Some fun Romance titles just returned today…

One of the perks (said only slightly tongue in cheek) of going to a self-check / everyone does everything model of service  is that I get to scan (though quickly) the freshly returned titles… It’s a great way to get a snapshot of what our patrons are reading.

Today, I’m on the check-in desk for over two hours… Already, I’ve had some interesting selections come in, including the following slew of romance titles that caught my eye, as well as my imagination (not to mention my funnybone.)

Enjoy!

Two English to Chinese Google Translate moments…

kids at the library. pure joy.

today, a 5 year old whom I’ve known since she was 3 kept coming up behind me and poking me in the neck. it was her way of showing her love. (I used to see her all the time, but lately she has had karate class during the arts and crafts time, so we haven’t seen each other much.)

and then two of my 11 year olds spontaneously burst into song and dance during creative writing class. and afterwards begged me for help on finding books.

joy.

pure, unadulterated joy.

Screenshot of the Day – Found in Translation

So, I got called up to the circulation desk to translate to a patron who did not know that one needs a library card in order to borrow books. My coworker thought that she and I spoke the same language (Hindu/Urdu) but… we didn’t. And despite my one year study of Arabic, I had to rely on Google translate.

Click pic for the convo…

Screenshot of the day – Can you guess which book we are talking about?

So, this 14 year old girl came up to me to ask about a book, but it soon turned out that she was asking on behalf of her friend, a 14 year old boy who felt embarrassed about his English, which he did not need to be. But such is teenagedom. See the screenshot for a peek into the conversation that ensued. :-)

And if you can guess which book/movie we are talking of, do take a shot at it below!

Screenshot of the day

Here is a screenshot of my computer, a bit earlier in the day… It shows just the tip of the iceberg of what working in a bustling immigrant neighborhood library is like!

Yu-Gi-Oh! Boys @ your neighborhood library

Setting:

A busy Wednesday evening at the super-busiest (yet physically tiny) branch of a large urban library system. The year: 2011. The date: July 13th Circa: 7:40 p.m. The patrons are (almost) bouncing off the walls, the building is that packed. Children play (or do summer school homework) on the computers. Teens skulk in corners, reading The Odyssey. Or a Justin Bieber biography. Or both. Adults browse the DVDs, the Chinese books, the EZ readers, the fiction, the Large Print, the new books…. Babies laugh and coo and scream and sleep. Toddlers run in circles. Or play with the wooden bead games. Or read board books with their big brothers and sisters. People of all ages borrow the bathroom key.

In addition to the general Wednesday evening roar of activity, a long line of patient and hopeful ESL patrons meanders through the branch – New Americans waiting to register for free ESOL classes. 

In the midst of the general hustle bustle, a YA librarian hears her name hollered by a deep-voiced tall fourteen year old, from all the way across the library…

Well, here it is, in skit form:

Yugi-oh Boy — Yesha!!!!!!…………..Yesha! YESHAAAAA!!!!

Yesha: What? How can I help you?

Yu-Gi-Oh! Boy – Ummm… Is it raining outside?

Yesha: (Astounded look.)

Yesha: (…)

Yesha: (deep breath)

Yesha: Um…. why don’t you go and _check_ !

(Mind you, our library branch does have windows. And a door. A door that is unlocked.) And these kids were/are playing Yu-Gi-Oh! (while I am helping patron after patron after patron!)

But, on the other hand, I am touched at their utter trust that I will take care of their every information need, no matter how small. Match that, Google!

Screenshot of the week

Here is a screenshot of my computer, during the course of a conversation with a parent. I had just signed her and her son up for library cards, and also for Summer Reading… Take a look. :-)

Schooled!

The other day I went to a local middle school to make presentations about Summer Reading to sixth graders. In one classroom, the inquisitive ones started asking me about the looming budget cuts my library system is facing.

While I was there to tell them about how and why they could/should join Summer Reading, I was impressed with their interest in the library’s woes, and so briefly talked about the budget crisis, and said that we’re facing about $20 million in cuts and that this could impact the service that they receive.

At this, one energetic boy started to wildly wave his hand, which I could not ignore. When I said, yes?, he bursted out, “No, it’s $25.2 million!”

I gave him a salute.

It’s Monday! What are you Reading?

So, I decided to follow in my friend Joy’s footsteps and join this weekly meme, begun by Sheila, of the Bookjourney blog. 

Here’s what I’m reading, currently:

Book: Tell Us We’re Home by Marina Budhos

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Young Adult fiction
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication date: May 2010
Paperback: 297 pages

Right now I’m on page 94…. and am loving it so far. The following is just a short something about the book, and not meant to be a review or even a complete musing. The setting is a richy-rich suburban town in NJ, and the main characters are not, like in most YA fiction set in such towns, bitchy rich girls, but rather, they are the three daughters of women who work as nannies and housekeepers for the families of the rich girls. While such a book might strike fear into the hearts of those who disdain didactic fiction, be not afraid! This book (so far) does no such thing. There are such nuances! Such perspicacity! Such heart!