9.19.2004
Busy, busy day at the ref desk.
Before lunch break:
Need Value Line
Need Sunday paper
I need to look at the newspaper card indexes for Fimby and Duran
How long does the book sale last for?
No, these are the wrong years of card indexes. We need the older ones. [Oops, my bad.]
Now we need the card indexes for Herrera and Garcia.
I heard something about a 30 minute card for the computer?
Can you write down “Richard L. [Lespcke?] (something unintelligible) He was involved in the JFK assassination. served under Gen Philip C Wehle
Phone: (ESL speaker + bad phone connection = very difficult conversation) Do you have the book Egypt *****? [Do you know the author’s name?] Yes, Frances something. [no matching searches] [could you spell the last word of the title?] b-r-o-o-s. It’s a funny title. [no doubt! Egypt Broos? still no matches. “Egypt like the country?”] No, sorry. Egypt. I-D-I-O-T. Egypt. [OH! Idiot Proof! Yes, we have that book!]
I checked at the self-serve holds and my book is not there. Where else might it be?
“Paper” (actual grunted request)
Bill Clinton’s biography [96 holds] Never mind. I’ll check back in a couple of months.
Phone message: I missed your call. Can you call me back? I want to put 2 books on hold.
Phone message: This is Lucy P. I need Cape Ram Das, Fierce F-I-E-R-C-E Grace. I’ll be home. [did not leave phone number. Good thing I’m a PI.]
Can I use the computer again when my time is up?
Book Shell Seekers
Sunday Newspaper
Kelly Blue book for 94
Do you have anything on disabled people? Like how they operate on them?
I’d like to request a book: dale myers “secrets of a homicide” [not a book, just something he saw written on a web page about the JFK assassination.]
After lunch break:
One time use number
Can you show me how to print?
Need stuff for a paper about the Mesozoic era.
Info on Sweden. Narrowed it down to info on minorities in Sweden.
One time use number
One time use number
Need pictures of palm trees
Researching media violence and relationship to present war
Some teenager has been walking around the library all evening wearing a t-shirt on top and full pajamas (with a polar bear print) on bottom with the top of the pajamas tied around his waist.
We’re supposed to have dime-sized hail in the valley sometime this week.
Do you have a biography of Leland Haward? I’ll be over here. [walks away as I attempt to find the answer]
Before lunch break:
Need Value Line
Need Sunday paper
I need to look at the newspaper card indexes for Fimby and Duran
How long does the book sale last for?
No, these are the wrong years of card indexes. We need the older ones. [Oops, my bad.]
Now we need the card indexes for Herrera and Garcia.
I heard something about a 30 minute card for the computer?
Can you write down “Richard L. [Lespcke?] (something unintelligible) He was involved in the JFK assassination. served under Gen Philip C Wehle
Phone: (ESL speaker + bad phone connection = very difficult conversation) Do you have the book Egypt *****? [Do you know the author’s name?] Yes, Frances something. [no matching searches] [could you spell the last word of the title?] b-r-o-o-s. It’s a funny title. [no doubt! Egypt Broos? still no matches. “Egypt like the country?”] No, sorry. Egypt. I-D-I-O-T. Egypt. [OH! Idiot Proof! Yes, we have that book!]
I checked at the self-serve holds and my book is not there. Where else might it be?
“Paper” (actual grunted request)
Bill Clinton’s biography [96 holds] Never mind. I’ll check back in a couple of months.
Phone message: I missed your call. Can you call me back? I want to put 2 books on hold.
Phone message: This is Lucy P. I need Cape Ram Das, Fierce F-I-E-R-C-E Grace. I’ll be home. [did not leave phone number. Good thing I’m a PI.]
Can I use the computer again when my time is up?
Book Shell Seekers
Sunday Newspaper
Kelly Blue book for 94
Do you have anything on disabled people? Like how they operate on them?
I’d like to request a book: dale myers “secrets of a homicide” [not a book, just something he saw written on a web page about the JFK assassination.]
After lunch break:
One time use number
Can you show me how to print?
Need stuff for a paper about the Mesozoic era.
Info on Sweden. Narrowed it down to info on minorities in Sweden.
One time use number
One time use number
Need pictures of palm trees
Researching media violence and relationship to present war
Some teenager has been walking around the library all evening wearing a t-shirt on top and full pajamas (with a polar bear print) on bottom with the top of the pajamas tied around his waist.
We’re supposed to have dime-sized hail in the valley sometime this week.
Do you have a biography of Leland Haward? I’ll be over here. [walks away as I attempt to find the answer]
Some reference librarian coined the term "refgrunt". Basically, a refgrunt is a brief list of the questions asked of a reference librarian during any given shift.
My refgrunt from today
Phone message: need My Own Country video
Phone message: Caller left full name, phone number, library card number and complete address, but failed to state purpose of call.
How can I find out about someone in prison/if someone is in prison
Have you heard of a book about an indian boy in Appalacia who ent to live with his aunt and uncle because his parents died.
Need a list of everyone who lives in Modesto
A book about positive reinforcement written around 2002...possibly
What is that poisonous stuff that comes out of cars? [Carbon monoxide?] yes. write that down real big. Now write "fires", "drought", [anything else] yes...um...gotta stop driving those cars.
Would like biographical information about author Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun, which, incidentally is nothing like the movie.
Can you look up a book by the plot? I read a mystery set in ancient Rome and it was part of a series.
Can you tell me what it was? (I actually found the answer to this one)
It won't let me put these books on hold. Can you do it for me?
A question from an hispanic lady who kept pointing to her bookbag and asking about some meeting in sketchy English. Never did resolve that one.
Need the video My Own Country (don't have it, but we have the book)
Do you have any more books on tape (yah, like a thousand, but they're all checked out)
I can't put Histories by Herodotus on reserve.
I need books to help me teach some friends how to speak English.
Need videos showing childbirth.
Phone: I need to know if red and purple grapes contain oxalic acid. or green grapes. Red wine has it, but I don't know if it's part of the fermentation process. I can't have oxalic acid b/c it aggravates my gout.
Do you have photo copy machines?
Third request for My Own Country video
Books by author William Langewiesch
4 hand piano sheet music
Books on deer hunting
Need resources for a paper on Ho Chi Minh
Need resources for a paper on the Beatles 1964 US tour (last question of the day! woohoo!)
ALL of these questions were presented to either me or my coworker today. There were many more. These are just the ones I remember. We had a busy day.
My refgrunt from today
Phone message: need My Own Country video
Phone message: Caller left full name, phone number, library card number and complete address, but failed to state purpose of call.
How can I find out about someone in prison/if someone is in prison
Have you heard of a book about an indian boy in Appalacia who ent to live with his aunt and uncle because his parents died.
Need a list of everyone who lives in Modesto
A book about positive reinforcement written around 2002...possibly
What is that poisonous stuff that comes out of cars? [Carbon monoxide?] yes. write that down real big. Now write "fires", "drought", [anything else] yes...um...gotta stop driving those cars.
Would like biographical information about author Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun, which, incidentally is nothing like the movie.
Can you look up a book by the plot? I read a mystery set in ancient Rome and it was part of a series.
Can you tell me what it was? (I actually found the answer to this one)
It won't let me put these books on hold. Can you do it for me?
A question from an hispanic lady who kept pointing to her bookbag and asking about some meeting in sketchy English. Never did resolve that one.
Need the video My Own Country (don't have it, but we have the book)
Do you have any more books on tape (yah, like a thousand, but they're all checked out)
I can't put Histories by Herodotus on reserve.
I need books to help me teach some friends how to speak English.
Need videos showing childbirth.
Phone: I need to know if red and purple grapes contain oxalic acid. or green grapes. Red wine has it, but I don't know if it's part of the fermentation process. I can't have oxalic acid b/c it aggravates my gout.
Do you have photo copy machines?
Third request for My Own Country video
Books by author William Langewiesch
4 hand piano sheet music
Books on deer hunting
Need resources for a paper on Ho Chi Minh
Need resources for a paper on the Beatles 1964 US tour (last question of the day! woohoo!)
ALL of these questions were presented to either me or my coworker today. There were many more. These are just the ones I remember. We had a busy day.
