Do people realize how many ways Librarians help others? This is my little quest to publicize those things. I’m keeping track of the ways I help people on my job. I would love to get comments from other librarians, or comments from people who have received help from librarians.
This week, there was the usual book-finding. Here are some examples:
— Fablehaven books
— James Patterson books on CD
— Babymouse
— Veggie tales videos
— Percy Jackson books #4 and #5
— Kids’ cookbooks
— Picture books from a list
— Microfiche issue of National Genealogical Society Quarterly
— Magic School Bus series
— Nobody’s Perfect
— Leading Ladies
— The Wizard of Oz
— Fiction about knitting (Debbie Macomber)
— Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
— A guidebook for Malawi
— Another book by Margaret Mitchell
— A road map of Loudoun County
— Books by Ken Follett
— The Secret Lives of Henrietta Lacks
— Books on origami
— Travel books
— Caleb’s Crossing (It was a Hot Pick, so she could get a copy right now.)
— Video Jazz series by Ken Burns, episode 1
— “Classics” for 5th or 6th graders
— books on Monarch Butterflies
— The Princess and the Pea
As you can see, the variety is incredible. Some other things I did:
— Updated our books on the Annotated US Code with “Pocket Parts” — yearly updates with any changes.
— Learned more about the Virginia Room before the Virginia Room Librarian retires.
— Checked on the interlibrary loan availability of a particular book on traumatic brain injury for someone who works in the coroner’s office.
— Booked people with our English tutors
— Showed people how to make copies
— Helped someone print an airline ticket
— Put books on hold
— Requested microfilm ILL for Caswell County records in North Carolina
As a bonus, I’ll list some of the classics I found that kept two mothers of 5th graders happy. One was planning to get abridged adult classics, and I admit I told her I don’t like those. (As far as I’m concerned, they lose their classic status when watered down. They are classic more for their language than for their plot, and will be enjoyed more when kids are ready for them.) The mothers didn’t want books that were too long (like The Hobbit), but also didn’t want books that were too easy. Some books I did give them:
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
Half Magic, by Edward Eager
The Book of Three, by Lloyd Alexander
Spread the word: Librarians Help!