Disapproval
The librarian disapproved of my reading choices today. I handed back the newest Eric Jerome Dickey (not worth the bother) and took out French Kiss by Aimee Friedman (a young adult book; they tend to be fun) and Tight by Patrick Sanchez (about three women; the title refers to plastic surgery). She looked down at them, clicked her tongue and said: "I can't believe you read these books. You don't look..."
(Meaning: the books look raunchy and I look like a "good girl".)
I thought it was rather out-of-hand for her to comment on my choices, but I protested: "It's YA, it's just silly."
The librarian muttered something else under her breath, looked at D and said, "Well, I bet he doesn't mind."
When we left, D said, "I bet she liked the books. It's what she would read if she could."
OUCH!
Bear in mind I have a somewhat troubled history with this librarian. My local library is, um, special, and some of the librarians have a bit of a 'tude. The troubled history goes as follows (this happened a couple of weeks ago):
Me: Hi. I'm returning these and checking these out. They were on hold. I'm giving this one back, though. ["This one" was on hold but I decided I didn't want it because it turned out to be 1000 pages.]
Her: OK, I'm going to have to check it out to you though.
Me: You're going to check it back in, right?
Other librarian: Why don't you just delete it?
Me: Yeah, that seems to make more sense.
First librarian: No! That won't work! (Getting all worked up.)
Me: OK, I believe you.
First librarian: Here's my supervisor! She'll back me up. Do I check it out to her or just delete it?
Other librarian: I always just delete it.
Supervisor: Either one.
Oy.
But anyway, I assured D that she is able to read, because she has to have a degree in library science!! I learned this from Party Girl. D thinks the clerks don't have to, but I think they do.
(Meaning: the books look raunchy and I look like a "good girl".)
I thought it was rather out-of-hand for her to comment on my choices, but I protested: "It's YA, it's just silly."
The librarian muttered something else under her breath, looked at D and said, "Well, I bet he doesn't mind."
When we left, D said, "I bet she liked the books. It's what she would read if she could."
OUCH!
Bear in mind I have a somewhat troubled history with this librarian. My local library is, um, special, and some of the librarians have a bit of a 'tude. The troubled history goes as follows (this happened a couple of weeks ago):
Me: Hi. I'm returning these and checking these out. They were on hold. I'm giving this one back, though. ["This one" was on hold but I decided I didn't want it because it turned out to be 1000 pages.]
Her: OK, I'm going to have to check it out to you though.
Me: You're going to check it back in, right?
Other librarian: Why don't you just delete it?
Me: Yeah, that seems to make more sense.
First librarian: No! That won't work! (Getting all worked up.)
Me: OK, I believe you.
First librarian: Here's my supervisor! She'll back me up. Do I check it out to her or just delete it?
Other librarian: I always just delete it.
Supervisor: Either one.
Oy.
But anyway, I assured D that she is able to read, because she has to have a degree in library science!! I learned this from Party Girl. D thinks the clerks don't have to, but I think they do.
Comments
It seems like she's one of those people who likes to pick fights, just to pick them.
Whether she can read or not, I guarantee she doesn't have as many friends as you!
Elsa - I agree. I wish they would get a nice, cozy librarian!
I wish I could visit and check out a copy of Kama Sutra or some such title.
I'm pretty sure the aides who do most of the clerking here, don't need degrees.
Sometimes I am a little embarassed at some of the things I check out, but they never say anything untoward.
I bet you're burning to know what I was embarassed to check out, right? Well, it was the Paris Hilton book "Confessions of an Heiress." I was curious, but the book sucks.
And my aunt is a library clerk in NY and does not have an MLS.
A - LOL. I'll have to do that next time...
VK - maybe that's her goal ;)
Bdogg - I saw that book! It looks like it's all pictures. She is the vainest person ever.
Lisa - Nothing wrong w/ graphic novels. I guess the movie was wrong, after all...they told Parker Posey that everyone needed an MLS.
Library assistants/clerks don't have to have an MLS. Usually they can answer certain kinds of questions (directional, etc), but are supposed to refer any reference questions to the librarians.
I listen to Dickey's books on CD sometimes. They can be steamy!
Liz - I bet she didn't have her MLS then ;) Funny about the boy in the bookstore. When I was in high school, a friend and I got a book called "Boys and Sex" and the cashier smirked and said, "Enjoy!"
You could have played dumb and said "what do you mean these books? You seem to know a lot about them. Can you explain what they are about?"
I occassionally make small talk about books/DVDs/whatever I'm signing out, at which point I'm making my reading/viewing choices the librarian's business and thus he/she is welcome/free to comment-- but, unless the patron "opens that door" the librarian has no business commenting on the reading choices of the person signing out the books.
I just finished and wrote a review on one of my blogs for Tim Dorsey's The Big Bamboo and I'm debating what to read next-- I'm torn between Adam Davies Goodbye Lemon (fiction) and Bruce Bartlett's Imposter (political)...