LISNews: Librarian News

Don Saklad sent in a link to Michael Sauers Don Saklad Haiku/Senru Page, so since it's Friday, and there's not much else going on, why not try to write your own. There's a ton of Material to work with out there, and Here.

Public documentation
Ask your city public library
Observe principles flouted

bentley writes "Library Girl wonders: "Why not Librarian Tarot? Wheel of Fortune could be a search engine. High Priest is Melvil Dewey or Ragananthan. High Priestess is Hypatia of Alexandria. The Lovers are kids making out in the stacks. Justice is a fine. The fool is the Stereotypical Idiot Patron. The Hermit is the grad student lost forever in the basement stacks while doing a thesis. Strength is the magnetic anti-theft system. The World is a library card."

Alas, no illos."

The Beeb is having a Limerick Challenge in honour of National Poetry Day.
In that spirit, they invite you to come up with the next four lines of any of these openers.

On Arnie's first day in the job...

At Blackpool one day by the sea...

When Tony asked Gordon to lunch...

A mind-reader picked up a gun...

I'll try a few openers that might be more interesting:

There once was a man named Dewey...

One fine day I found a book...

I work at the library of Nantucket...

We're happy to be implementing CIPA...

I'm a proud memeber of the ALA...
Update: 10/10 05:46 EST by B:It's Friday, it's funny, so I'm bumping this up a bit. Brian wins a special prize for this one:

The library staff in NantucketSupplies its Web surfers with buckets.
A sponge and some bleach,
Within easy reach,
Boston Public Library violates principles of freedom of information by routinely denying requests made through enquiries at the reference desk for records that are legitimately public.

It started out like any other morning. I woke up late, rushed to work, and sat down at the Reference Desk. Quickly after this, however, the day became extremely odd.

I found that when librarians spoke, I could hear what they really meant! Thinking my coworkers were particularly filled with vitriolic thoughts, I rushed to another library.

I spent the entire day travelling and recording what goes on in minds of mean, repressed librarians. Maybe this won't be a shock to you. If it doesn't, shame on you for thinking such bad thoughts!

For the rest of us librarians, the ones who care about our patrons, here are a few horrific examples (with more inside):

That's a good question! = I have no idea how i'm going to answer this question.

Holes is a great book for young adults. = I've never read it!*

We can get any item you need = Except back issues of "Swank."

Excuse me, drinks aren't allow in the library. = Except my 2 liter stash of vodka gimlets.

We don't have that book in right now. = We don't have that book in right now!

Aww, that's the cutest puppy I've seen, thanks for showing me all those pictures. = My cat would eat that little bare ass rat alive.

Actually, don't worry about it, this happens to computers all of the time. = You minimized your screen.

*okay, this was me -- Read More