Librarian Rock Star

Posted November 9, 2014 by Alison Mitchell

This afternoon, at work, I had the most awesome success.  As soon as my shift was over, I called my husband and told him about it.  He was only mildly impressed.  When I picked up my kids at my mother-in-law’s, I told her, and she was also somewhat neutral.  Later, I called my mother, who, after a too-long pause, said “oh, that’s great!” 

What was so great, you ask?

I helped a patron find exactly what she wanted, with very little information to go on.  I felt like a librarian rock star.  Apparently my nearest and dearest weren’t quite as excited about my massive success, but I am still riding high.

Here’s what happened.  I was the only person working in the Children’s Department, nearing the end of my shift.  A 7-year-old girl came to the desk (I know she was seven, because she told me), and said she wanted to read the same book her friend was reading.  (Her friend wasn’t actually at the library.)

That’s all I had to go on.

And I found it.  (After some gentle questioning and two wrong tries.)

She was so happy, and so was I. 

This is what being a librarian is all about.