The BL assisted a youthful patron the other day. Books were hunted, books were found. Zooming through the stacks together we honed in on the books he needed. "You're really good at this!" he exclaimed. Why yes, yes I am. Thanks groovy patron.

Creepy patron returns....

Last quarter The Creepy Patron (TCP) -- who happens to be a young, fairly decent-looking guy, but creepy nonetheless -- kept pestering me with possibly fake reference questions. One question, and then another, and another . . . Sigh. Then TCP started asking bizarre questions, like, "When do you work?" "Which days?" "How many hours?" Etc.
When TCP didn't turn up this quarter I sighed a sigh of relief. But today TCP returned. A sigh of another sort. And tonight, after several reference questions came the most bizarre question yet, "What's your ring size?" He says, staring at my ring finger. Ummmm..... Freaky. Thanks, TCP, for making me feel like some weird piece of library meat. That's just great.

The BL has been busy this fall; yes very busy. Between freelancing, teaching, and librarian-ing, it's been crowded to say the least. The BL did and does not think her calling is as a teacher, but the world seems to have made a little place for her at the chalkboard and so she embraces the challenge with courage and fortitude! She is also doing a little work for Google, which has been enlightening in many regards. To keep her sanity the BL has also started work on her dissertation which will be a passionate argument in favor of the preservation of the physical book. Viva la publication!!!

The Bourgeois Librarian means what she says and says what she means. She also seems to lack a filter. Men don't seem to have a problem with this and we have lively, provocative, intellectually stimulating conversations. Women, however, are inscrutable and seem to want to talk about nothing outside their comfort zone. And so, the BL accidentally spoke her mind and stuck the proverbial foot in her mouth. Sigh.

Desk Set (1957)

What a fabulous library movie.


It's everything the Bourgeois Librarian wants in a library: 1950s Steelcase desks, stacks of books, knowledgeable and plucky librarians wearing, of course, high-heels and poofy skirts. Pearls, cardigans . . . you should be able to hear my sighs of joy from here.

Desk Set is definitely requisite librarian movie-viewing.

Where has the Bourgeois Librarian been, you ask? She has been employed; not over abundantly, but employed. Reference work is great, even when the pickings are slim. One student asked what an encyclopedia is. Oh boy. Another struggled with footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographies. Indeed, it's tricky business. The Bourgeois Librarian has found that despite occasional "book disdain" on the part of professional librarians, the average student just really wants to get a physical book in their hands and "find the answers." Sure, let me show you where it is.

First day on the job! The Bourgeois Librarian is very, very tired. How can just three hours of training be so utterly exhausting? Yes my dear friends, after twelve years of higher education I'm shushing as an adjunct librarian. It feels good to have a little library domain of my own, if only for four hours per week.

LIFE Magazine, March 18, 1957; a great year, a great question -- should your child be a librarian? Why yes, she/he should. Being a librarian is fabulous: great hair, great clothes, surrounded by books, nice cozy desk job, sharp pencils, lots of stamping with rubber stamps, everything is in order. It's the ideal job! The Bourgeois Librarian currently has two of them -- granted, she isn't getting paid, she's doing a little pro bono work. Actually, she's trying her "archivist" shoes and volunteering in two different archives. It's lovely -- like a library but minus the patrons! There are definite perks . . .

The BL has a job! . . . working for her father. Does that count? Long hours and the promise of meager income -- sounds like a job to me! But seriously, it's great to be working and doing something I love, and being useful, and having a purpose, and -- whoa, I'm hyperventilating.
Yesterday the Bourgeois Librarian was feeling smart; so she wrote to a some high-up at the Smithsonian about writing a book review. Mr. High Up wrote right back to thank her! Wow, such professionalism, such a human touch -- what's wrong with these people I'm submitting job applications to -- they can't even write a "you're not hired" letter! Good grief Charlie Brown. And on that note, happy Great Pumpkin.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are happy days for the otherwise aimless Bourgeois Librarian, because on those days she gets to volunteer in an archive! Yes, she files, she sorts, she scoffs at acid-laden filing materials while preserving those tender relics of history. Soon the rare books will be in order and she can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that another bunch of books have been tended and cared for. Each book must be cataloged and ordered accordingly -- it's lovely lovely work. If only I could get paid for it . . . ?

Parties aside, the Bourgeois Librarian must admit to feeling a bit of ennui lately. Each new day promises to bring many new adventures, but every evening the never-arriving adventures are put on hold until tomorrow. Yes, while amazingly energetic in the presence of other people, this wayward librarian is a puddle of lifelessness when left alone. Should she go out in search of lox today?