#62 Anzac

Dear diary,

Hi everyone! I know it’s been a while since my last post, but I’ve been so flat out at the library that I haven’t had a moment’s rest. You know what that shelving can get like. Anyway, I had the best day at work today and just had to tell you about it. And the funniest part is, today was a public holiday, so the library wasn’t even open! Huh?

Libraries always close on public holidays, and so we never get a proper chance to celebrate, or in this case, commemorate, important events like today. Boudecia announced to us that it was unacceptable us not doing anything, seeing as we are a “strong pillar of the community”, especially since our claim to fame with the library tours around country Victoria (and to a lesser extent, the scandalous BiblioTech affair of last year). She took Shannon aside one day several weeks ago, and the two of them have been plotting away ever since, all in preparation for today. And it certainly paid off.

I woke up early and drove to work. It was difficult to keep driving past the building; I got a hankering to just duck inside for a moment to check on things, make sure TJ interfiled those requests like I asked him to. It’s a bad habit, thinking about work on your days off. I can’t even walk into a library now without tidying up the shelves and bitching with the Loans staff about the flaws in the cataloguing system.

I pulled up into the parking lot at the gardens just down the road from the library. There were already a lot of cars there with families dragging children out kicking and screaming and the parents promising them icecream afterwards if hey just behaved themselves for two minutes. I got out of the car and walked up to the cordoned off section of the park, where two large and unfriendly looking women fro the Lions Club were acting the role of bouncers just that little bit to well. I flashed my Staff ID card at them and kept walking. It’s important not to make eye contact with such types, as they can get vicious.

I entered the central pavilion, which was surrounded by several smaller ones, sprinkled with a couple of food and souvenir stalls. Boudecia stood majestically upon an Esky in the very centre, directing people around to set up. The moment I appeared she pointed for me to go and assist Shannon with the display stands. I obeyed, obediently.

Shannon filled me in on the details when I got over to her. Seeing as the Council refused to allow the library to open on a public holiday (too costly, they say, the penny-pinchers), we were going to have our own events in the gardens. Shannon had organised volunteers to set up a makeshift library, although seeing as we weren’t technically being governed by the Council on this day, we had a bit of leeway with what we could do.

Boudecia staffed the Mobile Library, Shannon the food and drink stand and me the niche community group pamphlet collectables stall. The volunteers helped out by running book clubs in choice locations, where people could drink champagne whilst rambling on about their latest delves into the world of fiction. They also sold old library books at overcosted prices (Shannon’s idea) and hosted trolley races (my idea).

My stall was basically an excuse to get rid of those fistfuls of pamphlets which are left in the library for moths, possibly even years, because the last few are never taken.

Here are a few of my favourites from amongst the hundreds we had stockpiled:

• Nudist Hiking Association (sturdy shoes permitted)
• Vampire Cookery Club (every meal is cooked in red wine sauce – not for the faint of liver)
• Marxism 2006 (better than 2005 I hear)
• International Organisation for the Protection of the Native Habitat of the Blue Crested Fire-Ant Eating Starlet (they meet once every four years)
• S.P.R.I.N.G. Inc. (no idea what they do but it sounds cool)
• World of Warcraft Addicts Anonymous (I took one for myself…)
• Green Energy: Why Aren’t You Doing More To Save The Planet You Lazy Slob (these had been given by Talia, a former library worker and political activist)

As midday approached we closed up the stalls and activity areas and congregated around the central pavilion. Boudecia, still atop her platform, gave a short speech about the importance of remembering what happened today all those years ago, and to remember the fallen. Everyone spent a moment in silent reflection, interrupted only by the sounds of the Crazy Frog ringtone and someone swearing mutedly as they rummaged through their bag for their mobile. Boudecia flashed them a look that instantly silenced both the person and the phone.

Boudecia stepped off the Esky and stood beside Shannon, who was holding a drum. She began tapping out a marching tune. She and Boudecia led the procession through the park to the memorial statue on the other side of the gardens. I stayed at the back to stop people from dawdling.

Today was about remembering the fallen, and I thought about Talia, my former flame. It was never reciprocated, but that’s beside the point. Talia and I, we almost had something once, but then she left the library and started seeing TJ (*cough* bastard *cough*). It’s strange how she up and left but there’s still her presence in the library, like the ghosts who live there. I guess once you’ve worked in a library for long enough you become part of it, and it becomes part of you too.

Anyway, the day was a great success. We had an excellent turnout and enjoyed ourselves a lot, especially Shannon, who had spent the day managing the drinks stand (which later became the drinks fall when she’d had too much punch). This has been a great warm-up for the events we’re holding for Library Week, which is from May 25^th-31^st. See you then!

-Jay