Why I Should Not be a Librarian
I love books. I love to be surrounded with them. Books are love.
So why shouldn't I be a librarian? Why shouldn't libraries want to hire me?
Several reasons.
I never understood the Dewey Decimal System.
I never really tried to learn it.
I am not so enamored with precision. In fact, I have discovered I take a dim view of precision.
The basic reason why no library would ever hire me is that I object to putting a book back in its exact place. On principle. To the best of my knowledge, I have never have put a book back in its precise place. It is hard for me to abide the idea that there is only one place for a book to be.
I would rather put a book back where I think it looks nice. Maybe next to a book of a compatible color. Or perhaps by intuition, I put the book where I feel it would like to be. I give it a choice.
Certainly, when I go to the library and I pull out a book from its shelf, and I think the book is wonderful, I deliberately place it where people will see it. I display it. I would never put it back in its tight place where no one would see it.
So, if you have ever been to the library and have spotted a book near where it's supposed to be but not in its exact place, probably I was there before you, and we just missed each other. Of course, we may meet each other next time.
Comments
Ahhhh ... that's why I prefer to pick books of the display tables and "just arrived" kiosks. They're so much more receptive there. A little order in a library is good -- perhaps by author -- but long, long rows with books of all sizes packed tight is constraining. Little books get overshadowed by the big boys. It seems in this computer age there would be a far more fun way to organize a library in a far more disorganized way. After all, most libraries, even our very small town ones, have scanners that check books in and out. I LOVE that you leave the books you enjoy on display. I believe I'll start doing the same ... thanks for the idea.
Uh...er...hmm...uh-oh, Pam, I didn't mean to start a movement!
Can't hop on board this train. If I go to a library looking for a particular book, or all the books by a certain author, or all the books on a certain subject, I want to be able to find what I'm looking for.
The only solution so far seems to be a rule that anyone taking a book off the shelf leaves it on a table where an official library worker replaces it where it belongs. I find that annoying but don't have a better way.
This is an illustration of the problem of society at large. Not nearly as big, but bigger than the problem of toothpaste tube bottom squeezers vs top squeezers. I don't know why I'm getting worked up over it, I haven't been to a library in many years. They don't have what I read now.
I have to agree with Charles on this subject. I discovered the world of books when I was twelve and it was like I had stumbled onto a magical secret world. I often think it was a divine gift to help me through a lonely childhood. I volunteered to be a student librarian during my high school years just so I could have better access to all the books. I felt so rich just to be near them. I was fascinated with the Dewey Decimal system and still am. It's such a convenience to be able to quickly find a special book among all the thousands on the shelves. Books still seem like a magical world to me.
Pam, we may be outnumbered! I may have to reform. But how I love freedom and independence and not following rules. :)
Uh-oh. There must be a happy medium ... darned if I can think of one, though. I still like browsing the displays more than the stacks. BUT, if I find a new author I like, I do like finding all their books in one place. Hmmmm. I just do not like TOO much order, I guess. Kind of like gardens--I prefer a more wild, natural looking one to a formal, groomed to the last petal kind. Not that I can't appreciate the formal ones (or the need for some sort of order in a library), just prefer the less orderly.
I concede to the masses on the library issue, though I will still leave books on the table ... hehehe.
Me, too, Pam! I like a garden that looks like it was planted many years ago and has filled itself in! Once I saw a decorating show called Curb Appeal, and the landscape designer proudly dug out all these blooming red azaleas and planted neat little low plants surrounded by mulch. I think it should be illegal to pull up happy established plants and trees.
Years and years ago I noticed that some people cut vegetables in neat tiny pieces while I cut vegetables up in big rowdy uneven pieces. At that time, I remember now, I used to think of two kinds of people -- both with their good place in the world -- big piece people and little piece people!
I'm the total opposite. If I find a book that is in the wrong place, I will re-shelve it. I feel much calmer knowing everything is put away in an orderly fashion. I love rows and rows of books. Home libraries are different though, they should be organized however it suits your fancy.
Kathy, I hope I haven't given you too much to do! Where do you live?
It seems like there may be other culprits like me roaming much-loved libraries.
Thank goodness there are people like you, dear one.
Here's an interesting book I found stacked away which I had to pull out and place on the featured shelf. Libraries fortunately cater for both my preferences by having a mixed table and a huge shelf with uncategorized books and rows and rows of books all categorize.
I do sometimes pull out books and place them in more accessible places when it feels like I should.
Now, isn't that nice!
That gives me a good idea. We could hire some elves to put the Heaven book on a good shelf at eye level everywhere. What do you think?
To just leave a Heavenletters book -- no library stamp or category, no labels on the spines -- on the new arrivals or simply on a table in the library would be SO FUN. Of course, it would have to be done secretly and quietly.
I'd have a chuckle at the confusion it would cause when someone tried to check it out. I suppose that would get me in big trouble again with the must be orderly people, but I'm hoping that it would ultimately be seen as a donation to the library.