Is This Possible?!

Okay, so things are going from bad to worse around here.

About two years ago, a new Director hit town with all kinds of ideas about how to change the library. (She sits directly under the City Librarian) Clearly, she has never heard the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." She preceeded to move our focus to multimedia items that "circulate." Thus, thousands of books are hitting the trash to make room for DVDs. Then, she decided to force each library into a "type" and then change the collection at each library to fit its "type." So, you can now no longer go into a library and find the typical things you would expect to find. If you want a children's book, you should go to one of the children-focused libraries. If you want a video, you should go to one of the media-based libraries. It's really ridiculous.

The ultimate happened today, though.

She has now decreed that not every library will have librarians. Some libraries will have computer terminals where you can chat with a librarian online. But there will be no physical librarians in some of our branches.

Call me crazy, but what is a library without a librarian? What is this world coming to?

The Library as Garden of Eden

So, we came into work on Saturday and there was a snake in front of our display cases. My boss immediately panicked and ran to the break room where we found her standing on a chair. My co-worker and I scooped the snake up and took him outside. I was afraid that people would start throwing large dictionaries at it if we didn' t take action.

Later that day, the Lord of the Ring came in and hinted that he wanted me to go to church with him. I told him there was a library policy about employees going to church with patrons. Sorry.

Maybe that snake was sign. A sign that I need to get out of this crazy place.

(In response to my last blog, the library does not back up employees in trying to deal with unattended children. We are not allowed to post signs or enforce policy. It's their way of backing up and empowering staff. ha. )

A Library or Just Inadequate Childcare?

One thing I have noticed in my time at the library is that many people try to use the library as free childcare. They will come and dump their children here and take off. Or they will tell their latch-key children to stay here until they get home from work. The problem is that we don't have the time or the resources or the responsibility to watch over these children. And we have had our share of perverts too.
Another problem is that parents will wander off to use computers and leave their kids without telling them where they are. Two lost little girls today were hiding in the children's section crying because they couldn't find their mom. I found the poor excuse for a parent on the other side of the library cruising the internet. It is so irresponsible and makes me so angry.
We have several well-meaning male customers who have tried to help lost children from time to time. On two occasions, we have seen a male customer pick up a female child and wander around the library with her looking for a parent. Now, I know they mean well, but let's face it, in this day and age it's not always a good idea for a male strange to carry around a female child. It just isn't. They should turn the child over to a staff member. Because inevitably the loser parent freaks out when they see a strange man carrying their child.
What's a library worker to do?