Embarrassing Myself at the Library
Well, it's been awhile since I've had a library card. Things have sure changed.
I applied for the card on-line so that it would be waiting for me upon my first visit; there was no such thing as on-line when I last used the public library system. When I entered the library, I saw three people at computer terminals at desks near the exit and mistakenly assumed they worked there. I made a complete fool of myself and asked the closest one, "Excuse me, where do I pick up my library card?"
The look on his face said "I'm not the hired help"; out loud he said, "Well, I would imagine with that lady over there?" The one that actually works here, yeah, I get it. The people standing at these terminals were library patrons checking out their own books. In the old days, you handed your stack of books to the librarian to check you out. She stamped a little card on the inside jacket with the date that you had to return the book. Now it's self serve!
I picked up my library card from a woman that actually worked at the library and went in search for my first library book in 20 years. I got completely sidetracked by the huge reading room filled with new releases. All these wonderful books and TOTALLY FREE! It's a million times better than that feeling I get in a bookstore.
On my way to the older books, I stumbled upon a rack where you could purchase three paperbacks for one dollar. I almost immersed myself in this section when I remembered; there are FREE books here! I found the book I was looking for, a Steven King memoir about the craft of writing.
On my way out, I drifted through the thousands of magazines--but I only had five minutes left on my parking meter, so needed to high-tail it to check out. I didn't want to embarrass myself again, so I carefully scoped out another actual library employee. She showed me how to scan my library card so that my name pops up on the check-out terminal. Now, I simply had to enter the last four digits of my phone number. The last four digits of my phone number--what are the last four digits of my phone number? There goes my attempt at avoiding embarrassing myself again.
I kept saying my area code and the first three digits out loud, but the next four digits would not follow. Nothing I could do could bring them out of my memory bank. She sympathized that this happens to a lot of people. That helped, I remembered. She showed me how to scan the book, and out came the receipt with my due date. She told me that I could renew it on my home computer from the comfort of my own home.
The other book I wanted wasn't at this branch, but through the miracle that is the modern library system, it will be waiting for me at my branch when I return this one.
Why does anyone go to the bookstore?
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Welcome back to the land of libraries! That Stephen King memoir on writing is one of my favorites.
Posted by: Working Rachel | May 16, 2008 at 02:17 PM
Hola Sydney
I am so glad that you have discovered the library of the future.
You know that you can request any book online and they will email you a note when they have it ready for you!
Also..They will send you an email when your book is almost due and remind you to renew it.
AMAZING, isn't it!!! And you a child of the computer generation!!
Please ask me if you want any more tips on being a miser!...or as I like to think of it..one who conserves and recycles.
Sara
Posted by: Wicked in San Jose | May 17, 2008 at 04:30 PM
I educated 2 sons with the help of America's public libraries! In fact, I changed jobs once because the older son said "Mommy, we never go to the library anymore." Why people don't make better use of this widely available education is beyond me.
Glad you found it. 20 years?!? (shaking my head in disbelief)
Posted by: Judy | May 18, 2008 at 05:32 PM
Yes, 20 years! Returning to my roots. My mom and I spent hours and hours each week at the library when I was a kid. I joined all the summer reading groups and came home with stacks of books each week which I devoured.
It's great, I feel the same "kid in a candy store" feeling now as I did back then.
And now that I'm on permanent summer vacation-I should have time to devour stacks and stacks of (free!) books once again.
Posted by: Retired Syd | May 18, 2008 at 05:43 PM
Welcome back to the fold! My library doesn't have self checkout yet, but the amenities are still pretty nice. I get a little giddy whenever I go in there. My husband has to hold me back.
"Permanent summer vacation" - that's exactly what I aim for!
Posted by: Lise | May 19, 2008 at 09:45 AM
Retired Syd, what happened to you? Why the 20 year absence from your libraries? Interlibrary loan is indeed a wonderful thing. Another thing you may wish to investigate is that many books can be had as electronic resources via your library's web portal.
And why worry about the parking meter? Take public transportation and/or a bicycle the next time! (Double free, the books and the ride getting there.)
Posted by: Steve Austin | May 19, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Sadly the public transportation in this suburban town is not good enough to get me from here to there. But the bicycle is a great idea--helping with the retirement weight gain at the same time!
Posted by: Retired Syd | May 19, 2008 at 11:23 AM
That Stephen King book on writing is awesome. I'm not a huge Stephen King fan, but he really does a good job with that book.
Posted by: Chad @ Sentient Money | May 21, 2008 at 08:19 AM