Because of the changes to the information services model at my library system, I don’t spend that much time on the reference desk anymore (most of my time is spent doing programming and outreach). The one opportunity I do get to sit out on the desk is when I pick up the occasional auxiliary shift at the Children’s Department at the Central branch, which still has a fully-staffed reference desk.
I love working the desk in the Children’s Department – you never know quite what to expect! To highlight this, I thought I’d share a few of the interactions I encountered during a recent four hour desk shift:
- Several international students from a local college looking for animated movies for an assignment.
- A teacher looking for books on how to make paper airplanes.
- Several parents looking for specific books (one of whom knew neither the title nor the author of the book they wanted, in which case Google is a saviour….)
- A teacher looking for science books for elementary school students.
- A teacher looking for French-language picture books.
- An ECE student looking for picture books with same-sex parents.
- A child looking for Minecraft books.
- A parent looking for information books on trains.
- An elementary school student looking for three books about Canadian explorers.
- Another elementary school student looking for three books about the environment.
- A child looking for music CDs.
- Several parents looking for reading suggestions to offer their children.
- A parent looking for Chinese-language children’s books.
- A teen looking for the next volume in a manga series.
- An adult patron looking for graphic novel versions of classic works of literature for a teenager.
- Many, many small children looking for stamps!
That’s one of the best parts of working as a children’s librarian – there’s so much variety, and never a dull moment.
If you’re wondering, these adorable little cartoon critters are the stars of the children’s section of our library website!