Tutorials, Creating online

If your library’s patrons are having a hard time navigating the wealth of information on the library web site, create online video tutorials to demonstrate some simulated searches. If your patrons can’t figure out how to use the tutorials, create a “How to use this tutorial” web page. You can then print this page and hand it to patrons when they wander to the desk and ask you how to search for information.

Hands, Washing your

Librarians who use waterless soap to repeatedly wash their hands should consider investing in disposable surgical gloves to keep germs at bay. One can never be too careful… there’s no telling who’s been rubbing their ass all over your keyboard.

Crafty, Being

Librarians should try to carve out part of their library work days for knitting, crocheting, and needlework. Appropriate occasions for doing crafts include your reference desk shifts, staff meetings, and professional development workshops. If these subtle cries for help don’t work, try broadcasting your sexual frustration by starting one of those “I’m a knitting librarian” blogs.

Committees, Naming

How to name a library committee:

1. Pick a corny acronym.
2. Find words that loosely fit letters in acronym.
3. Form a subcommittee to look into changing the name of the committee to a fit a new corny acronym.

Ask the readers: What is your library's best committee acronym?

Given names, Eschewing

Never let anyone at your library call you by your first name. It is demeaning. You are a librarian and you command respect from both patrons and colleagues. You are a Mr. or a Ms. You should demand that your library’s plastic name tags reflect it.

Nothing stings like having someone call you by your given name as they ask you for directions to the toilet.

Patrons, Dating

Librarians should always consider their clientele as a potential dating pool. You never know... occasionally one of your homeless patrons just might be desperate enough to be seen in public with you.

Collections, Special

A good librarian should collect something. Anything. House your collection of unicorn figurines, Pez dispensers, or dog skulls in your library workspace to show your coworkers what a well-rounded individual you are.

Ask the readers: Got a coworker who collects weird stuff? Let us know in the comments section below.