By the time they arrived at my house I was fully read and had made them coffee and pancakes. Talia was alarmed I'd gotten ready so quickly, but nothing comes between me and a good book sale. We drove along the foggy roads for an unbearably long thirty-five minutes, before stopping out the front of a small warehouse in the outer suburbs. We got out of the car and joined the queue that had begun to form at the front door. Apparently this particular book sale was a big event for bibliophiles.
Goldie took out a sheet of parchment and prized off the wax seal. She unfurled the largest list of newly released books I've ever seen on a single sheet - it stretched twice the length of mine and Talia's armspans put together. She explained to us that as the Acquisitions Librarian, it was her duty to attend these book sales once a year to obtain as many new titles as possible. She said this with more than just a touch of pride in her voice, calm and confident. Our job, Goldie explained, gesturing to Talia and I, was to ensure that we did not miss out on a single item on her list. There was no margin for error. We all nodded grimly, and turned to face our task.
The doors opened at 6am and we surged in on a crashing wave of librarians, devoted fans of popular authors, generalist book collectors and confused morning joggers who had been swept up in the tide. I lost sight of Talia and Goldie almost immediately. A woman landed on top of me, and when we untangled I saw she was wearing a Nancy Pearl Is God T-shirt. She ducked left and I swung right, running towards the FICTION: A-D section. It was sheer pandemonium in that store, with people yelling and shouting to be heard over the din of the raucous crowd. And I loved every minute of it.
I held one third of Goldie's list in my hands. I swindled my way through the human traffic and gathered up in my arms every book I could find. I ran smack into Talia, who was holding two baskets in her hands. She passed me one and as I was about to thank her I was nudged forward. Our bodies pressed together for a few exhilarating seconds before we were pushed apart by the pulsating throng of people.
At one point, just as I'd collected all seven required texts on geography, the crowd parted right in front of me and I caught a glimpse of Goldie. She was standing in an open circle - quite rare in a tightly packed space - and was surrounded by brilliant light. The first rays of morning light were filtering in through the slatted windows, and each was catching a different piece of her elaborate gold jewellery. The effect was one of dazzling luminescence which inspired awe as much as burnt out your eye sockets. This allowed Goldie to move around the sunlit parts of the warehouse unchallenged by the mob, as she only got brighter the closer you went.
By 11am the three of us were sitting inside a cafe having brunch. I had a lack eye from the Nancy Pearl fanatic and Talia cradled an arm that had been badly bruised by a careless man wielding an atlas or four, but Goldie remained unscathed. She tended to ours wounds like an army nurse. We'd all reached our respective quotas, so it had been worth the hardship. Goldie prepared a makeshift cast for Talia's arm, and as I helped her to put it on she smiled slightly at me. That just made the day even better.
-Jay
Dear diary,
Wow, today was so awesome, I can't even begin to describe its awesomeness. I... just...
...
Sorry, got overexcited and had to have a cold shower. Better now. So, anyway, I got a call at 5am this morning. I'd fallen asleep while reading last night, so I hadn't silenced my phone. The loud blaring tone shook me right out of my sleep, and I quickly answered it before the noise woke my parents. I must've answered with a really gruffly, because Talia's voice on the other end sounded affronted. She apologised for calling so early, but she said she'd be over to pick me up in two minutes. When I asked what was going on, I was handed over to Goldie who said just two words: "Book Hunting".
By the time they arrived at my house I was fully read and had made them coffee and pancakes. Talia was alarmed I'd gotten ready so quickly, but nothing comes between me and a good book sale. We drove along the foggy roads for an unbearably long thirty-five minutes, before stopping out the front of a small warehouse in the outer suburbs. We got out of the car and joined the queue that had begun to form at the front door. Apparently this particular book sale was a big event for bibliophiles.
Goldie took out a sheet of parchment and prized off the wax seal. She unfurled the largest list of newly released books I've ever seen on a single sheet - it stretched twice the length of mine and Talia's armspans put together. She explained to us that as the Acquisitions Librarian, it was her duty to attend these book sales once a year to obtain as many new titles as possible. She said this with more than just a touch of pride in her voice, calm and confident. Our job, Goldie explained, gesturing to Talia and I, was to ensure that we did not miss out on a single item on her list. There was no margin for error. We all nodded grimly, and turned to face our task.
The doors opened at 6am and we surged in on a crashing wave of librarians, devoted fans of popular authors, generalist book collectors and confused morning joggers who had been swept up in the tide. I lost sight of Talia and Goldie almost immediately. A woman landed on top of me, and when we untangled I saw she was wearing a Nancy Pearl Is God T-shirt. She ducked left and I swung right, running towards the FICTION: A-D section. It was sheer pandemonium in that store, with people yelling and shouting to be heard over the din of the raucous crowd. And I loved every minute of it.
I held one third of Goldie's list in my hands. I swindled my way through the human traffic and gathered up in my arms every book I could find. I ran smack into Talia, who was holding two baskets in her hands. She passed me one and as I was about to thank her I was nudged forward. Our bodies pressed together for a few exhilarating seconds before we were pushed apart by the pulsating throng of people.
At one point, just as I'd collected all seven required texts on geography, the crowd parted right in front of me and I caught a glimpse of Goldie. She was standing in an open circle - quite rare in a tightly packed space - and was surrounded by brilliant light. The first rays of morning light were filtering in through the slatted windows, and each was catching a different piece of her elaborate gold jewellery. The effect was one of dazzling luminescence which inspired awe as much as burnt out your eye sockets. This allowed Goldie to move around the sunlit parts of the warehouse unchallenged by the mob, as she only got brighter the closer you went.
By 11am the three of us were sitting inside a cafe having brunch. I had a lack eye from the Nancy Pearl fanatic and Talia cradled an arm that had been badly bruised by a careless man wielding an atlas or four, but Goldie remained unscathed. She tended to ours wounds like an army nurse. We'd all reached our respective quotas, so it had been worth the hardship. Goldie prepared a makeshift cast for Talia's arm, and as I helped her to put it on she smiled slightly at me. That just made the day even better.
-Jay
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
#29 Self-service
Dear diary,
The self-checkout machine has been broken for almost a year now. It was accidentally damaged during an 'argument' between Sylvia and Goldie, and was thought to be beyond repair. Its status as been "In Technical Services" for so long that everyone thought it was gone permanently.
Then today Sylvia rushed into the library with a beaming smile, made all the more animated by her bright red lipstick amidst the backdrop of her black-and-grey dress ensemble. She said she had a surprise waiting in her van which was parked out the back. TJ said he'd hold the desk while the rest of us went to see what the surprise was.
We gathered in the carpark as Sylvia unveiled the brand new self-checkout machine. It was shiny, it was hi-tech, it even had streamlines to indicate which way to swipe the books. We were all very impressed. Sylvia show off the designs like a game-show hostess. She was clearly very proud of her work. Turns out she and TJ had been given a grant from a library technical services company called BiblioTech, and they’d been working on restoring the machine (and adding a few extra functions) for months.
We wheeled it into the library and up to the front counter. The stand it normally stood on had remained empty for so long that Bron had taken it over and used it to display pamphlets, which she had to hurriedly relocate. Sylvia got Talia and I to heave the machine onto its stand and then connect all the wiring. We shelvers are often used for various tasks involving manual labour.
When it was all set to go Sylvia wrapped the machine up in red tape then cut it, just for effect, and switched it on. It hummed into life and the screen displayed its name: BOB (Borrow Own Books). Sylvia then took it for a test-run by fetching some recently returned items from the desk, which just happened to be a Bob the Builder board book, a music book featuring works by Bob Dylan, and a biography on Bob Hope. All three books were scanned by BOB with a pleasant chirruping sound, and at the end of the transaction a receipt printed out with the due dates and an inspirational quote. We all clapped in appreciation.
BOB performed excellently, and people were queuing up to try it out. Sylvia stood and watched like a proud parent, and when one woman came up to the desk to hand her a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine she cried. At the end of the day we were all lounging around in the staffroom, drained from all the excitement. Sylvia
-Jay
The self-checkout machine has been broken for almost a year now. It was accidentally damaged during an 'argument' between Sylvia and Goldie, and was thought to be beyond repair. Its status as been "In Technical Services" for so long that everyone thought it was gone permanently.
Then today Sylvia rushed into the library with a beaming smile, made all the more animated by her bright red lipstick amidst the backdrop of her black-and-grey dress ensemble. She said she had a surprise waiting in her van which was parked out the back. TJ said he'd hold the desk while the rest of us went to see what the surprise was.
We gathered in the carpark as Sylvia unveiled the brand new self-checkout machine. It was shiny, it was hi-tech, it even had streamlines to indicate which way to swipe the books. We were all very impressed. Sylvia show off the designs like a game-show hostess. She was clearly very proud of her work. Turns out she and TJ had been given a grant from a library technical services company called BiblioTech, and they’d been working on restoring the machine (and adding a few extra functions) for months.
We wheeled it into the library and up to the front counter. The stand it normally stood on had remained empty for so long that Bron had taken it over and used it to display pamphlets, which she had to hurriedly relocate. Sylvia got Talia and I to heave the machine onto its stand and then connect all the wiring. We shelvers are often used for various tasks involving manual labour.
When it was all set to go Sylvia wrapped the machine up in red tape then cut it, just for effect, and switched it on. It hummed into life and the screen displayed its name: BOB (Borrow Own Books). Sylvia then took it for a test-run by fetching some recently returned items from the desk, which just happened to be a Bob the Builder board book, a music book featuring works by Bob Dylan, and a biography on Bob Hope. All three books were scanned by BOB with a pleasant chirruping sound, and at the end of the transaction a receipt printed out with the due dates and an inspirational quote. We all clapped in appreciation.
BOB performed excellently, and people were queuing up to try it out. Sylvia stood and watched like a proud parent, and when one woman came up to the desk to hand her a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine she cried. At the end of the day we were all lounging around in the staffroom, drained from all the excitement. Sylvia
-Jay
Sunday, August 10, 2008
#28 Detested
Dear diary,
That Shannon has been really getting on my nerves. Ever since she started working as a volunteer at the library ('community service', as Boudecia euphemised it) she's been breathing down my neck. Well, that actually began when she recovered enough to not need her wheelchair, because she couldn't reach before, but you know what I mean. It's like she watches my every move and tries to make me look bad.
For example, the other day I was ordering a trolley of Nonfiction Folios, the worst of the worst to shelve. I left the trolley unattended for thirty seconds or less to put a handful of books away, and when I returned I saw her walking off. She'd messed up the order of the folios, and it wasn't until I'd put half of them in the wrong spots that I noticed what she'd done. It took me an extra fifteen minutes to locate the misplaced books and restore them to their proper positions. When I got back to the desk Ernesto was looking at his stopwatch and shaking his head.
She does little things like that to annoy me. She once tipped over a stand of Premier's Reading Challenge book I'd just set up in the Children's section. She mucks up the order of tiers I've just shelf-read. Once I had a wheel come off my trolley, and when I looked over to the Reference Desk where she was sitting she gave me a quick smile. I'm sure it was her. At least she doesn't run over my toes like she used to when she was wheelchair-bound.
I've tried to make peace with her, but she refuses to comply. I noticed she binned the fruit basket I left on her desk. I think she's still jealous because I took over from her job as a shelver. She still works in the library doing odd jobs but she's not getting paid, whereas I am. What makes it worse is that she gets along famously with the rest of the staff, especially Talia. Talia. I wish she'd see the ugly side to Shannon. I feel like that's putting a wall between us. I've tried to work up the courage to ask her out on a date, but whenever I'm just about to Shannon appears and spoils the mood.
I'm just going to have to grin and bear it, I guess. I can't actually prove that Shannon's sabotaging me, even though I know it's her. She's so frustrating!
-Jay
That Shannon has been really getting on my nerves. Ever since she started working as a volunteer at the library ('community service', as Boudecia euphemised it) she's been breathing down my neck. Well, that actually began when she recovered enough to not need her wheelchair, because she couldn't reach before, but you know what I mean. It's like she watches my every move and tries to make me look bad.
For example, the other day I was ordering a trolley of Nonfiction Folios, the worst of the worst to shelve. I left the trolley unattended for thirty seconds or less to put a handful of books away, and when I returned I saw her walking off. She'd messed up the order of the folios, and it wasn't until I'd put half of them in the wrong spots that I noticed what she'd done. It took me an extra fifteen minutes to locate the misplaced books and restore them to their proper positions. When I got back to the desk Ernesto was looking at his stopwatch and shaking his head.
She does little things like that to annoy me. She once tipped over a stand of Premier's Reading Challenge book I'd just set up in the Children's section. She mucks up the order of tiers I've just shelf-read. Once I had a wheel come off my trolley, and when I looked over to the Reference Desk where she was sitting she gave me a quick smile. I'm sure it was her. At least she doesn't run over my toes like she used to when she was wheelchair-bound.
I've tried to make peace with her, but she refuses to comply. I noticed she binned the fruit basket I left on her desk. I think she's still jealous because I took over from her job as a shelver. She still works in the library doing odd jobs but she's not getting paid, whereas I am. What makes it worse is that she gets along famously with the rest of the staff, especially Talia. Talia. I wish she'd see the ugly side to Shannon. I feel like that's putting a wall between us. I've tried to work up the courage to ask her out on a date, but whenever I'm just about to Shannon appears and spoils the mood.
I'm just going to have to grin and bear it, I guess. I can't actually prove that Shannon's sabotaging me, even though I know it's her. She's so frustrating!
-Jay
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
#27 Metamorphosis
Dear diary,
I got to work early today because, strange as it might sound, I really missed the place. What can I say, I like routine. I fumbled around in the glove box for my access card, which is absolutely vital. Not only does it let me into the staffroom at the library, it even lets me into some exclusive clubs free of charge. Talia swears she's even used it to bypass security checks at airports.
Finding my access card, I got out of the car and entered the library back entrance. When I walked into the staffroom I saw Boudecia so I said a friendly "hello", but she didn't seem to hear me. She had her back to me and was unaware I was there. I could see she was rummaging through her drawers (the kind you find in desks, not the other kind, thankfully). Quietly I took a tentative step forward, curious but also careful not to disturb her.
"Mrs Jones? Oh, sorry..."
The words escaped my lips before my brain had time to stop me. Boudecia froze mid-rummage. She turned very slowly, as if on an ungreased turnstile, until she faced me. Her expression was completely devoid of anything identifiable, and in her hand she held...
...a mouse, by its tail. It squirmed helplessly as my boss and I stood locked in silent hesitation. My eyes darted behind Boudecia and saw the birdcage on her desk was open and empty. My gaze fell back upon the dangling rodent. Several hours passed in the next few seconds, before Boudecia finally broke the unnerving silence.
"It's Ms Jones, thank you."
"Sorry."
"I suppose you were going to find out sooner or later."
"Sorry?"
"Tell me Jay, have you ever noticed that this library isn't like other libraries?"
"...Sorry?"
"Of course you've noticed. When you walk along the Reference aisle, if you look up you can see the nests."
"Sorry, I-"
"If you kneel down in the Junior section and look under the shelves you can see the small holes in the floor. Tunnels, in fact, for the mice." She held her captive mouse up as evidence.
"Sorry, P-"
"The intricately woven spider webs on the ceiling in the Local History room?"
"Sorry."
"Or the disused cubicle in the men's with the toads living in it?"
"Sorry." I was struggling to find something more to add here.
"How about Goldie's three cats living under her desk?"
"...Sorry?" A faint mewling sound came from underneath the corner desk.
"Hmm, maybe it is too early for you. However, you've proven yourself in the past. You're a part of this library Jay, one of the staff. I was going to show you eventually, but my plans have been hastened ahead of schedule. No matter. Observe," she said, and dropped the mouse onto the open floor.
It happened so quickly that neither I nor the mouse had any time to react. As Boudecia dropped the mouse se began to shrink rapidly. Her black dress clung to her pale white skin, and then merged with it. Feathers erupted down her arm and face. The end of her pointed shoes split into three claws. All the while she was compacting in on herself, like a sudden implosion. The mouse hit the floor running, but that couldn't save it. Boudecia snatched it in her talon, brought it up to her beak and killed it, in one swift motion.
I stared in awe as I watched my boss-cum-owl devour a live mouse. My brain had shut down and was doing the simplest thing possible: recording information. I could feel this moment being imprinted into my long term memory. No amount of repression could delete this from my head. It was simultaneously the most frightening, fascinating and engaging moment of my entire life.
After she had finished her meal, Boudecia reverted back to her human self in a similar fashion to her first metamorphosis. She walked over to me and placed her tal-, sorry, hand, on my shoulder. Her smile was eerie and penetrating. All I could do was stare blankly at the spot on the floor where the mouse had died. There was a small blood stain on the carpet.
Boudecia sat me down in my zombie-like state and made me a cup of tea. I accepted i wordlessly, still staring at that patch on the floor. She talked to me, saying something about her needing to show me that urgently because her plans had gone awry, but I didn't hear any of it. The other staff began to turn up, one by one. I could tell by the way they acted around me that they all knew why I was in that state. Pepper gave me a big hug and, after receiving an almost imperceptible nod from Boudecia, said I could have the day off. Do something nice for yourself, she told me.
Mum came to pick me up as I wasn't up to driving. I spent the day watching the Stuart Little series on DVD. It was the library's copy, and mum couldn't understand why I cried the whole way through.
-Jay
I got to work early today because, strange as it might sound, I really missed the place. What can I say, I like routine. I fumbled around in the glove box for my access card, which is absolutely vital. Not only does it let me into the staffroom at the library, it even lets me into some exclusive clubs free of charge. Talia swears she's even used it to bypass security checks at airports.
Finding my access card, I got out of the car and entered the library back entrance. When I walked into the staffroom I saw Boudecia so I said a friendly "hello", but she didn't seem to hear me. She had her back to me and was unaware I was there. I could see she was rummaging through her drawers (the kind you find in desks, not the other kind, thankfully). Quietly I took a tentative step forward, curious but also careful not to disturb her.
"Mrs Jones? Oh, sorry..."
The words escaped my lips before my brain had time to stop me. Boudecia froze mid-rummage. She turned very slowly, as if on an ungreased turnstile, until she faced me. Her expression was completely devoid of anything identifiable, and in her hand she held...
...a mouse, by its tail. It squirmed helplessly as my boss and I stood locked in silent hesitation. My eyes darted behind Boudecia and saw the birdcage on her desk was open and empty. My gaze fell back upon the dangling rodent. Several hours passed in the next few seconds, before Boudecia finally broke the unnerving silence.
"It's Ms Jones, thank you."
"Sorry."
"I suppose you were going to find out sooner or later."
"Sorry?"
"Tell me Jay, have you ever noticed that this library isn't like other libraries?"
"...Sorry?"
"Of course you've noticed. When you walk along the Reference aisle, if you look up you can see the nests."
"Sorry, I-"
"If you kneel down in the Junior section and look under the shelves you can see the small holes in the floor. Tunnels, in fact, for the mice." She held her captive mouse up as evidence.
"Sorry, P-"
"The intricately woven spider webs on the ceiling in the Local History room?"
"Sorry."
"Or the disused cubicle in the men's with the toads living in it?"
"Sorry." I was struggling to find something more to add here.
"How about Goldie's three cats living under her desk?"
"...Sorry?" A faint mewling sound came from underneath the corner desk.
"Hmm, maybe it is too early for you. However, you've proven yourself in the past. You're a part of this library Jay, one of the staff. I was going to show you eventually, but my plans have been hastened ahead of schedule. No matter. Observe," she said, and dropped the mouse onto the open floor.
It happened so quickly that neither I nor the mouse had any time to react. As Boudecia dropped the mouse se began to shrink rapidly. Her black dress clung to her pale white skin, and then merged with it. Feathers erupted down her arm and face. The end of her pointed shoes split into three claws. All the while she was compacting in on herself, like a sudden implosion. The mouse hit the floor running, but that couldn't save it. Boudecia snatched it in her talon, brought it up to her beak and killed it, in one swift motion.
I stared in awe as I watched my boss-cum-owl devour a live mouse. My brain had shut down and was doing the simplest thing possible: recording information. I could feel this moment being imprinted into my long term memory. No amount of repression could delete this from my head. It was simultaneously the most frightening, fascinating and engaging moment of my entire life.
After she had finished her meal, Boudecia reverted back to her human self in a similar fashion to her first metamorphosis. She walked over to me and placed her tal-, sorry, hand, on my shoulder. Her smile was eerie and penetrating. All I could do was stare blankly at the spot on the floor where the mouse had died. There was a small blood stain on the carpet.
Boudecia sat me down in my zombie-like state and made me a cup of tea. I accepted i wordlessly, still staring at that patch on the floor. She talked to me, saying something about her needing to show me that urgently because her plans had gone awry, but I didn't hear any of it. The other staff began to turn up, one by one. I could tell by the way they acted around me that they all knew why I was in that state. Pepper gave me a big hug and, after receiving an almost imperceptible nod from Boudecia, said I could have the day off. Do something nice for yourself, she told me.
Mum came to pick me up as I wasn't up to driving. I spent the day watching the Stuart Little series on DVD. It was the library's copy, and mum couldn't understand why I cried the whole way through.
-Jay
Monday, August 4, 2008
#26 Reversal
Dear diary,
So, I'd finished all the shelving for the day, but still had fifty minutes left before my shift was over. Bron was flipping through Italian magazines at the check-in terminal, Goldie was wiping down the counters with industrial strength cleaner, and the rest of the staff were out the back in the staffroom; I only recently realised that's where they hide out when they're not on desk. So, out of boredom, I decided to do a sweep.
A sweep is library slang for going around and picking up all the books left on the carrels, tables and floor. Some people are incredibly lazy and leave everything they were reading just lying around. Sometimes you find other stuff too. In the past I've scored a good pen, half a pack of chewies, a phone cover, a briefcase with hundreds of unmarked bills... Often you have to get on your hands and knees and really have a good scrabble around to find things under the carrels. Which is where I was today.
As I was walking past Reference I caught a glint of something shiny out of the corner of my eye. A little ray of sunlight had momentarily chanced upon a reflective surface and lit it up for a fraction of a second, but that was all an adventurer like me needed to spot it. I got down on all fours and had a look under the carrel. The carpet had come up and something was sticking through. Apologising to the person sitting at the carrel, I crawled under their chair and took a look.
I looked at the thing which had caught my attention in the first place: a romance novel with a gold-tinted title. Score one. But that wasn't important at the moment; what was important was the gaping hole in the floor, which had been clumsily covered up with a loose square of carpet. I took out my Swiss army knife, switched on the torch function and held it between my teeth as I pulled back the carpet to look inside. It looked like a small tunnel that lead down into the darkness, too deep for my torchlight to penetrate.
There, about 20 centimetres away. Holding the torch between my teeth I rolled up my right sleeve and wedged my right hand into the small crack. I extended my fingers to enlarge it so I could reach further inside. Slowly, guided by the torchlight, I slithered my hand under the carpet and into the hole. My fingertips scrabbled exploratively until they rested upon the treasure. I dug them into it and dragged it out, careful not to cause any damage to it.
It was a tatty old Mills & Boon cover. Hardly worth writing home about. But what had been under it was much more interesting. I shoved my right hand in again to fech the bundle of old papers. They had yellowed with age and water damage, but they were still readable. As I shuffled through them my jaw dropped. They were the pages from the empty cover, but they were in reverse order. Some sick and twisted individual must have taken them out one by one and put them in the opposite order. What the?
I got the same reaction when I showed Bron. She didn't bother check it in, instead she just dropped it straight in the bin. Even though I was unable to save it, at least it got the respected burial it deserved. RIP M&B.
-Jay
So, I'd finished all the shelving for the day, but still had fifty minutes left before my shift was over. Bron was flipping through Italian magazines at the check-in terminal, Goldie was wiping down the counters with industrial strength cleaner, and the rest of the staff were out the back in the staffroom; I only recently realised that's where they hide out when they're not on desk. So, out of boredom, I decided to do a sweep.
A sweep is library slang for going around and picking up all the books left on the carrels, tables and floor. Some people are incredibly lazy and leave everything they were reading just lying around. Sometimes you find other stuff too. In the past I've scored a good pen, half a pack of chewies, a phone cover, a briefcase with hundreds of unmarked bills... Often you have to get on your hands and knees and really have a good scrabble around to find things under the carrels. Which is where I was today.
As I was walking past Reference I caught a glint of something shiny out of the corner of my eye. A little ray of sunlight had momentarily chanced upon a reflective surface and lit it up for a fraction of a second, but that was all an adventurer like me needed to spot it. I got down on all fours and had a look under the carrel. The carpet had come up and something was sticking through. Apologising to the person sitting at the carrel, I crawled under their chair and took a look.
I looked at the thing which had caught my attention in the first place: a romance novel with a gold-tinted title. Score one. But that wasn't important at the moment; what was important was the gaping hole in the floor, which had been clumsily covered up with a loose square of carpet. I took out my Swiss army knife, switched on the torch function and held it between my teeth as I pulled back the carpet to look inside. It looked like a small tunnel that lead down into the darkness, too deep for my torchlight to penetrate.
There, about 20 centimetres away. Holding the torch between my teeth I rolled up my right sleeve and wedged my right hand into the small crack. I extended my fingers to enlarge it so I could reach further inside. Slowly, guided by the torchlight, I slithered my hand under the carpet and into the hole. My fingertips scrabbled exploratively until they rested upon the treasure. I dug them into it and dragged it out, careful not to cause any damage to it.
It was a tatty old Mills & Boon cover. Hardly worth writing home about. But what had been under it was much more interesting. I shoved my right hand in again to fech the bundle of old papers. They had yellowed with age and water damage, but they were still readable. As I shuffled through them my jaw dropped. They were the pages from the empty cover, but they were in reverse order. Some sick and twisted individual must have taken them out one by one and put them in the opposite order. What the?
I got the same reaction when I showed Bron. She didn't bother check it in, instead she just dropped it straight in the bin. Even though I was unable to save it, at least it got the respected burial it deserved. RIP M&B.
-Jay
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