Miss Information

Miss Information is annoyed by something new

You’d think after all these years Miss Information would have heard it all. You’d be wrong. At least once a week there is a customer encounter that makes her shake her head in disbelief.

Today’s began when a gentleman handed Miss Information a date due slip. Lots of the customers hold on to date due slips as a record of the books they’ve read in the past since the library doesn’t keep that stuff on file. He pointed at an item. He wanted that book please.

Miss Information looked up the book in the computer. It was an older title and there was only one copy in the system. It was due back on February 1. Miss Information offered to put a hold on the book for the man. Then she noticed—the date due slip the man had handed to her had a return date of February 1. Strange coincidence. Miss Information asked the man if he had the book already.

Well, yes and no. The man signed out the book and lost it, misplaced it, whatever. Now he would like another copy of the book please.

Miss Information regretfully replied that the copy he lost, misplaced, whatever was the only one in the library system. At this point the man became outraged, quite hostile, in fact. This should not be. It was really stupid, inconsiderate really for the library to have only one copy of this very important title. Miss Information restrained herself from pointing out that it was really stupid, inconsiderate really for this man to have lost, misplaced, whatever the only copy of this very important title and then get mad at the library because the only copy was lost, misplaced, etc.

After allowing the man to vent for a few minutes, Miss Information suggested that he look around his house again. Maybe the book would reappear. The man agreed to try.

So far this has been the most head-shaking moment of 2007.

posted by Miss Information @ 5:27 PM