Soujin is going to do here a very unSoujinish thing. She will rant.
You've been warned. :)
I cannot BEAR the foolish, foolish persons who take books out of the shelves and then randomly stick them back in again where-ever the hell they want! Augh! It makes me want to, I don't know, put my head in my hands and rock back and forth making growly noises! Stupid, stupid, stupid! We lose so many books this way, and we really can't afford to, considering our tiny little library.
Nevertheless, I will be shelving under JUV NON 745.1 and find books from JUV NON 745.876, as well as books from 753 and 746, which is, at least, somewhat understandable, but also books from JUV NON 931.5! Jesus Christ! What in heaven's name induces this wanton treatment of beautiful, beautiful books?
Of course, less annoying and less harmful but still irritating are the persons who will take out thirty books and suddenly decide they no longer want them, and leave them in a big pile on the study tables, in the children's sections, on chairs, or on the floor. I appreciate that they aren't putting them back somewhere never to be found again, but it really creates a terribly undue amount of work for me, your cheerful library worker, when I'm already very busy with shelving and working the desk.
None of these, however, incur Soujin's wrath quite as much as the persons who remove several books from the shelves, thereby causing a collapsing landslide of entire sections, and then walk away, leaving books hanging from the shelves and scattered across the floor. If I ever catch anyone in the act of leaving the scene of the crime, I shall Take Steps, see if I don't. Lord!
To-day I dealt with resorting shelves, reshelving landslides within bookcases, cleaning up the children's section, and shelving. A good deal of this was time I had not expected to spend because I had expected the shelves to be in decent shape.
As a final note, several letters.
Dear teenage personage older than myself who is blocking the cart and me from shelving the magazines: It's all the same to me if you want to carry on a telephone conversation on your cell phone. I shan't listen in because I'm not interested. However, you don't seem to realise this, judging by your hostile glares and the fact that you have planted your chair right in front of the entrance to the magazine racks and are not letting me by. Bastard.
Dear male personage who wishes to use the men's WC: Due to recent graffiti issues, we cannot let you into the WC unless you come and tell us and have it unlocked. Yes, this seems rather stupid, and is certainly inconvenient. However, do try to restrain that irritation/juvenile amusement towards me because I am a woman unlocking the door for you and afterwards looking around inside to make sure you've not scribbled obscenities on our walls. There's nothing I can do about it. It's not funny or even particularly gross. Just deal, si vous plait.
Dear woman putting your books beneath the counter: I am standing right in front of you. I have my scanner at the ready. For heaven's sake, why make extra work for yourself and me by putting your books down below where I've got to move a load of things to get to them? I'd be entirely happy to take them for you right up here. All you have to do is shove them across the counter.
And lastly,
Dear woman who does not like waiting: I explained to you very nicely that your library card was expired, and I'd have been entirely happy to renew your privileges if I knew the renewal password. As it was, I did all I could to check your stats and confirm that we only needed the password to renew you. However, I am not the Head Librarian, and it is only she who knows that password--as I explained. No, I don't know where she is, because she is allowed to go anywhere, whereas I stay here and work the checkout. I cannot go look for her because we only have me--Waen isn't trained in working the checkout. If you'll just wait patiently for a moment--or even spend this time trying to calm your bloody screaming baby or curb your shouting, fighting children--she should be back any minute. If you can't wait, please don't stand here giving me murderous glances. It doesn't make me at all inclined to see if I can find anyone to go fetch her. Augh.
....
*squeaks*
I, um, seem to have gotten a bit vehement. It was a rather difficult day. ^^;;;; Er. But it felt rather nice finally to rant about it. Oh, dear.
Well, I read some beautiful children's books to-day, and I got plenty done...