03/14/06
Everything I needed to know�I learned at the Reference Desk
Or not. The reference desk is an adventure. Yesterday's lesson:
1. Managing to keep a straight face when faced with a situation so dibilitatingly hilarious, I almost peed myself.
To answer your question, teenage girl: No, a petard is not a leotard and no, to be hoisted by one's petard does not mean to get a "really mean wedgie." Although, I suppose, metaphorically, you could make the argument that...oh lord, someone stop me.
Other things of note in my newborn library career:
1. "Other duties as assigned" can mean pack mule and paper wench.
2. People like to play the "telephone" game at the library. So, if one person asks their supervisor for ten reams of pastel colored paper, then by the time it gets to me, it becomes five reams of bright multi-colored paper. Also, five reams of paper is very heavy, especially when it's not wanted.
3. It's called 'Data WAREHOUSING 101', not 'Data WHOREHOUSING 101'.
4. Even little old ladies need copies of the Kama Sutra.
5. If the little old lady and her gentleman friend break something, are we liable?
6. Discussions on the Black Plague tend to bring everyone down, so I am no longer allowed to discuss my current reading list without getting approval first.
7. Also, typing in "squirrel, lawn mower, bubonic plague, california" on google or yahoo gets interesting results.
8. If someone asks you at a meeting where they can find the library's policy on proctoring exams, the correct answer is NOT: "Under P", even if it makes you giggle. Also, doesn't proctoring sound like proctologist? Man, another reason to laugh.
That is all. My state-mandated 15 minutes are up.
