Most of my stories about library patrons relate to people being unpleasant, but they stand out because they are not the norm. I actually like to see most people who walk in, or at worst I feel indifferent. Maybe that sounds a little harsh, but if you work in customer service, you probably know what I mean. Some people are not pleasant, not unpleasant, just... there. The outliers are the ones who either make life more fun or make good stories. Here are a few people who brighten my day.
Young Miss T. is presently in middle school, and has been visiting the library for many years. She is quiet, polite, bright, and cheerful. Slightly introverted, but not anti-social, she is capable of carrying on a conversation with her peers or adults. People who don't make a ruckus get a good first impression, and just being pleasant goes a long way toward winning the appreciation of librarians.
Old Mr. G. stops by almost every day to read the newspaper, and always greets us with a slight smile and a friendly wave as he walks in. He may be elderly and slightly hard-of-hearing, but he's no Shouty Old Man. His books are returned on time and undamaged, which is really all we ask. Again, his demeanor goes a long way toward making work more pleasant.
The W's include mom and her three daughters. Mom is an enthusiastic home-schooler, and her girls all enjoy borrowing books from all over our district. People still tend to perceive home-schoolers as isolated and anti-intellectual, but in reality, most choose alternatives to government school because it allows kids to thrive by exploring their own interests without being shackled to a school schedule. They still try to cover all the basic subjects for a well-rounded education, but they also want to nurture individual talents and personal growth first and foremost.
Tangential rant: I think this is generally a healthier environment than the factory school system. People are concerned about bible-thumping propaganda and prejudice, but no one worries about reciting the Pledge of Allegiance or kids being indoctrinated with state propaganda in government school? Kids aren't taught to think, they are merely taught to repeat what they are told, obey artificial authority structures, submit to arbitrary rules, and answer questions on a standardized test.
The Three M's are three generations of patrons. The youngest is a teen who sometimes works on homework, and sometimes gets in trouble for browsing YouTube instead of working on said homework. Her mom is usually busy with her own studies, but attends our programs for adults when she can make time. Grandma frequently makes use of our computers to browse recipes and crafts, and always tells us to set aside the change when paying for her prints to help out anyone else who comes up short. They all also help boost our circulation statistics by borrowing books aplenty.
L. is a small boy with big enthusiasm for libraries. Our youth librarian occasionally lets kids adopt a shelf to learn about properly alphabetizing books and keeping the library neat. They get to feel like part of the library, and they gain a better understanding of how much work we put into keeping everything organized. L. always goes straight to his shelf, chooses a book to display, and makes sure no one shelved anything out of order.
There are more, of course, but I think this gives a nice snapshot of library life without making it sound like it's all malcontents, vandals, and juvenile delinquents.
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