I can say I’ve learned a lot during my time working at my local library. Here are nine things that have stuck with me:
1. You realize how much you don’t study.
When almost all of your time is spent working in a library, the novelty of going there to study wears off really quickly. Seeing other people on top of their work makes you realize how much you aren’t.
2. You know what the Dewey Decimal system is.
Remember when we learned about the Dewey Decimal system in kindergarten and never used it again? Well, if you’re putting nonfiction books away, the seemingly random numbers start to make sense.
3. Librarian gossip is hardcore.
What happens when a bunch of librarians are bored at the checkout desk? They start to gossip; about each other, about patrons. The funniest part, though, is that since they are mostly older, they gossip really loudly so they can hear each other… and everyone else in the library can hear them too.
4. You realize how many books there are in the world.
My library is relatively small, but the amount of books, movies, CDs, and magazines we own is insane. How can that only be a small portion of the ones that exist? More are being published every day!
5. There are some weird books out there.
Have you ever come across a book and wondered how it possibly got published? Yeah… that was basically every day.
6. The children’s room is horrible.
Working one day in the children’s room was enough to make me want to swear off children forever. Sure, some are cute and respectful, but the majority will scream, pull out books and leave them on the floor, and generally make you question your decisions in life.
7. There’s always that one librarian who is looking for trouble.
Whether they don’t do their work and expect you to do it, or call you out for a simple misunderstanding, there’s always that one person who seems to be out to get you.
8. You find that perfect secret spot to take a break.
The very last section of books in my library ended up being the perfect spot to sneak to for breaks. It was secluded enough, and being that it was the math and science help books, nobody would ever look there in the first place to be able to find me.
9. It’s still better than working in customer service.
Although there are a lot of annoying parts about putting books away day after day, it’s better than having to deal with angry customers on a daily basis.