miss-know-it-all

i wasn't going to write about last friday but i will because of something that happened today. friday, i was working at the library, it was 10 minutes to 5pm, when we close. all our patron access computers are shut down at 4:45 because it takes awhile to shut them downand we have many closing jobs to do. two women walk in at 4:50 and ask to use a computer. unfortunately, they get the big mouth know-it-all who gives them the speech about the computers being shut down 15 minutes before we close. because i was working at another desk, i did not hear exactly what the woman wanted, but she said it was very important that she find an address or something online because she's closing on a home or something and it's very, very important. so, in my mind i think, send her to reference. easy. one of their computers may be on or they can get the info for her. no prob, right? the patron asks if WE can access our internet and look it up for her and miss-know-it-all says, "the public cannot use our circulation computers." that was not their question. i think we probably could have found what they wanted ourselves, but REFERENCE is in the library for this kind of thing. now, one of the women (i have to say both were crude) swears up and down and says she'll never come to our library again, we're Nazis, she doesn't know what she's gonna do now, blah, blah, blah. she walks out and her friend asks to speak to someone in charge. our male staff member pipes up and says, "well, isn't that you (miss-know-it-all)? to which she yells loudly, "NO WAY! i am NOT in charge (but i'd love to be cause i always act like it)." so, finally my other cocircworker mentions that the computer librarian is in charge and maybe she can help. so, the friend calls back the angry woman, they see the librarian and they get what they needed in about 3 lousy minutes. i just shake my head because all of this could have been avoided IF miss-know-it-all just sent them to reference where the librarian was! aaarrrggghhh!

now today we were one lady short (because she is in Italy for two weeks) and it was just myself and my circhead working the desk until 1:30 when relief was do in. up until 9:45, we thought we would have an easy morning. yeah. then, the kids and parents piled in for the first of the summer programs and hell opened up and attempted to swallow us poor circ-ers. it was HELL. we did not stop for a single nanosecond. and we had a great page get our bookdrop AND pull the 94 requests for us. the delivery came around 11 and we could not even think of touching it. dvds upon dvds and books upon books, lost cards, weird phone calls, requests and a book bin that would not empty. for our 15 minute morning breaks, the director and the secretary came out to help and they were twirling around and moving it! to say that headcirc and i were exhausted was and understatement. a very BIG understatement! i had to take another full round of pain pills and a tranquilizer for my lunch which i did not get until 2:30ish.

anyway, on mondays and thursdays, headcirc and i unpack the delivery. we all have different days. unpacking the delivery is something we all want to do because we are not technically on the desk and we get to stand around and have a little break from the havoc of the desk. in other words, it's the easiest job we have.

so, after going crazy all day, head circ and i were looking forward to unpacking and getting a breather. in comes miss-know-it-all-lazy-ass-pissed-me-off-real-bad. i mention that we were terribly busy, so we were just now processing the requests and we still haven't gotten to the delivery. she says, well, i'll check this bin in and i'll start unpacking the delivery. i said, "oh no! headcirc and i have been crazy all morning and it's our day to unpack anyway and we want to do it!" she huffed and i didn't talk to her for the rest of the day.

see, the workers that come in for the night shift ask how things have been and if it's been tough, we start taking on the hard stuff and try to give the morning shift a break. they can find some off desk work and we take over the desk. in theory, that is how it should work. but some people will do anyting to get out of work.

last week, the circhead had a small talk with miss-know-it-all. #1) she can no longer take a break by the desk and use the internet because patrons think she is working and approach her with a question and she rudely says something like, "i'm on break. talk to them (pointing to circ). #2) when we are really busy and need more circ desk help, do not start an off desk project. help out at the desk FIRST! jesus!

i was fine all day, if not tired and confused, until miss-know-it-all totally pissed me off. hurumph!