I Don't Have Email and I'm Not Online Either

I'm a little late in putting these up, but I guess better late than never.

A man, maybe in his early twenties, came up to me and asked if I could give him more time on his computer session. He was on a 15 minute computer and needed a few more minutes. I told him no, that's library policy, but he could log on to an hour computer to finish his work. He asks where the hour computers are and I tell him that all of the computers in the building are for an hour, excepting these six on the main floor. He says ok, and I leave him to it. A little while later I look over and see him waiting in line to use a copy machine. I'm thinking, hmmm . . . but I put it out of my mind. So, at least 15 to 20 minutes later he comes up to me asking where he can print his paper. In my mind I know that he was waiting at the copy machine to pick up his print job. I just know it. Well I show him where the computer is that releases his print job and he goes over there. The funniest part is that he was sitting right next to the printer. I mean really, I'm just amazed.

One of the regulars at the library is a man that must be homeless and/or not on his meds. We try to avoid eye contact because then we don't have to listen to him ramble off on something we don't understand or don't want to listen to. So now, instead of telling us his stories he just walks by our desks and says stuff like: "they found her," "poetry," "I know I've found it this time," and "see it's right here on this paper." It's like he has Turret's, but not.

A woman came up to the desk and asked where the computers are that make resumes. We said that we didn't have any specific computers, but she might be able to find a site online that would help her. She then told us that she really didn't know how to use a computer and was wondering if we could help her with it. We told her we didn't do that, but referred her to the technology center because they might be able to help. She was miffed with us and just walked out. So much for her resume.

An elderly woman asked us whether we had a specific book in our collection. I look it up and told her we have nothing by that title or even by the author. She tells us that she called the library and the woman at the call center told her that we didn't have it either. What, did she think that it would magically appear between the little time between her call and her arrival at the library? We ask if she'd like to request the library to purchase it. She said yes and started filling out the form. She finished and gave it to us to look over. We saw she didn't put an email address so we asked if she had one. She said, "I don't have email and I'm not online either." I didn't know that you could have email and not be online or visa versa.

Now for my favorite. Early into my shift I looked out the front window and saw a cop standing there. That's not a rare occurance so I didn't think much of it. We found out later on that with the help of library security he was ticketing jay-walkers from the trax station. It's illegal and very dangerous. Last week alone we had two separate instances where an ambulence had to come because people got hit by cars. I just don't understand why they can't just walk the 20 extra feet and cross with the cross walk. Well anyway, the security guard comes in and talks to us awhile later and tells us that the policeman wrote so many tickets in about an hour's time that he had to go back to the station because he'd run out of tickets. I just think it's awesome!