Yes, we have no computers! We have no computers today!

Yesterday, after being closed for 9 days (8 business), the library reopened.  Not all of the books were put away, some shelves still needed to be moved, the genealogy room was still a mess and the computers weren't hooked up yet thanks to a disappearing electrician, but we reopened.  When we left the night before at 7:45, weary from moving furniture and shelving books, we wondered how many patrons would be patient with us and how many would wonder what in the hell took us so long.

Before opening, I called the local radio station to announce that yes, we would be open, but that the public computers would not be available.  Our director had also posted that information on the website, FaceBook and Twitter the night before.  How many people would get that info, we didn't know.  It appears the answer was NONE.

At 9am, I walked to the back door to unlock it.  Standing outside were three regulars, all of whom visited us primarily to utilize our computers.  Argh.  I looked at the door before unlocking it.  Yup, there was the sign that the director had put up, very clearly stating that the computers were not available, along with a very nice "no computer" graphic to go right along with it.  I shook my head and unlocked the door, opening it for them.

Me:  Hi, guys!
Patrons: (mumbling) Hi. (they begin to walk forward)
Me:  You DO know that the computers are down, right?
Patrons:  (brains melting) No.........  Will they be available tomorrow?
Me:  Don't know.  We hope so, but I can't promise anything.
Patrons: (puppy dog eyes telling me I'm killing them slowly) Uh, ok.  (shuffle away)

While they acted like kids who didn't get their way, they at least were respectful, somewhat dignified and understood that not everything goes the way we like.  This is in great contrast to the woman who stomped and bitched at the front desk, telling my coworkers that the electrician should have been working at night and that her bills would be late.  Seriously?  You don't have internet access at home and you pay your bills online?  Ok.  I'll try to forgive you for that.  But you can't PICK UP THE DAMN PHONE AND PAY YOUR BILLS OVER THE PHONE?  Or, even you knew we were closed and had already had to delay opening by two days, why didn't you WRITE A DAMN CHECK AND SPEND 44 CENTS TO MAIL IT?

My mother has accused me of being book smart and lacking common sense, but great googly moogly Batman, even I could figure that one out.

Wait.  Maybe I AM a mental giant!  Hot damn!

Jonesing for Germ-X

As mentioned in the previous post, we've been closed while we have new carpet installed.  And we're still having to tell people that we're closed.  Today, a lady came in and asked to copy something (man, people miss the damn copier, don't they?), I stopped a guy in the parking lot when I got to work (uh, we're closed... need to return those books?) and a guy walked in yesterday afternoon wanting to use a computer.  (He said this AFTER walking past the giant closed sign, seeing the moved furniture and seeing that the PCs were unplugged AND moved.  Moron.)  And we kicked out two people who'd walked into the back foyer and proceeded to look at the biographies that had been stacked on a table while we moved shelves. 

Me:  Sir?  I'm sorry, we're closed.
Patron:  Oh? (continues to look at books)
Me:  There's a big sign on the door stating that we're closed.
Patron:  Well, I walked right past it. (CONTINUES to look at books)
Me:  Sir.  You're going to have to leave. 
Patron:  Are these books for sale?
Me:  No, sir.  We have to move the books so we can move the shelves.  We're getting new carpet.
Patron.  (again) Oh.  (CONTINUES TO LOOK AT BOOKS)
Me:  Sir.  I'm sorry, you have to leave.
Patron:  Oh.  Uh, okay.

OMFG. 

We've been blessed to have the help of some of the inmates from the local jail.  Most of the guys have been busting their asses helping - scraping the carpet pad off the floor, hauling garbage to the dumpster, moving furniture, etc.  Pretty much, they do anything they're asked, as they're just happy to be out of the jail for a few hours.  We've had several different crews in for projects, but have gotten a few guys multiple times.  All in all, most of them are good guys who did something stupid and got caught.

Then there was the grizzly guy.  The only one who gave me the heebie jeebies.  But ya know, life goes and you do your own thing.  Until you're told that this same guy was spiking his coffee.  We kept coffee going for the guys, also letting them have soda, cookies, pizza, and more.  Apparently that wasn't enough for old grizzly.  He was making himself a cup of coffee and then spiking it with Germ-X, trying to get high. 

Um, EWW. 

He was reported to the guard in charge (the dude sitting on the other side of the library, not paying attention to his charges) and we hid the Germ-X.  Never a dull moment at the library!

We're closed. No, really. WE ARE CLOSED.

I worry about people.  Seriously.  Since mid-December, our library has had signs up, stating that we would be closed this week for the installation of new carpet.  These signs were posted on the front door, the rear door and at the circulation desk.  In addition, our tech-savvy director posted the notice repeatedly on our Twitter feed and FaceBook pages.  Notices were also on the local radio station, the community calendar on the local tv station and in the paper as a great column written by the director, as well.  Oh, one great librarian even made little bookmarks with a calendar printed on them, all dates we'd be closed marked clearly.  We passed them out to our patrons as they checked out books, asked questions, etc.  All bases covered, right?

Wrong.

Even though we're closed, most of us will be working all week.  Many of us reported to work today to move books, move furniture, weed books, etc.  Not long after we would have opened, the people started showing up (even with the ginormous dumpster in the parking lot).  The back door doesn't always latch, so some patrons even made it inside, but turned away rather amicably when we explained (again) that we were closed.  We then figured that the problem would rectify itself when patrons would be forced to read the signs!  AHA!

Nope.

The back door had to be unlocked since carpet and carpet pad scraps were being hauled to the dumpster.  Oh no!  Even with furniture scattered, books piled high on book carts near the door, completely empty shelves AND carpet being ripped up around the circulation desk, patrons now proceeded to walk all the way to the front desk and look around.  Several apologized and walked away once they were informed that we were closed.  Some even said "oh yeah, I remember hearing/seeing/reading that."  Yet, none of them stopped of their own volition.  They had to be told by a librarian that we were, in fact, closed and not just going for the shabby chic look.

Then, there was the older gentleman who walked past all of the tornadic activity to where the copier usually stays.  (I should point out that it's location is the beginning point of where carpet was being torn up.)  He looked at the empty spot.  He then looked around at the workers ripping up carpet.

Patron:  Where's the copier?
Co-worker: I'm sorry sir, we're closed. 
Patron: So, I can't make any copies?
Co-worker:  Sorry, sir, we're closed this week.  (points to nearly naked floor) We're getting new carpet.
Patron:  Why can't I use the copier?

I wish I'd been there.  I got the replay from our teen librarian who thought it was me telling the dude to leave.  Alas, no.  After that, I found the gigantic pad of paper, wrote "CLOSED - Will Re-open Next Week" in very large letters and placed it on the back door (next to the other sign already stating that we were closed).  A while later, I was near the back door and saw a mother and daughter standing at the back door, looking at the sign.  I opened the door:

Me:  Sorry, ma'am we're closed this week.  New carpet.
Mother: Oh, I think I remember hearing that on the radio. (continues to stare at sign)
Me:  Do you need to return those books?
Mother:  Oh yes.  I thought the book drop was back here.
Me:  No ma'am.  The book drop is at the front door.  (takes books from mother and daughter)  It's always been there. 

After that, I took the sign down and added "Please return books next week."  Did I mention that we made sure that no books would be due while we're closed?  The rest of this week should be interesting.