tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post4144293864027129781..comments2023-11-22T02:49:34.600-06:00Comments on A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette: Directional questions, AnsweringJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028088897973151439noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-17580010181691426882009-05-28T10:21:29.195-05:002009-05-28T10:21:29.195-05:00My reference librarian colleagues and I came up wi...My reference librarian colleagues and I came up with a top 3 best questions we have every been personally asked. <br /><br />#3 - Pregnant cat.<br /><br />Patron: Is there someone called Maureen works here?<br /><br />Me: No<br /><br />Patron: Its just that the lady at the careers place gave me your number and said Maureen adopts cats.<br /><br />Me: I don't know who Maureen is.<br />Patron: Do Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-87211768307128909332008-02-20T18:23:00.000-06:002008-02-20T18:23:00.000-06:00I just did that earlier today and now I am embarra...I just did that earlier today and now I am embarrassed. At least I did look at the floor plan near the elevator beforehand, and no bathroom was indicated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-70688437752407240322008-02-19T16:46:00.000-06:002008-02-19T16:46:00.000-06:00but as someone with a tiny bladder and a love for ...but as someone with a tiny bladder and a love for libraries, i appreciate it.roslynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550399610682819563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-21347415028313371342008-02-18T19:04:00.000-06:002008-02-18T19:04:00.000-06:00This post highlights exactly why I've never though...This post highlights exactly why I've never thought reference librarianship was something to which one should <I>aspire</I>. More like punishment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-16258300108481509542008-02-13T08:20:00.000-06:002008-02-13T08:20:00.000-06:00Haha, when I worked on desk I used to aaaaalways g...Haha, when I worked on desk I used to aaaaalways get questions about the bathrooms. <BR/><BR/>Though, my favorite one had to be, "Do you know the men's room is flooding?" <BR/>To which I tended to respond, "Yeah, it does that sometimes."<BR/><BR/>Only, I didn't realize that this time (yes, it really did happen a lot) there was water gushing from a burst pipe in the ceiling and cascading down likeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-15143644820077556992008-02-12T09:21:00.000-06:002008-02-12T09:21:00.000-06:00Anon. 7:28 AM:What time is supper? What did you ...Anon. 7:28 AM:<BR/><BR/>What time is <I> supper</I>? What did you say?!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-4455165853286812382008-02-12T08:00:00.000-06:002008-02-12T08:00:00.000-06:00How about "How do I get upstairs?"My husband sugge...How about "How do I get upstairs?"<BR/>My husband suggested that I respond, "How are your rope climbing skills?" Seriously, is it that hard for them to figure out where to find our four stairwells and elevator on their own?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-56631541247696230982008-02-12T06:28:00.000-06:002008-02-12T06:28:00.000-06:00I got a good one the other day..."what time is sup...I got a good one the other day...<BR/><BR/>"what time is supper?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-44123885388341166932008-02-11T15:04:00.000-06:002008-02-11T15:04:00.000-06:00To answer "where is the bathroom?" you've got basi...To answer "where is the bathroom?" you've got basically 2 choices in my experience:<BR/><BR/>1. discretely answer in your best shushing librarian whisper, with <I>maybe</I> a quick head nod in the proper direction; Or<BR/><BR/>2. Stand up. Use very large arm motions to semaphore the directions while speaking in an almost outside voice. This way everybody in hearing or sight range knows where yourAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-82057595720295197662008-02-11T14:10:00.000-06:002008-02-11T14:10:00.000-06:00How about: "Is the copier working today?" Sometim...How about: "Is the copier working today?" Sometimes I want to say: " No, it's on vacation this week."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-76346973701626312352008-02-08T06:07:00.000-06:002008-02-08T06:07:00.000-06:00How about:"Where is the photocopier?""Do you mean ...How about:<BR/><BR/>"Where is the photocopier?"<BR/><BR/>"Do you mean the printer?"<BR/><BR/>"Yes..yes..the printer"<BR/><BR/>"Did you mean photocopier or printer?"<BR/><BR/>"Oh yes. where is the photocopier?!"<BR/><BR/>"Both of them are upstairs"<BR/><BR/>"Which stairs?"<BR/><BR/>"The stairs in front of you"<BR/><BR/>"Oh."<BR/><BR/>"Thank YOU..."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-25594371955177696442008-02-07T22:31:00.000-06:002008-02-07T22:31:00.000-06:00"Can I use your phone?""No.""Why not?""Because""Be..."Can I use your phone?"<BR/><BR/>"No."<BR/><BR/>"Why not?"<BR/><BR/>"Because"<BR/><BR/>"Because why?"<BR/><BR/>"Because it's not your phone."<BR/><BR/>"Can I use your phone?"<BR/><BR/>"The payphone is one block away and the bank is two blocks away."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-52003689424425454272008-02-07T12:52:00.000-06:002008-02-07T12:52:00.000-06:00OK, how about "can I use your phone?"OK, how about "can I use your phone?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-28932521235113690722008-02-07T10:17:00.000-06:002008-02-07T10:17:00.000-06:00No no, we're librarians -- we fear change. We don...No no, we're librarians -- we fear change. We don't have any ourselves (certainly not on these salaries).<BR/><BR/>Giraffes and directions to the head, on the other hand, we are in stock. How may we help you...?f is for Fer; he failed to flosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08080890396175517923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-2572488054439071062008-02-07T08:38:00.000-06:002008-02-07T08:38:00.000-06:00How about "do you have change?"How about "do you have change?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-86958512649174247432008-02-07T08:22:00.000-06:002008-02-07T08:22:00.000-06:00Not to mention, "Where is the reference desk?"And ...Not to mention, "Where is the reference desk?"<BR/><BR/>And that was before admin started renaming the ref. desk.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-73020297522225387702008-02-06T22:39:00.000-06:002008-02-06T22:39:00.000-06:00Just past the giraffe...Isn't that where they are ...Just past the giraffe...<BR/><BR/>Isn't that where they are in your library?Abigailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16516958674017214759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-30336125634168043352008-02-06T16:06:00.000-06:002008-02-06T16:06:00.000-06:00What if your directional questions are mainly "Whe...What if your directional questions are mainly "Where are the printers" because no one can see the "copy room" sign that is hidden behind a building support? (And also does not indicate that the printers are in the copy room . . . )Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13982121177952752019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10092275.post-67256049185864885072008-02-06T15:12:00.000-06:002008-02-06T15:12:00.000-06:00Hey, a request for information is still a request ...Hey, a request for information is still a request for information. It gets counted in the reference desk statistics. The specific question (bathroom, copier jam, stapler, highlighter, 3-hole punch, and so on) doesn't matter so much at that point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com