One part of librarian work is processing new items. When the main branch, which I affectionately refer to as the Mother Ship, sends us new items to circulate in the collection they are stuck in what's known as "In Processing." Most In Processing items just need a bit of labeling, stamping, or taping before they are sent out into the to-be-checked-out to patrons world. However, it is our network's practice to cover all softbound adult non-fiction books in one of the most mysterious substances known to man: self-adhesive film, also known as Contact Paper.
For librarians at my branch, there is something innately terrifying about Contact Paper. That self-adhesive film is the giver of potential crease and wrinkle nightmares to those that inhabit the library as a workplace. It's almost like the substance can sense weakness and will endeavor to poke it's restickable adhesive nose into your character's weak points just because it can.
*Note: I am not implying that self-adhesive film is sentient, rather it appears to be a product designed to not only protect inanimate things but also exploit any character weaknesses in sentient beings. Obviously this is only an observation based on five years of completely empirical evidence, but I've seen grant money awarded to premises far less logical, thus it would seem that this information regarding the substance should at least be shared.
You see, in theory it is not overly complicated to apply self-adhesive film to a book. A bit of measuring, cutting, applying, and air bubble pressing with a straight edge and one should be done with the process, smirking in the satisfactory glow that results from book protectionism. However, like all things in life, contact paper application is not that simple.
For the first thing, there are just some days that the film seems to know that you aren't feeling over confident and will wrinkle up like a person with an affinity for tanning beds and cigarettes. Once Contact Paper wrinkles, you might as well accept defeat, for there is no way those little creases are going to come out, and there are no Botox or Retinol treatments for self-adhesive film.
Here's a little inside knowledge tidbit, librarians hate to waste things, like anything! We chop up little bits of paper from holds slips and printouts to use as scrap paper, so the idea of throwing out a perfectly good piece of contact paper, even if it does look like an unpressed, laundered section of silk, is librarian sacrilege. Hence the avoidance of Contact Paper application land.
For the first year or two that I worked at the library, I lacked the confidence to tackle self-adhesive film application. Like most other humans, I tend to avoid tasks that make me look like a neophyte idiot at my place of employment. I mean, I don't mind looking like a moron if it is going to benefit the greater good, but come on people, you want your boss to think you are at least generally competent! After awhile though, it started to get to me, the lying of the new Adult non-fiction books upon the In Processing shelf. That caged knowledge needed to spread its self-adhesive, papered-covered wings.
So, being only somewhat of a coward, I dove in. Something strange happened over time, I made Contact Paper my, well, I owned it. I can honestly say that no Adult Fiction book stays uncovered under my watch, if I see a "How to Make Your Own Microbrew" book languishing on the In Processing shelf, it is covered, discharged, and sent into the world of patron checkout faster than you can say, Holy Hops In A Handbasket.
My point in all of this protective covering rambling is this: Don't let an intimidating task own your potential confidence. Over the years as I have become an expert at covering books with self-adhesive film (admittedly not a super big deal), something has happened to my personality. I radiate non-arrogant, self-assuredness from the knowledge that I am capable of completing tasks. I tend to lack offense in most situations because I know that most wrinkles can be smoothed. There is no offense or intimidation in my being when others nail the application of the Contact Paper for I know that someone else's success has zilch to do with my importance and value on this planet. When I decide to cover a book, I am decisive, I get it done. When I see a book lying on the shelf I take initiative and get the job done. And most of all, the potential to screw up is always present which keeps me humble, for the one constant in life is that we are always learning.
In the end, I think there is something or someone in everyone's life that serves as a symbol of when or how they acquired confidence in their ability. You might not even be confident yet, but when you achieve that self-assured confidence in your person, you will know it. I can think of no finer symbol for my graduation from a floating on the peripheral, hesitant to take responsibility, tentative creature into a full grown competent, confident leader than self-adhesive film.
And as always, all of the images in this post were taken on the author's self-adhesive film free iPhone.
